La Rochere - 27cl Bee Wine Tumblers

As the style-savvy will be aware apian is the buzzword to look out for in forthcoming seasons, fashionistas will be making a bee line for the honey-maker motif which will be appearing on jewellery, as buttons, in print designs and emblazoned on bags and purses. What could be more on trend then than these ravishing bee wine tumblers from Roullier White?

La Rochere is France’s oldest glassworks and has been producing some of the world’s finest quality glassware since 1475. Made to a centuries’ old tradition, Roullier White’s bee wine tumblers are ultra-clear and extremely robust, making them perfect for daily use. By melting sand, soda & lime at 1450°C silico-sodocalcic glass, renowned for its brilliance, is poured into moulds so the bees appear in relief. 

The La Rochre bee motif is popularly attributed to Napoleon, who adopted it for his royal crest. The bee has in fact been a regal symbol since the time of the pharaohs; biblically Egypt was referred to as the land of milk and honey. Whilst the Napoleonic connection is possibly true, it is more likely that the bee, a popular motif in France and particularly in Provence, is used because of its folklore symbolism; representing reward through industry, and renewal. Moreover, pastoral life in France would have been totally dependant on the bee. The bee has for centuries also been a symbol of good luck to have around the house, because of its supernatural ability to always find its way home; raise your glass to absent friends.