(2025) Another impressive wine from The Heretics, Crouch Valley in Essex is the source of the fruit for a wine that saw only partial malolactic, and less than half the blend aged in older Burgundy barrels. A distinct and juicy Comice pear nose also has a squeeze of lemony freshness, the barrel component adding no more than a dust of crushed almond. The palate has some weight and creaminess to the texture, the fruit a straightforward but very nicely balanced picture of juiciness and citrus freshness with a hint of chalky minerality. Quite fine and elegant really.
(2024) A new brand founded in 2022, which "aims to champion English wine and is all about quality, style and passion," apparently, this Pinot Noir rosé coming from vineyards on clay soils in Crouch End, Essex. It was made in old Burgundy barrels with lees stirring, and is dry with just 1.24g/l of residual sugar. It is indeed pale, light bronze/pink with very attractive aromas, just a touch of vanilla pod but mostly floral and elegant red fruits and orange zest. Really lovely on the palate, with a feeling of purity, precision and delicate fruit sweetness, real pin-point lightly sherbetty strawberry, but a juicy and rather more strict core of citrus and salts acidity begins to elongate the finish. A very impressive, delicate and understated first release.
