Tag: english wines

Blanc-Buster: UK-sourced Sauvignon Blanc sweetens the senses

Upon returning to the UK from Hong Kong, Fiona Shiner surprised many by opting out of her legal career in favour of a risky winemaking venture in the Cotswolds, a picturesque part of southwest England. More boldly still, she later opted to nurture Sauvignon Blanc, a grape varietal with little or no record of being successfully grown in the area.

Sauvignon Blanc

It was a gamble that paid off. Indeed, her 2021 Sauvignon Blanc took both the highest score and the highest award in the Unoaked category at the most recent Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters event.

“News of the award triggered an amazing amount of interest in the wine. After two of the busiest weeks in our history, we have sold out of the 2021 vintage entirely,” says Shiner.

After leaving Hong Kong, she and her family settled in Woodchester Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty set on steep limestone slopes. As a wine lover, she was more than aware that England was surprising many with its world-class sparkling wines and Bacchus was beginning to make a reputation for producing quality still-white wines. She wondered if the local land – poor grade arable – would support her own oenophile aspirations.

Also Read: Chianti – The Perfect Wine Pairing for Any Dish

Sauvignon Blanc

After conducting research into the area’s wine-making heritage, she discovered it had been home to vineyards as far back as the time of the Domesday Book (circa 1085 AD). As a result, the temptation for her to create a new vineyard far outweighed the lure of a return to the law and, so, she planted her first acre in 2007.

On the basis of her initial plantings in 2007- 2013, she quickly established that her vineyards were capable of producing good quality wine. In 2015, she then took the big plunge and planted 2,000 Sauvignon Blanc vines, a grape variety she was a particular fan of.

“The risk was that England is a very cool climate in viticulture terms and Sauvignon Blanc ripens later than a number of varietals, such as Bacchus, that we use for our still wines, so would it ripen fully in England?” says Shiner.

Sauvignon Blanc

As it turned out, 2021 brought particular challenges. While the summer temperature was more or less average for England, heavy rain was widespread although Woodchester Valley vineyard escaped the worst. A warm, sunny spell throughout September and October, however, pretty much saved the day.

Sauvignon Blanc

Outlining what she sees as underpinning her success, she says: “Sauvignon Blanc is an expressive variety which manifests itself in different ways. Our wine expresses classic cool climate Sauvignon Blanc aromas and flavours. I also believe the limestone soils bring a vibrancy to the wine and add a bright acidity.”

For the 2021 vintage, the best description almost certainly came courtesy of the Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters judges. Summing up the wine, they concluded: “It starts with an intense gooseberry nose, building up to reveal undertones of ripe lemon. On the palate, there is a bright, taut acidity and a juicy mouthfeel. Very well-balanced, there’s just a hint of sweetness on the finish, which is long and textured. A very engaging wine and perfect for matching with asparagus or goat’s cheese.”

Also Read: English Wines are Becoming Hip: Here’s a toast!

(Text: Neil Dolby)

English Wines are Becoming Hip: Here’s a toast!

The English wine industry has been bubbling since Ancient Roman times, but its popularity soared only after 2015 when The Decanter World Wine Awards saw English sparkling wines snag a crateful of medals – pioneering houses such as Nyetimber, Chapel Down and Ridgeview were among the most notable winners. Wines of Great Britain, the national association for the English and Welsh industry, estimates that production topped a phenomenal 15 million bottles in 2020, a 250-percent bump within just five years, signalling the confidence of its burgeoning winemakers.

English Wines are Becoming Hip Here's a toast gafencu

Boost in Quality
The trade body also reports that the number of acres under vine in England has more than doubled in the past decade, stretching over 8,600 acres. French Champagne house Taittinger acquired vineyards in Kent in the autumn of 2015, with the aim of producing a truly exceptional sparkling tipple by 2023. That such a Grande Marque which can draw on eight decades of winemaking experience believes in England’s bubbles is the highest seal of approval and a clear signal that the climate – both monetary and meteorological – is right for the region.

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Only 10-percent of wines currently travel out of the country, but the figure will surely balloon as the world gets a taste of grapes grown in England. “The quality of English wines has elevated massively, and the revolution in winemaking shows no signs of slowing,” says Joshua Lincoln, Senior Commercial Director of Europe at wine-rating platform, Vivino. “Producers of English wine are now able to take advantage of the region’s chalky soils, which have a similar composition to those found in Champagne.” He adds: “As temperatures rise across the UK thanks to global warming, the South of England, in particular, is experiencing the perfect vine-growing conditions for producing award-winning wines.”

Also read: Organic, biodynamic or natural wines explained

English Wines are Becoming Hip Here's a toast gafencu Nyetimber

Toast To Maturity
English sparkling wine, which accounts for 72-percent of production and sales, is now a must-stock item in shops and bars, and thanks to a bumper high-quality harvest in 2018, there are now also some fine reds, charming rosés, tempting Burgundian-esque chardonnays and smooth naturals. The last decade alone has seen six vintages come of age, compared with just two in the Noughties.

Nyetimber, a pioneer of the English sparkling wine industry, produces several elite pours. Its Classic Cuvee, an exceptionally beautiful expression of sparkling wine from Sussex, shows all the right layers of acidity, tension and slight sweetness. A delicate non-vintage, it offers complexity and a lovely medley of refreshing lemon and grapefruit notes. Slightly toasty at the end, this generous drink never veers towards heavy or excessive.

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The star turn at Chapel Down, England’s largest wine producer, is Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2017. Specifically suited to the English climate, the grape delivers a refined wine with subtle oaky and buttery notes elicited from a second fermentation in old French oak barrels. Typically easy and fragrant, it’s the quintessential pour on a hot summer’s day.

Organic and biodynamic wine-drinkers will not want to miss Tillingham’s adventurous take on the classic English fizz, Qvevri Rüllem 2018. Without a hint of added sugar, the orange tipple is somewhat cloudy with a depth of citrusy freshness.

Also read: Champions of the Cape: Spotlighting South African Wines

English Wines are Becoming Hip Here's a toast gafencu nyetimber

Interesting trivia: It’s quite a mouthful to say English and Welsh wines, but the regional distinction is important. ‘British’ and ‘English’ wine is not the same thing. ‘A British wine’ label signals imported grapes fermented and bottled in the UK; it is cheap, cheerful and best skipped. The chic-as-Champagne English sparkling wines are made from quality grapes grown and harvested in the U.K.

(Text: Nikita Mishra)