The last time that a coronation took place in England my favourite tipple was a glass of milk, or if I was lucky, it might have been Kool-Aid. June 2, 1953 was certainly a long time ago.

Someone that I have worked with often liked to ask, “What do you call a meal without wine?”

The answer, of course, is “Breakfast”.

This means that the actual ceremony, which starts tomorrow at 7am our time, will be too early for the thought of wine, but it will be a day to celebrate. I am also looking forward to the concert on the following day, as I was absolutely amazed by the one that took place to celebrate 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II at the helm.

There will be plenty of time to enjoy wine and I am only going to suggest ones from the Commonwealth of Nations and ones that honour and respect Mother Nature, as our new king does.

I will make one country exception right away, and hopefully you will agree that it is appropriate.

You may wish to enjoy a wine that is synonymous with celebration, and so I quote from a champagne house website: “As a recognition of quality and environmental responsibility, Laurent-Perrier was granted the Royal Warrant of HRH The Prince of Wales in 1998 and has proudly carried it ever since whilst remaining the only champagne house to bear this Royal Warrant.”

We have ample stocks of Laurent Perrier La Cuvée Brut NV Champagne, and to keep with the theme I will quote what the large store chain called Waitrose has to say about it: “This is beautifully balanced with fine streams of flowing bubbles – the hallmark of the finest champagne – leading to delicate citrus and subtle floral notes on the nose. Courtesy of one of the last great family-run houses in Champagne.” $63 (Stock #7153).

We will stop by in Canada for a bottle of wine that is certified organic by Ecocert Canada, and biodynamic by the international Demeter Federation. It is the 2020 Lightfoot & Wolfville Ancienne Pinot Noir. It has been awarded 94 points by WineAlign that says, “The sandalwood, fenugreek, cinnamon, and cardamom all come through. Such a seep of tea, red tea that is, not quite rooibos but more floral, into hibiscus without any doubt.

“A wine of oscillations and grooves, sensitive, emotive, ever changing. That said the mood is more than good at this stage, intuitive and responsive, paying attention and ranging to so many edges, corners, and plateaus. Three thousand bottles made, approximately. Drink 2022 to 2027. Tasted September 2021.” $39.90 (Stock #9705).

Our 2021 Seresin Zosia Pinot Noir Rosé hails from New Zealand and they have carved a name for themselves as one of the top boutique producers in the South Island and have also earned a dedicated following for their organic, biodynamic wines.

“This Marlborough pinot noir rosé is elegant yet mouth-filling and textural, with vibrant flavours in the red berry spectrum. The finish is dry with a lick of acidity that leaves you wanting another glass. Critics have awarded this vintage 92 and 93 points. For those vegans among us this wine is most appropriate. $28.90 (Stock #8717).

If you are of the mind that this weekend calls for nothing less than perfection, then let me whet your taste with this review – 100 points. Sam Kim in Wine Orbit, April 2021: “Destined for a long life, this majestic offering shows cassis, dark plum, hint of tobacco, cedar, and floral aromas on the nose.

“The palate is packed with rich fruit intensity combined with layers of silky texture and complex flavours, wonderfully supported by perfectly pitched chalky tannins, making it sturdy and structured with a seemingly endless finish. Flawless and spellbinding. A blend of 59 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 37 per cent merlot and 4 per cent cabernet franc.”

This wine that rates 100/100 is from the oldest winery in New Zealand and it is situated in Hawke’s Bay on North Island. It is 2019 Te Mata Coleraine. Year after year this red positions itself at the top of the pile and many consider it New Zealand’s’ greatest offering. $90 (Stock #8762).

We should have some white on hand, so in keeping with the programme, let's move on to Swartland, South Africa for 2019 A.A. Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc. This winery tells us that, “A.A. Badenhorst Family wines is run by a couple of hippies, cousins, to be exact, who farm biodynamically and make wine naturally using old-school, traditional, no-frills equipment.

“Adi Badenhorst is quite a character. In addition to being a hot-stuff winemaker, he is also a parrot farmer, an LP collector, and a tea connoisseur. South Africa knows a thing or two about dry chenin blanc, also known locally as ‘steen’. The Badenhorst Secateurs is a beauty, with notes of stone fruits, minerality, and un petit peu of that dry chenin Bit-O-Honey. Ripe apples in its make-up make it natural to enjoy with roast pork or chicken.” $28 (Stock #7105).

It would not really be honest to say that 2020 Ghost Corner Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc, from Elgin, South Africa is organic, but let me explain it this way. Some couples live together and obey all the rules, but they just do not go through the process of obtaining a marriage license. Ghost Corner, like many wine producers, obeys all the organic rules, but they just do not go through all the paperwork to get a certification.

This wine shows aromas of citrus, white pear, tropical notes of pineapple and passion fruit, a green grassy stalkiness, and a rich almost sweetness like quince. The palate is rounded and fresh and bursting with flavour. Rich, ripe stone and tropical fruit notes, citrus and crisp, minerally acidity with quite light oaky touches and a lovely roundness to the palate with a long finish. It scored 94/100 at the Decanter World Wine Awards and MW Tim Atkin. $39 (#7124).

This column is an advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn have stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits is available at www.wineonline.bm