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EWP Press & Trade Tasting Event 11th May 2015

My pick of the three favourite wines I tasted at the EWP Press & Trade event in London in May.

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GBW Wine Preview With the increase in high-qualit GBW Wine Preview With the increase in high-quality English Chardonnay (look out for next week's GBW Round-up), I was privileged to try the first solo project wine of winemaker @tommy__grimshaw. Tommy has done awesome things at Langham winemaker and is already a serial award-winning winemaker at the young age of 27. Plus, it's his birthday today, so I had to open up this bottle. For this wine, Tommy sourced Chardonnay from Essex's prized Crouch Valley in 2021. The wine was fermented and aged for 10 months in a single seven-year-old ex-Burgundy oak barrel. On the nose, fragrant orchard fruits, zesty citrus and peach skin ripeness, with a distinctive nutty, struck match complexity. To taste, the purity of the fruit shouts out - ripe orchard fruit, zippy acidity and that Crouch Valley signature of ripe, almost honeyed stone fruits. The finish is nutty and mineral with really good length. Watch out for this later in the year. #EnglishWine #CrouchValley #Chardonnay #Winemaker #Birthday #Wine
Can you get English wine on a budget? English win Can you get English wine on a budget? English wine is getting more expensive - there's no secret about that. With quality and demand on the up and the impact of rising costs for producers also pushing up prices, I'm often asked for more pocket-friendly options. Unfortunately, these are increasingly few and far between, so I decided to revisit the Flint Valley from @denbies_wine_estate It's a non-vintage white blend, presumably including Seyval Blanc, Reichensteiner, and other similar varieties. It retails at £9.99 in @waitrose, which likely makes it one of the most accessible English white wines right now. And it really encapsulates the fresh, crisp typicity of a classic English white wine. Zesty citrus, crunchy green apple and floral tones - very much the aromas of an orchard, with green grassy tones and a light minerality. It's great with seafood dishes and also spiced Asian flavours, and it proves to be a nice introduction to English wine. Waitrose customers agree, with the wine having only received 5* reviews on their website. What else would you recommend at this price point? #EnglishWine #Surrey #WhiteWine #DrinkLocal #SurreyHills #Dorking
It's been a real delight to watch the growth of wi It's been a real delight to watch the growth of winemakers Jacob Leadley and Zoë Driver over the past few years. This dynamic duo are now a part of a seven-strong team. I headed to @oxeyerestaurant last night for the launch of their latest wines. Jacob kicked off the evening by thanking the team. He explained "Ten years ago, I was told that the world of wine would not recognise a team of creators of a wine, because the wine world needed a figurehead, to name and applaud. I don't think that many people in this room would agree with that, but I am proud to say that Black Chalk is proof that this is not the case". Jacob commented that being both the CEO and winemaker gives him a unique insight into balancing both the wine business and creative winemaking elements of Black Chalk. On introducing Zoë, Jacob explained that they worked together from when she joined Hattingley as the first apprentice winemaker in England in 2016. She became involved in the Black Chalk project before joining full-time in 2019. She arrived just in time to become a huge influence in a challenging 2020, building a winery and vineyard in the middle of the pandemic Classic 2020 Chalk-rich aromas with crisp lemon and orchard fruit. The palate is generous and fruit-forward with ripe red apple and white peach, but a non-malo approach ensures tension and backbone to a fruit-ripe vintage. Wild Rose 2020 Delicate in colour, this red-grape-dominated sparkling impressed us all with its floral nose of cherry blossom, rose and powdered raspberry. Again, the palate takes a generous, fruit-forward summer-berry richness before finishing with racy citrus textures. Little White Lie 2022 Made with Chardonnay sourced from Kent, this wine is still very much Black Chalk in style, with its almost perfumed character of white floral notes and crisp, crunchy apple and zesty lemon. Dancer In Pink 2022 Another standout, this still rosé felt like a coming of age for 'Dancer in Pink'. While effectively described as a playful, summer-sipper style of wine, this vintage demonstrated a complex, textured, grippy finish in addition to all the summer berry ripeness that 2022 brought.
