Whisky lovers are raising their glasses to a new kind of tasting experience as Jackton Distillery, located just south of Glasgow, announces overwhelming demand for its newly launched wine programme, in partnership with a historic family-owned vineyard in France’s Loire Valley.
The inaugural RAER Alliance wine event, featuring exclusive wines and paired French cheeses, sold out within hours of release, with a growing waitlist prompting the distillery to schedule a second event on 9 August.
Crafted in collaboration with Vignobles Sébastien Fricker, the RAER Alliance range is named after the historic “Auld Alliance” between Scotland and France and offers a unique cross-cultural tasting experience for whisky and wine fans alike. The wines – produced at the Fricker family’s Domaine des Elettes vineyard – are available only via Jackton Distillery and select Scottish retailers in Glasgow and Edinburgh, with limited annual allocations.
RAER Alliance director Peter East commented:
“The modern UK wine drinker wants a sense of connection, and that often means buying local or supporting something with a story. We can’t grow vines in Glasgow’s climate, but we’ve brought the French connection here through this unique partnership.”
“Sébastien Fricker is a remarkable winemaker, and these wines are simply magnifique. It’s no surprise the first tasting sold out so quickly.”
Among the six wines in the range is a sparkling Crémant de Loire – often seen as the Loire Valley’s answer to Champagne – made from hand-harvested grapes and traditionally aged for 12 months. With an emphasis on craft and quality, the RAER Alliance collection captures the best of both French winemaking and Scottish hospitality.
For more information or trade enquiries, visit raer.co.uk
About Jackton Distillery
An independent, family-owned distillery near Eaglesham, south of Glasgow, Jackton Distillery produces craft Scotch whisky, gin, and vodka. The site includes a bar, gift shop, and on-site accommodation, and is one of the few female-led whisky distilleries in Scotland. The team runs multiple sustainability initiatives, including the planting of 38,000+ native trees, and holds a Green Tourism award. Their immersive tours and spirit tastings run Tuesday through Saturday and are consistently rated ‘excellent’ on Tripadvisor and Google Reviews.
About Vignobles Sébastien Fricker
A fourth-generation winemaking family, the Fricker family vineyard in the Loire Valley – Domaine des Elettes – has been producing high-quality wines for over a century. Sébastien Fricker also manages Domaine des Déserts, located in Normandy, with the first vintages from the site expected in May 2026. The vineyards focus on sustainable cultivation of Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
