(2022) With three years on the lees, 25% of the wines in this blend were aged in used oak barrels from Bordeaux and Burgundy, and 30% underwent malolactic fermentation. It has a dosage of 9g/l and is 100% Chardonnay from Exton Park's Hampshire vineyard. Very pale straw-lemon in colour, there's lots of biscuit and sourdough breadiness on the nose, some lemon meringue pie creamy citrus and something quite stony and Chablis-like too. In the mouth the mousse is fresh and very lively, the thrust of the wine all about citrus and cut apple bite, a very decisive style this, again those stones and mineral salts linger on the lips. Very stylish, pin-sharp, a linear and mouth-watering style. Corinne Seely suggests it will be worth cellaring for a couple of years and I'd agree: it already beginning to open and soften a little in the glass.
(2022) 'Made in the realm of Albion' according to the label, but more prosaically, that means Sussex for a wine made for Justin Howard-Sneyd by Ridgeview vineyards. Using the three main grapes of Champagne, it spent a almost six years on the lees. There is bruised pear and apple, plenty of zippy lemon and a touch of bready/biscuity quality on the nose. The palate has a sweetness to it, whether fruit or dosage it is hard to say, but a direct lemony freshness comes through in both fruit and acidity, assering towards the finish to give this bite and clarity. £28.00 to Club members.
(2022) This is a traditional method sparkling wine in a brisk and lemony style. Based around Chardonnay, there is a lovely biscuity, almost hazelnut richness playing subtley in the aroma, the nutrients set against apple and citrus. The palate has some creamy richness too, before that zesty, cool and lemony acidity of the finish. Quite a lean style, but for me that works in this wine. £29.70 as part of a mixed dozen.
(2021) Twenty-eight different wines in this blend, all Pinot Noir from across the vineyard parcels, with 10g/l of residual sugar. Like all of these wines, the base wines do not go through malolactic fermentation, which Corinne believes will change the flavour and thus not be the purest expression of their vineyard. Really attractive nose, with an almond touch of creaminess but great freshness too. The sweetness on the palate is as much about fruit as the dosage, but it has a lively thrust of lemony directness married to a beautifully easy-drinking appeal. Only 8% of current vintage in this - 92% of reserves.
(2021) Charles and Ruth Simpson of Domaine de Saint Rose in the South of France planted this vineyard, the first harvest of which was in 2016, and also producing a range of still wines. 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, it has a relatively deep colour and nutty, Cox's pippin, earthy and lightly-oxidative quality. On the palate there's a nice sour orange and cooked apple depth to the flavour, a lick of salinity to the acid structure, and the dosage adds some balancing sweetness into the finish.
(2021) This Pinot Noir-led blend (57%) has roughly equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier too, and saw a full 36 months of bottle ageing before disgorgement on 29th January 2020. Light gold, with plenty of effervescence and small bubbles, aromas marry toast, biscuit and a touch of meatiness with vivid lemony fruit. On the palate there's a bracing, sea-spray lick of salty acidity, and though the fruit stays in the citrus spectrum, there's ripeness and creamy texture to keep this enjoyably drinkable.
(2021) The blend here is 62% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir and 9% Pinot Meunier, the base vintage 2017. This cuvee contains 10% reserve wines and has only 2g/l dosage and was disgorged in December 2020. It's a fabulously incisive, dry and mouth-wateringly saline English sparkling wine, utterly energising though with a depth and richness of baked apple and hazelnut, then the palate bursting through with thrusting, ripe and fat lemon fruit and that salty, seaside freshness and gastronomic, tingling length powering through. I really enjoyed this wine.
(2021) There is 6% of reserve wines in this blend of 66% Pinot Noir, 24% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay, on a base of the 2017 vintage. Partial barrel fermentation was followed by 18 months on the lees, a dosage of 2.5g/l and a further six months ageing post-disgorgement. Despite the energising blast of the salts and citrus here with its low dosage, there is a generosity and golden glow to the wine, ripeness and some toast and creamy almond, full texture and excellent length. A more open and slightly less rigorous wine than the Corallian, but still absolutely pin-sharp and decisive.
(2021) I came over all Arthurian drinking this, "Made in the Realm of Albion," as it says on the label. Domaine of the Bee teamed up with Ridgeview in Sussex, who made this wine for them, from fruit selected by Justin Howard-Sneyd: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Very fine on the nose, with a suggestion of ripe fruit, but plenty of creamy, bready, autolytic character, Cox's pippin apples and zestiness. In the mouth that nutty, nicely developed apple fruitiness again, a bit of breadth and fruit sweetness to this, before the balanced finish where the acidity runs like rapier cut, but always softened by the fruit and creamy lees ageing into the finish. Club members can buy at £28.00
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