In a packed theatre of dreams yesterday it was a benchmark for Wine GB, no longer are the wines of Great Britain just a sparkling success but the still wines are now hitting the Premier League.
Sparkling wines at the very top end are world class, as noted by the results from the very highest and rigorous international competitions such as The Champagne & Sparkling World Championships, IWSC and Decanter World Wine Awards. And price boundaries are blown away with the very best over-stepping many prestige champagne prices and with good reason – these wines are already becoming rare collectors treasures.
Wine GB annual tasting, London, September 4, 2024
However, what really impressed me was the breadth and depth of the still wines on show: Bacchus, Pinot Meunier, Phoenix, Siegerrebe, Solaris, Regent and seeing Pinot Noir start to evolve – not quite in the same league as English Chardonnay yet but making huge strides.
By early afternoon the venue had reached capacity and ‘extra vendor staff’ were asked to step outside to allow more guests into the airy Battersea Arts Centre. Good to see ample supplies of South Downs mineral water and eco-friendly online brochures only.
I have chosen one wine from each vineyard to highlight the diverse quality at this tasting. All prices are recommended retail price.
Emma the darling of the English wine scene has released her maiden own brand sparkling duo.
Emma Rice Winemakers Reserve 2009 (Two Bottle Set) £250
Made from the exceptional 2009 vintage, with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier sourced from the South Downs. Half the bottles were riddled in 2012 and stored ‘en point’ (upside down) with the other half remaining ‘sur lattes’ (on their sides). Both bottles in the set have been aged for 13 years prior to being disgorged in 2023. The two wines are designed to be tasted next to each other. I will not give my full tasting notes here as the aim is for you to discover yourselves the incredible quality of these duo, let me just say ‘chalk & cheese’ or, more apt, Dom Perignon v Krug.
White Castle Vineyard, Monmouthshire
Robb and Nicola Merchant came to light a few years ago with their award-winning Pinot Noir Reserve 2018 winning a gold medal at Decanter World Wine Awards. Robb stated that he made wines he liked, and the grape variety was not a key factor, so you will find a fascinating range of varieties in his stable; all hand harvested. He makes an impressive white Siegerrebe full of stone fruit, spice and texture and ‘Gwin Gwyn’ (not the easiest to pronounce, means white wine) from Phoenix and Seyval Blanc.
Whitecastle Regent 2022 £28 (still wine)
A Beaujolais style without the gum, opens up and reminds me of a Grenache, bright fresh dark barriers, delicate cedar notes and some vanilla spice, youthful but age this and you have an outstanding vibrant red wine.
Montgomery Solaris 2023 £25 (still wine)
Vibrant with a clean, focused, exciting, tingling palate, lime and zesty, some tropical notes and perfectly ripe Pear William, giving it texture.
Nyetimber, Sussex, Hampshire, Kent
Now established for over 35 years and continuing to deliver the very best quality and help promote the industry worldwide.
Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2016 £52
Truly superb Blanc de Blancs that has perfect balance and age – my words were “seamless” and that to me covers it.
All Angels Vineyard, Berkshire
This vineyard reminds me of Hill of Grace in the Eden Valley with its Lutheran Church dating back to 1860. All Angels sits next to a 12th Century parish church called All Angels in Enbourne, Berkshire.
All Angels Classic Cuvee 2014 Ten-Year Anniversary Release £65
50% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Noir, 11% Pinot Gris, 11% Pinot Meunier
To be released in October. The key for me in this wine is the Pinot Gris which helps keep it youthful and precise, this is a refined, elegant sparkling wine, that has a perfect creamy texture with bright, tantalising fruit notes. It is also pretty seamless. A step up from its previous 2014 long lees-aged release, the two extra years on lees have given it a much more serious texture and depth but till keeping that freshness. A superlative sparkling that will continue to age but already showing stardom.
Hattingley Valley Wine, Hampshire
From listening to a radio programme about English wine in 2000, Hattingley’s founder Simon Robinson quickly established this winery as one of the UK’s most successful, and renowned estates for flying the flag in the USA. The vineyards were planted in 2008 with an eco-friendly winery built in 2010.
Hattingley Valley Kings Cuvee Rose 2015 £95
47% Pinot Noir, 42% Pinot Meunier, 10% Chardonnay, 1% Pinot Precoce (still red)
Always been a big fan of the Kings Cuvee, but this was the first time that I have tried the Rose, and what a beautiful experience, the perfect Parisian Brioche with ripe raspberries, this has a clean, vibrant citrus note that keeps it lively – crunchy red apples and foraged hedgerow strawberries.
