Queen drummer Roger Taylor breaks into wine business with rosé
At an event in London on Wednesday, a new celebrity-backed wine was unveiled – this time from Queen drummer Roger Taylor. Called Cuvée Rock n’ Roll rosé, it hails from Provence. Patrick Schmitt MW finds out more.
Present at the launch was Roger Taylor along with his partners in the project, who were Rupert Clevely – previous UK MD at Veuve Clicquot and CEO of Geronimo Inns – along with buying director at Watermill Wines, Dominique Vrigneau, and Valérie Courrèges, who is head winemaker at Les Caves du Commandeur – the producer of the pink wine.
Also in attendance were representatives from Sony Music, which is a further investor in the enterprise as the owner of the rights to the Queen band name and catalog, along with British actor and comedian Paul Whitehouse, who interviewed Taylor about the wine at the event, which was held at the Covent Garden Hotel.
The Cuvée Rock n’ Roll 2025 is composed of 70% Grenache and 30% Cinsault from the 2025 harvest using grapes from the grower-cooperative Les Caves du Commandeur, which is a direct investor in the Queen wine brand.
Speaking at the event, Taylor was asked for his views on the wine by Paul Whitehouse during a light-hearted discussion.
Taylor said that he was a “life-long lover” of wine, “but no expert”, before commenting, “I think I know a good one [wine] from a bad one, and I think this is a good one,” referring to his rosé.
Continuing, he described the Queen Cuvée Rock n’ Roll as “delicious”, before joking, “It’s got to be served cold and on the back of a major yacht in hot weather.”
As for the price, he said, “Our aim is not to be too expensive,” noting that it will retail for £18, ensuring that it is pitched to sell for “a little less than Whispering Angel”, according to Taylor, referring to the Provençal brand leader, now part owned by Moët-Hennessy.
In terms of the packaging, Taylor said that the unique pyramid-punted glass-stoppered bottle is “beautiful and I would use it as a water bottle afterwards.”
The label features branding in light blue – a shade chosen by Taylor – who added that he didn’t want anything “too big and flashy”.
db asked Taylor whether he was intending to extend the brand into other wines or drinks, to which he said that his aim was only to make rosé with his initial partner winery, although Clevely later said that a more premium expression of rosé may be introduced at a later date from the same Côtes de Provence producer.
Taylor also told db that when not drinking Provencal rosé, he “prefers a Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc any day,” while he likes a “nice Saint-Julien”, when it comes to red wine.
During the event, one attendee asked Taylor if it was acceptable to put an ice cube in the rosé. “Yes, absolutely – if you don’t want to stick it in the fridge and wait an hour,” he said.
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While another asked for a music recommendation to pair with the wine – to which Taylor said, “Something nice by Sigur Rós” – an Icelandic rock band that formed in 1994.
He also said that “there were no parallels between making wine and making music,” before admitting that he “got involved [in the wine trade] through my mate Rupert [Clevely],” adding, “and it’s a nice new avenue to be involved in.”
The Queen rosé will be available in 75cl bottles, as well as “magnums and more” according to Clevely, who stressed that the wine wasn’t intended “for luxury hotels” but mainstream retailers.
Although exact production figures for the launch expression weren’t given, Taylor said of the Queen wine, “I hope the future is huge; I don’t see where it would stop.”
Roger Taylor is the latest in a line of celebrity-backed rosé brands, including Kylie Minogue, Brad Pitt, John Legend and Jon Bon Jovi, among others.
About the wine
The 2025 vintage is composed of 70% Grenache 30% Cinsault
- ABV: 13%
- Residual sugar: 1.4g
- pH: 3.37
- Acidity: 3.42
The wine is produced by Les Caves du Commandeur in Montfort-sur-Argens, Provence – a winery founded in 1913 and made up of 60 local growers.
Queen Rosé is a collaborative investment between:
- Roger Taylor
- Sony Music
- Watermill Wines
- Les Caves du Commandeur
- Rupert Clevely (former co-founder and CEO of Geronimo Inns, and former UK MD of Veuve Clicquot)
The recommended retail price is £18 per bottle.
Queen Côtes de Provence Rosé will be available from 5 May via queenwinesofficial.com and national retailers.
There are plans to expand beyond the UK, with Australia and key markets across Asia currently being explored as next steps.
Roger Taylor is an English musician, songwriter and record producer who achieved international fame as the drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Queen. He was born 26 July 1949.
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