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 Sir Cliff, who has been popular singer for six decades, has been a regular visitor to Portugal for the last 40 years and is known to dirty his hands during harvest whenever he was around. He asserts that he found the experience exhilarating. "However, reluctant as we are, my business partner and I believe it is time to slow down the treadmill, and hand over the 'dream' to someone who can dedicate more time to this wonderful venture," he has reportedly said to the media.
Although the news has been reported widely in the British Press yesterday, because of his huge following and sometimes controversies surrounding him, the intended sale was reported already in the Portuguese Press over two months ago. PortugalPress had reported on January 27, ‘the Algarve’s well-known Adega do Cantor winery and Quinta do Miradouro estate – famous for producing the Vida Nova and Onda Nova wines in partnership with Sir Cliff Richard in Guia, Albufeira – has been put up for sale by English owners Nigel and Lesley Birch.’
“Quinta do Miradouro was established in 2001 just a few years after Sir Cliff started planting his own vines at his nearby estate. The long-time friends and neighbours, the Birchs and Sir Cliff started producing wine together in 2003 at the Adega do Cantor which means ‘Winery of the Singer’ and is “equipped for the production of premium quality wine from Syrah, Aragonês, Alicante Bouschet and Viognier grapes”. Over 10,000 cases are produced annually at the winery which receives around 16,000 to 18,000 people a year.
 The 75-year-old singer has already been interviewed by police over a sex abuse claims made against him, but has never been arrested or charged, nor has the Crown Prosecution Service received a police file over allegations by the 40-years old man who has claimed of historical sex abuse when he was a 16-year old boy. The singer was first interviewed by detectives in August 2014 after the man came forward claiming to have been groped by him at a Christian rally in 1985. Sir Cliff has always denied the allegations.
Police raided Richard's home in 2014 when he was away in Portugal over allegations of a sexual assault at the rally held by the US evangelical preacher Billy Graham in 1985.  The search came as detectives investigate the claim that a boy under 16 was abused by an adult at a religious event held by the pastor. Sir Cliff has reportedly said in a statement that the claims against him were “absurd and untrue” and he had “never, in my life, assaulted anyone”.
BBC is believed to have had prior knowledge of the raid and to have been stationed outside Richard's property in Berkshire. The raid was reported live on British Television. In a statement denying the sex abuse claims, Richard had criticised the leak to the Press and threatened to sue the police.
The Indian connection
Cliff Richard was born as Harry Webb in Lucknow, India, in 1940. He migrated to UK and as rock 'n ‘roll music became prominent in the 50’s and 60’s , he rose in popularity and was even considered Elvis Presley of UK at that time, since he emulated his style of singing. His several hits became chartbusters and the twelve movies he went on to make during his career- like Young Ones and Summer Holiday were immensely popular with the Indian teens in the 60s when he was a singing sensation in the urban India. He was knighted in 1995 and performed at the Queen's diamond jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace in 2012. |