The Days of Dismissing English Still Wines Are Long Gone – Tasting the Impressive Davenport Limney Horsmonden 2016 Organic White…

April 14, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Now that it’s the season of wine travels, for me no departure is complete without a pit stop pre-boarding at the House of Caviar bar at Heathrow Airport. Of all the whites on the menu, whether I’m eating or not, the delicious English still wine from Will Davenport is fast becoming my absolute favourite go-to white.

A deliciously vibrant, crystalline blend of Bacchus, Faber, Huxelrebe, Ortega and Siegerrebe, it combines incredible freshness, clarity, purity and mouthwatering acidity, all delivered in a manner more familiar to premium dry mineral whites from the Loire, the Alto Adige, Germany or Switzerland.

Organically farmed fruit, the nose is beautifully floral with notes of lemon blossom, lemon grass, white citrus, dusty green pear purée and an alluring green apple pastille zest. The palate is crystalline, bright and incredibly pure, like drinking freshly melted glacial water doctored with a slice of green apple and a twist of lime. So uplifting, refreshing and easy to drink with its meagre 11.5 alcohol, this is one of the best English still whites I’ve tasted in a long time.

With summer on its way, track this classy dry wine down either directly from Davenport Vineyards in Sussex, from their distributor Vintage Roots, or else at House of Caviar at Heathrow Terminal 3. Just make sure you try it!

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Crystalline Beauty of English Still Wine – Tasting the Court Garden Ditchling White 2016…

October 28, 2017 ~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 1 Comment

It might just be me, it might just be my palate, but I really do enjoy the light, crystalline freshness and tart acidity of well made English still wines. Often written off as an after thought in comparison to the numerous prestigious sparkling wines taking the nation by storm, I have for years been a dissenting voice, challenging the notion that English still wines are frivolous and have no real future.

This week I was drinking another juicy effort made by Court Garden in East Sussex. In Saxon times the farm was known as the Manor of Ditchling Garden, and from the Middle Ages onwards, it was held by the monks at the priory in Lewes. After the Reformation it was owned by the crown, which is when it became known as Court Garden.

Established in 2005, Court Garden Vineyard is a family run 6.8 hectare single-estate mainly planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. In 2008 they added Pinot Gris, Ortega, Dornfelder and Rondo. The vineyards are situated on an attractive south facing slope with the South Downs as a scenic back drop.

Court Garden Ditchling White Blend 2016, East Sussex, 11.5 Abv.

An accomplished little white from the East Sussex countryside. A blend of 75% Chardonnay, 13% Pinot Gris, and 12% Ortega. Following good summer ripening the Chardonnay was barrel fermented in French oak before being blended. First impressions are of an intense, aromatic, crisp, crunchy green fruited white full of brightness, limey zest, green Granny Smith apples, a touch of white peach and expressive, yellow grapefruit citrus depth. The longer it sits in the glass, the more it broadens and fleshes out. Beautiful clarity, crystalline purity, and impressive underlying stony, chalky minerality. Must be a perfect aperitif style or certainly a very fine seafood / shellfish wine match. Delicious, more’ish and energetically fresh, drink now and over the next 2-3 years.

(Wine Safari Score: 88/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Hush Heath Manor Pinot Noir 2015, Kent, 11 Abv. ~ Discovering the True Potential of English Still Wine…

December 12, 2016 ~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Dating back to 1503, the exquisite Tudor-framed Hush Heath Manor is the family home of the Balfour-Lynn’s. The Manor nestles into the hill, overlooking the vineyards and estate with magnificent views across the Weald of Kent. The 160 hectares situated in an ancient oak woodland is impressive and a fitting setting for the Balfour wines.

To turn his dream into reality Balfour-Lynn was helped by Stephen Skelton MW using his extensive experience with English vineyards. In charge of the winemaking is Owen Elias, UKVA winemaker of the year four times with a host of international and national awards to his name.

While Hush Heath is the only English vineyard dedicated to the creation of Rosé sparkling wine, it also produces some impressive still wines including an unwooded Chardonnay using Burgundian clones and a very fine Pinot Noir.

Tasting Note: Such a clear bright translucent ruby red colour. The nose has real archetypal savoury, foresty red berry fruit notes that I always associate with German Pinot Noir from the Ahr. Below the brambly, savoury fruit is a broader sappy, spicy note. With an 11 Abv, the palate has all the expected taught, tart, fresh, crunchy Pinot fruit with lifted perfume and some cedary, violet spice notes. The savoury red fruit gives way to red cherries, blood oranges and subtle oak spice on the crisp, linear finish. A very drinkable wine that matched with the right food could be quite alluring indeed. Drink now or over 3 to 5 years. (Wine Safari Score: 91+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)