Yesterday, I hosted a four course menu of mostly J Yesterday, I hosted a four course menu of mostly Japanese flavours. To start was salmon, grilled salmon and scallop nigiri sushi, with crab and avocado maki rolls. The hokkaido scallops from @finefoodspecialist were sensational, as was the salmon. Second course was more of a Chinese inspired dish of cold soba noodles with roasted wheat gluten, chicken and a tahini and sichuan chilli oil dressing. We then moved onto a fish course of grilled miso and shio koji marinated Turbot with baby pak choi. Superb Turbot from @fishforthoughtcornwall Finally, we ended on sakura raindrop with roasted soybean, black sugar syrup and kumquat. I paired each course with an appropriate wine, including @langhamwinery's wonderful Culver and @domaineofthebee Hart of Gold with tokaji dosage. Also had the sublime Gangi Yuunagi Junmai Daiginjo, which i ordered from @yutakaeats #englishsparkling #englishwine #sushi #winepearing #seafood
Believe it or not, this is the long-established an Believe it or not, this is the long-established and multi-award-winning Norfolk producer @winbirri's first take on a sparkling rosé. What makes it even more unusual is that it’s made from Dornfelder, a dark-skinned red grape of Germanic origin that Winbirri also use rather successfully to make an English red. On pouring, the wine’s vibrant magenta and red colours live up to the winery’s promise of sunset hues. The nose stands out too, with aromas of strawberry and raspberry as well as grapefruit and cherry. The palate is soft and fruity, showing generous red berry richness, with hints of rhubarb, cherry and pear drops on the finish. This is another example of a producer working with non-classic sparkling varieties and delivering something really enticing and distinctive. More new English wine reviews on GreatBritishWine.com (link in profile). #englishwine #englishsparkling #winbirri #rose #Norfolk #rosewine
An English wine retrospective... It was great to An English wine retrospective... It was great to revisit this iconic @hambledon_vineyard Premiere Cuvée NV, which has sat quietly, maturing the in the GBW cellars for nearly six years since purchase in 2017. I'm not sure of the base vintage or even the blend, as details were fairly scarce at the time of release (maybe Hambledon can help here), but it's absolutely glorious. Golden in hue, with a nose packed full of biscuity, yeasty complexity. Sourdough bread and pretzel aromas, with mature baked orchard and stone fruit and preserved lemon. To taste, a light tingle of salted pretzel and tangy lemon leads to broad, biscuity richness. This wine is really expansive and deep, complex with its interweaving layers of biscuit, baked apple and apricot. Then, buttery, almost creamy layers, before a citrus-led finish that freshens the palate. Sensational, I really need to revisit the Hambledon range (and the vineyard!). It's been far too long. Bonus photo at the end from my last visit to Hambledon back in 2017. #EnglishSparkling #EnglishWine #SparklingWine #Hampshire #Hambledon #AgedWine #NonVintage
After watching the brilliant @adamhandling on @gre After watching the brilliant @adamhandling on @greatbritishmenu this week, I remember we still hadn't visited @lochandtyne, despite now living 15 mins away. Took the chance to visit for lunch today for an early birthday lunch for @qianmobbs. I started with a fresh and tasty plate of salmon, Qian went for Adam's signature celeriac starter with black truffle. Main course was an indulgent affair of beef wellington and classic Sunday lunch accompaniments. We finished off with a tarte tatin to share. Tried some great wines too, including Adam's own English sparkling from Kent, which was a textbook example of English freshness but with some lovely rich notes too. Not sure who produced it (forgot to check as wasn't on full wine mode), I'm sure I read before that it was @gusbourne_wine? #sundaylunch #englishwine #beef #restaurant #birthday
It's always fun to play around with #EnglishWine a It's always fun to play around with #EnglishWine and food pairings. I don't do it enough these days. Tonight, I was cooking up a wild mushroom risotto, with Maitake/hen of the woods mushroom (that I've never cooked with before) and shimeji. Have to say a lot of mushroom based dishes on @greatbritishmenu has inspired this fungi adventure. Unfortunately, I don't possess the culinary skills of Adam Handling. I wanted something light and playful to pair with that would enhance the meaty, nutty mushroom flavours. @flintvineyard Pinot Précoce 2020 fitted the brief, having developed significantly since release. Tangy sour cherry and dark chocolat flavours promise contrast, with leafy forest floor, blackcurrant suggestions, and oak spice. There's a slight spritz to the acidity. This kind of light but complex red felt in its element with a rich, savoury, mushroom-led risotto. #englishwine #Norfolk #pinot #risotto #cooking #mushroom #winepairing