An Aladdin’s cave of goodies, Sam took me through some outstanding white wines including the Darnibole Bacchus 2022 and Atlantic Dry 2023 (40% Bacchus, 40% Reichensteiner, 20% Chardonnay).
Camel Valley Pinot Noir Red 2022 £24.95 (still wine)
Sam explained that he made this wine in the style of a Chardonnay so it had no punching down, and the result is a pure delectable Pinot that has a great balance between light red fruit and some luscious red cherries. Fresh clean citrus notes give it a perfect balance to go with Peking Duck.
A winery that excels in both sparkling and still, owned by the charming Ruth and Charles Simpson, who purchased the property in 2012 to “be part of one of the most dynamic wine producing regions in the world.” They also have an estate in Southern France, Domaine de Sainte Rose.
Simpsons Q Class Chardonnay 2022 in magnum £100 (still wine)
Whilst I was tasting this wine, knowing how quickly these magnums sell out, I went online and secured some, this is English Chardonnay at a world class level, pure harmony, the balance between the refined stone fruit, (the summer of 2022 was sunny!) helping to give such richness to this wine. The classic ‘pineapple’ notes of Puligny, cobnuts and delicate brioche and vanilla toast, all evolve in harmony, a generous and all-consuming wine, a gem.
First vines were planted in 2004, and this estate has without doubt become one of the finest and most awarded English sparkling vineyards. All of its sparkling wines ooze class.
Gusbourne 51 Degrees North 2016, £195
Aged on lees for six years, this single vintage sparkling is pure class. Delicate refined toasty notes, a seashell freshness, clean peeled Provence stone fruit, purity and focus, just sublime. World class.
Have gone off the beaten track with this estate and, whilst I enjoyed the three sparkling wines on display, what stood out were the two under the counter. I loved the Roebuck Rare Expression 2015 which had 84 months on lees, 100% Pinot, sourced from its ‘Roman Villa’ vineyard, retailing around £100 but the wine below offers the complete package.
Roebuck Estates Reserve 2020, Majestic £31
I thought that this sparkling gives a fabulous introduction to Majestic buyers into the world of English sparkling, with its creamy mousse, delicate toasty notes and fresh ripe fruit notes – an easy drinking wine that will please many.
Ambriel Sparkling, West Sussex
A stone’s throw away from Nyetimber, this elegant, pristine, picture perfect vineyard has been quietly (Huzzah!) evolving over the years and flourishing abroad in markets such as Japan.
Ambriel English Reserve NV £34
Demi–sec in stature but far from it, this is a luscious, focused sparkling that glows on the palate, tiny bubbles of citrus filled explosions dance on your tongue, the yin and yang of this wine is beautiful – you dance from luscious fruit to tarty fruit. Great with Oriental food or strong smelly British artisan cheeses.
Digby Fine English, West Sussex
Originally the first British ‘negociant’, sourcing the very best grapes grown by vineyard partners from the English counties, Digby has in 2021 purchased its own vineyard site – Digby’s Hilden Vineyard in Kent.
Digby Fine English Vintage Rose 2018 £50
58% Pinot Noir, 22% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay
Grapes are sourced from the Hilden Valley vineyard, prior to Digby buying the vineyard (they loved the grapes that much!). I love the intensity and depth of this rose with its serious, savoury and grown-up feel, a perfect match to spring lamb or meaty fish like turbot with truffles.
Zam Baring and family have quietly evolved this superb vineyard over the years, and deserve further recognition (although they have been very successful in international competitions) – they produce a lot of sparkling wines in magnums, which highlights the quality of these wines even more.
The Grange Classic en Magnum Late Disgorged 2016 £100
This was Grange’s first ever-single vintage release, first ever magnum and now first late disgorged wine and it has evolved perfectly. This is a gorgeously creamy, fresh, superbly made wine giving everything you want from a world class sparkling.
Everflyht Late Release Edition 1 NV £38
Bargain sparkling wine of the day – I loved the purity, focus and depth of flavor on this single vineyard wine.
Leonardslee Family Vineyards, West Sussex
Leonardslee Brut Rose 2021 £45
56% Chardonnay, 31% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier, 10% Pinotage
Yes! here we have the first English wine to have Pinotage in the mix, an excellent, savoury/tangy wine full of raspberries and cranberries on the front palate then a medley of Turkish Delight notes. Freshness from pink grapefruit, aromatic herbs, nougatine for texture then clean-spiced notes. Definitely a foodie wine and will evolve with age – but do serve this in a Pinot glass.
