The Great British Wine November 2018 Round-up

REGION: Kent   GRAPES: Pinot Noir

Four years of hard work has paid off with this delicate and precise Canterbury Rosé 2016; there is a very limited 1,500 bottle release of this 100% Pinot Noir sparkling rosé.

The wine opens up with a vivid, bright nose of wild strawberry and lemon peel with hints of shortbread and suggestions of Kent chalk minerality.

The palate is equally bright, beginning with a focused burst of citrus energy and tangy red berries. It's got a red berry sorbet-like intensity, whilst lightly honeyed tones, and a brilliantly clean, mineral finish, keep everything so elegantly balanced.

REGION: Kent   GRAPES: Chardonnay

This month also saw another Kentish producer launch their first sparkling wine. Chartham Vineyard's Blanc de Blancs is also made from the 2016 vintage; it's 100% Chardonnay and was made by Litmus Wines at Denbies.

The wine has an appealing nose of fragrant orchard fruit with hints of honeysuckle and minerality.

The Chartham has a delicate flavour profile of citrus and crunchy orchard fruit; a mixture of crisp pink lady apple and green pear. The dosage is well-judged at 9g/l; balancing the focused, youthful energy without overwhelming.

Overall, a very pretty and precise first release. I have to say I was a little bit apprehensive about the release of young 2016 English sparkling wines, but this is a really well-judged, balanced first effort from Chartham.

REGION: Sussex   GRAPES: Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Noir, Meunier

I recently had the pleasure of tasting through the full range of current Cuvées from Breaky Bottom with a few wine-loving friends. The latest release is Cuvée Cornelis Hendriksen 2013, which is a blend of 46% Chardonnay, 40% Seyval Blanc, 7% Pinot Noir and 7% Pinot Meunier.

The nose is fresh and perhaps a little tight, but is already showing some impressive complexity. A combination of bright citrus zest with roasted hazelnut and crunchy green apple.

Equally bright on the palate, this wine has a tongue-tingling zestiness that is supported by subtle textures. Light toasted bread notes, toasted nut and suggestions of creaminess.

While in its youth right now, there’s a real sense of potential and it will age very gracefully as previous vintages have proven.

REGION: Sussex   GRAPES: Pinot Noir & Chardonnay

It's been a busy year for Nyetimber, and with the Rosé MV being widely on offer at under £30 pre-Christmas, I thought it was time to revisit this English classic.

The latest Nyetimber Rosé MV is a blend 52% Pinot Noir and 48% Chardonnay, largely made from the 2014 vintage with 18% of the 2013 vintage blended in.

What I noticed straight away was that this latest release has a deeper, more striking hue. The nose also suggests rich red berry aromatics; wild strawberry and raspberry with a hint of winter spice.

Three years on lees and 6 months under cork feels perfect for this rosé. The Nyetimber has a citrus-led bite, followed by a rush of bright red fruit intensity. There's a lovely weight to the mid-taste, more ripe strawberry than creaminess - letting the fruit take centre stage.

REGION: Kent   GRAPES: Bacchus

With Chapel Down being the biggest producer within the Wine Garden of England collective, I had several opportunities throughout the month to sample quite a selection of wines from the range.

This Bacchus Reserve comes from a single vineyard on the original Tenterden estate, which is home to some of the oldest Bacchus vines in the country.

The result of all those years is a Bacchus that is both subtle and nuanced. Floral aromas, English hedgerow, lime zest and tropical fruit hints, all seasoned with a nice layer of minerality.

To taste, this Bacchus straddles the perfect balance between crisp, crunchy green fruit and riper fruit flavours of papaya and peach. Lovely.

REGION: Sussex   GRAPES: Seyval Blanc & Triomphe

I always keep an eye out for new English wine producers and had a chance to sample this first release from Tinston.

The Two Thorns Rosé is a blend of Seyval Blanc and Triomphe. The resulting wine has a fresh meadow-like aroma of green grass, floral fragrance, red apple and pink grapefruit.

This is a very fresh and invigorating rosé, beginning with a firm, crisp fusion of citrus zest and tangy raspberry flavours.

The palate continues with more of a red berry mid-taste, hints of wild strawberry, before ending on a grassy, zingy note. A valiant first effort, definitely one for those that like their rosé fresh and crisp.