The South West of England is home to some of the country’s most celebrated and awarded vineyards. It’s also home to one of the most ambitious in terms of breadth and scale of its tourism and hospitality offering. Lympstone Manor was established as a five-star luxury hotel and restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines MBE in 2017. What makes it really unique is that the hotel is surrounded by 10.8 acres of vines. When Michael purchased the Grade II listed building and estate he also had the vision to plant vines in what was then neglected country estate land. Planting started in May 2018, with 17,500 vines of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier planted on slopes rolling from the manor house to the Exe Estuary. I had the pleasure of visiting the estate during English Wine Week to experience the hospitality firsthand (more on the hotel and restaurant to follow in an upcoming article). However, the highlight of this visit was a look to the future of wine at Lympstone Manor, a tasting of the upcoming still wine release from the outstanding 2025 vintage and a dosage trial for the future Blanc de Noirs base sparkling wine.
On arrival at Lympstone Manor, we were whisked from the reception down to the Pool House restaurant on a branded golf buggy. There to greet us was Michael himself, and his partner, Pippa Whiteley, who heads up Sales and Marketing. We were then introduced to Operations Director and Vineyard Manager Steve Edwards and Winemaker Clem Yates MW of Lyme Bay. It was clear that this tasting was really something of significance; we were the first people that these wines were being shared with outside of the Lympstone team. While Michael might have looked a little nervous initially, there was a huge smile on his face as soon as the wines started flowing. It was clear that wine is as much his passion as food is. Michael’s insights into wine are intricate and honest; Lympstone Manor Estate is certainly an evolutionary approach, from the highs of a Gold Medal and Trophy in the International Wine Challenge from their first vintage Triassic Pinot Noir 2020, to successive challenging vintages. What’s clear though, after tasting through an array of incredibly promising upcoming wines, is that the estate is really starting to enter its stride.
On the origins of Lympstone Manor Estate, Michael explained: “I knew the story of English Wine was on the up, and I wanted to be part of that story…but to combine our passion for wine and food in a real sense of place, using our ground to create something within the English Wine scene.” Out in the vineyard, the project is clearly an equal labour of love for Steve Edwards. Row upon row of meticulously manicured vines were basking in the summer sun, naturally conditioned by a gentle estuary breeze. Michael talked through the “rollercoaster ride” of vintages that have formed the first chapter of Lympstone Manor. The great first season in 2020 preceded the dismal weather of 2021, followed by the intense heat of the summer in 2022 which brought about drought-stress that resulted in a lower but exceptionally concentrated yield. This is demonstrated by the Edwards Chardonnay 2022, perhaps atypical for an English Chardonnay anywhere other than the Crouch Valley in Essex. Steve explained that this was the wine that demonstrated to him and Michael the potential of the vineyard, not just for quality sparkling wine, but also wonderful fruit ripeness and super Chardonnay for still wine.
Michael expressed that he treasures his relationship with Lyme Bay; Lympstone Manor is the only client of the Devon winery, and that guarantees focus on Michael’s wines. Demonstrating her prowess, winemaker Clem Yates introduced a dosage trial of a beautifully pure Blanc de Noirs base sparkling wine from the 2022 vintage. Clem explained that “what I look for when it comes to dosage in sparkling wine is balance and harmony. I don’t like sugar being used to cover really high acid levels”. The Blanc de Noirs 2022 base has gone through Malolactic Fermentation, and we were introduced to six interpretations of the same wine of dosage from 0g/l up to 10g/l. The Zero Dosage version was racy and energetic, but not overwhelmingly so, demonstrating a wonderfully fruit-forward profile of red apple and peach skin, with that classic English energy. The unanimous sweet spot was between the 3g/l and 4g/l dosage – just enough sugar to round off the raciness of the base wine, but allowing the beautiful purity and hints of red fruit, nectarine and salinity to shine through. As the dosage trial concluded, a rather exciting second flight of wines was about to be presented: a selection of upcoming Lympstone Manor releases.
First up was the Rosé 2025, a field blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. This wine is confident in colour, compared to the very pale current Rosé NV with aromas of pear drops, watermelon, cherry and hints of rose. The palate is supple and soft, surprisingly so, with mild acidity and a hint of grippy texture that brings great structure. The Chardonnay 2025 was perhaps the most exciting, aged in one-third new oak from free-run juice. The aromas of green apple, pear, peach, hints of gunflint and rolled oats really draw you in. The palate was complex and showing huge promise with bright acidity and crisp green apple freshness, balanced by rounded, peachy stone fruit with a touch of roasted nut.
Similarly impressive was the Pinot Noir 2025, also aged in new oak. An incredibly concentrated colour, again compared to previous vintages. Here there’s cracked black pepper, cherry and cedar wood on the nose. Then a wonderfully intense, crunchy palate, full of tangy raspberry and cherry upfront. This is followed by supple, rounded ripe cherry with hints of black fruit and dark, peppery spice. There’s also a mild tannin and gravelly minerality; this is a texturally exciting Pinot Noir and a noticeable step up on the previous vintages. The tasting concluded with a preview of the Estate’s upcoming Sparkling Rosé, but fascinatingly in two interpretations. The signature Sparkling Rosé 2022, which builds on the Blanc de Noirs base previously tasted, adds bright summer red berry fruit appeal. But the real surprise in the line-up was a Demi-Sec version, with 30g/l dosage. Despite the significantly higher sugar level, the wine retains the citrus and cranberry tang of the Rosé, but with opulent ripe red fruit and peach flavours. It’s generous but balanced. The dosage takes the wine in a peachy, ripe strawberry direction that adds a contrasting colour to Michael’s artistic palate of English Wine expressions. In the context of the Lympstone Manor restaurant and English Wine pairing possibilities, in my opinion these wines will open up some really exciting and diverse possibilities.
In my next article I’ll explore how Michael Caine’s approach to fuse English Wine and Michelin-starred fine dining comes together at the Lympstone Manor restaurant, as well as a closer look at the hotel and hospitality. Until then, I wanted to share my thoughts on the spectacular Edwards Chardonnay 2022.
Lympstone Manor Estate Edwards Chardonnay 2022
Fermented in old French oak barrels
Limited release of 549 bottles
Named after vineyard manager Steve Edwards as a testament to his great work in the vineyard, this wine is golden in the glass, with redolent aromas of apple, poached pear and layers of smoky spice.
The palate is plush and full with ripe peach and almond complexity. It’s rich and creamy, yet still with bright, crisp acidity and racy lemon and green apple. The oak is quite prominent with toasty vanilla and a hint of butterscotch, but it’s supported by the wonderfully ripe fruit.
Overall, this Chardonnay is really quite special – a surprising nod to Meursault in style with texture and complexity.
