Award Winning English Bubbly - Article in The Visitor Mag. September 2018

I was especially pleased earlier this year to be asked to present my paper on ‘Brexit and the impact on the UK wine industry’ at the annual conference of the American Association of Wine Economists, held this year at Cornell University, New York. It gave me the perfect opportunity to highlight our wonderful wines to an international audience. 

I am also fortunate enough to have a very generous friend who, for Christmas each year, gives me a subscription to Decanter (the vinophiles lifestyle magazine). It is too bad that for much of the time I am too busy to plough through its pages of news on the latest vintages, and too poor to buy many of the recommended wines on a regular basis.

However, from time to time there is something in particular that commands my attention; this month, having a passion for promoting our homegrown tipples, I was interested to see which of our UK vineyards featured amongst the World Wine Award winners for 2018.

Many of our winemakers may be the new guys on the block when it comes to the global stage, but it is no surprise that when it comes to taking home the trophies English sparklers come up trumps; our expertise in producing champagne style bubbly has been garnering international recognition for sometime, and rightly so.

Sadly, although we managed to scoop up 3 platinum winners, in addition to 9 golds, our West Country vineyards, with the exception of Cornwall’s Camel Valley, did not feature in the list of top awards; those accolades were reserved for the vineyards situated further East.

This is hardly surprising, as the soil and climate are of course much more wine friendly the further east you go. Think White Cliffs of Dover and you have the chalky soil that is associated with the Champagne region of France.

It is worth noting that, despite fears over Brexit, French Champagne makers are busy buying up vineyards in the South of England; both Taittinger and Pommery have made recent investments. If that doesn’t tell us something about the quality of what can be produced in the hands of a competent winemaker then I don’t know what can.

The price of good English wine is never going to be inexpensive. Taxes and higher labour costs preclude a cheap and cheerful approach.

If you are wanting to push the boat out for a special occasion, then Chapel Down’s award-winning offering comes in at around £100 a bottle, but many of these wines, the majority of which are bubbly, command in the region of £30 a bottle. But, if you think about it, that equates to just £5 for a standard 125ml. glass; cheaper than the standard pub offering and with the bonus of the opportunity to boost our own economy. It strikes me as being a win/win situation all round. Here are the dozen that cut the mustard.

Digby Fine English Brut, Hampshire, NV, 12%abv., £31. Sparkling White - Platinum

Produced with a blend of the classic Champagne grapes, with Pinot Noir (my favourite grape) forming the base, it is complemented by aged Chardonnay and the addition of Pinot Meunier to lighten it up, resulting in a vibrant and understated bubbly that will not break the bank. Great for everyday drinking, and why not?

Henners, Reserve Brut, West Sussex, 2010, 12%abv., £30. Sparkling White - Platinum

This blend of 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir spends 3 years on its lees giving an elegance with typical citrus and yeast notes on the nose and a delightfully fine, soft mousse, with a long finish.

Camel Valley, Pinot Noir Rosé Brut, Cornwall, 2015, 12.5%abv., £28. Sparkling Rosé - Platinum

I have long been a fan of these wines, which are an expression of true English individuality. Reckoned to be one of the finest rosés on offer anywhere, this offering is a pale salmon pink with lovely floral and strawberry aromas and a clean refreshing palate. A bargain.

Ashling Park Brut, West Sussex, NV, 12%abv., £25. Sparkling White - Gold

This classic blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Meunier is fresh on the nose, reminiscent of lilies, accompanied by ripe stone fruit flavours, which follows through on the palate. Crisp and well defined, this is a well-balanced wine with some persistence, which will age.

Bluebell Vineyard, Hindleap Late Disgorged Blanc de Blancs Brut, Kent, 2008, 12%abv., £42. Sparkling White - Gold

Made from 100% Chardonnay, the six years ageing on its lees makes this wine richer, creamier, and more elegant; well balanced with a long finish. Expect zesty lime and lemon flavours on the palate, some red fruits and a typical brioche character.

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée Extra Brut, West Sussex, 2010, 11%abv., £100. Sparkling White – Gold (the latest release is the 2013 vintage).

Just 1600 bottles of this wine have been released. Using 100% Chardonnay, it is made from the juice extracted from the first press cycle. Undergoing wild fermentation and maturation on its lees in French oak for seven months before release, it is rich, elegant and well-integrated, with nutty aromas combined with ripe green apple and freshly baked brioche. Its finesse on the palate displays a purity characteristic of these South Downs chalk soils.

Redford Vineyards, Ambriel Blanc de Blancs Brut, West Sussex, 2010, 11%abv., £35. Sparkling – Gold

Made from a blend of the traditional Champagne grape varieties, this wine, disgorged in October 2016, and benefitting from a further year in bottle, is pale gold with a lovely biscuity nose and a fresh palate of white fruits. Rich and racy, but not high in acidity, it has a typical minerality and a long finish.

Exton Park, Rosé Brut, Hampshire, NV, 11.5%abv., £30. Sparkling Rosé – Gold

This pale rose pink sparkler, made from 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier, has a surprising depth of strawberry fruit on the palate, balanced by white peach and plum flavours. A well-balanced wine.

Hambledon, Classic Cuvée Rosé Brut, Hampshire, 12%abv., £35. Sparkling Rosé – Gold

Ready for drinking now, this blend of Chardonnay (90%) and Pinot Noir (10%) is a beautiful
wild strawberry pink, with a hint of red onion skin on the rim. The nose is introduced by a trace of magnolia blossom, outdone by preserved wild-strawberries and hints of buttery toast. Rich and mouth filling, the strawberry flavours and are balanced by sharp lemon and cranberry. Expect a creamy, clean, crisp wine with a yeasty finish. 

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Chardonnay, Kent, 2015, 12.5%abv., £30. Still White - Gold

The third vintage of this bubbly, lightly matured in French oak for nine months, this wild-ferment Chardonnay has melon and peach aromas, with subtle toasted notes. The tropical fruit on the palate leads to a clean, fresh finish.

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Bacchus, Kent, 2016, 13%abv., £25. Still White - Gold

Whole bunch pressed before wild fermentation, this very ripe style of Bacchus has guava, melon and peach aromas, followed through on the palate, by a tropical fruit character, with exceptional length. The background oakiness is a result of it spending 9 months in 3rd and 4th fill barrels.

Denbies, The Brokes Botrytis Ortega, Surrey, 2016, 10%abv., £60. (375ml.) – Sweet White – Gold

Billed as England’s finest dessert wine, just 500 bottles of this have been produced. Made from a single barrel of this specially selected parcel of Ortega, botrytis is the key to its success, and its price. It is a deep golden colour with notes of vanilla dried mango and toasted spices on the nose, and a long sticky palate full of fig and caramelised orange. Rich, yet with a clean zesty lime finish, this succulent wine is intense and very satisfying.

(Article can be found in The Visitor Magazine - September 2018, Page 29) 

http://www.thevisitormagazine.co.uk/home/