GBW Wine of the Month February @missinggatevineya GBW Wine of the Month February @missinggatevineyard Pinot Blanc 2020 Missing Gate vineyard, based in Chelmsford, Essex, has slipped under the radar a little as it emerged on the scene, but this Pinot Blanc 2020 has put them firmly on the radar, with Tom Hewson declaring it White Wine of the Year in his England 2022 report. It certainly doesn’t disappoint and is another excellent and structured English wine from Ben Smith of Itasca. He’s a name we are going to be talking about more and more this year. The nose is bright and perfumed, a fusion of flinty, smoky minerality with fragrant citrus zests, piquant tropical bursts and waves of peach. The palate further pleases, beginning with racy acidity, tangy lemon and lime freshness, and bursts of tingling minerality. It’s got a freshness akin to an invigorating volcanic white wine. But the real surprises are the softer, creamier waves of peach and light buttery notes that really elevate this. More English wine reviews in the latest GBW Round-up (Link in profile) #EnglishWine #EssexWine #PinotBlanc #WhiteWine #Wine #WineReview
It’s been another slow start to the year for me, It’s been another slow start to the year for me, with work and family commitments taking my focus away from wine. However, over the last couple of months I’ve tasted some outstanding English wines once again. Wine of the month for February comes once again courtesy of Essex, and the delectable Missing Gate Pinot Blanc 2020 (£35.00). It’s by far the best example of Pinot Blanc I’ve tasted from England, and such a wonderful, textural wine in its own right. Keeping things on the still side, Oastbrook’s youthful Pinot Noir 2021 (£32.00) shows that you can still deliver a bold, vibrant Pinot even in cooler years in England. Meanwhile, the latest vintage of the ever-reliable Winbirri Rosé Pinot Noir arrives just in time for a bit of spring sunshine. On the sparkling side, the four wines included couldn’t be more diverse. First up is the fresh and exhilarating Busi-Jacobsohn Cuvée Brut £38.00, and the indulgent and ripe Harrow and Hope Blanc de Blancs 2018. Then, on the more distinctive side is Winbirri’s first sparkling rosé wine, the Rosé Brut 2018, which is made entirely from the Dornfelder grape. Expect generous ripe summer berry flavours and vivid colour. Finally, I end on Flint’s VMV ‘Venn Multi Vintage’ (£49.99) which, in its blend of three simultaneous vintages, delivers distinctive and rare sparkling expression from winemaker, Ben Witchell. Read the full reviews on GreatBritishWine.com (link in profile) #EnglishWine #EnglishSparkling #EssexWine #NorfolkWine #SussexWine #Wine #WineReview
Last week, I hosted another #EnglishWineVertical w Last week, I hosted another #EnglishWineVertical with a group of fellow English wine enthusiasts. We tasted through eight vintages of @chapeldown Kit's Coty Chardonnay. From the first 'official' vintage of 2013 through to the latest 2020. On the night, there were clear favourites, ranging from the Chablis-esque freshness of 2020 to the mature stone fruit and crème brûlée hug of the 2014. However, the cooler years, 2019 and 2015 in particular, struggled to compete with the peak years. A wonderful opportunity to try eight vintages of one of my favourite wines side by side. Look out for a full, in-depth report next month. #Chardonnay #KitsCoty #ChapelDown #Kent #KentWine #VerticalTasting
I kept seeing something about National Drink Wine I kept seeing something about National Drink Wine Day today, and while we're currently on a long weekend in Oslo, Norway, we did pop open a rather special bottle. @chapeldown Kit's Coty Coeur De Cuvée 2016. This is the latest release of the flagship wine from the Kent producer's flagship vineyard. This is 100% Chardonnay and made from the very best juice, or the heart of the first pressing. Wild fermented, then aged in French oak for 7 months before a further 5 years on lees. This wine combines all of the signature motifs of this great vineyard. Wonderful ripeness that brings both concentration and purity in the form of ripe apple, racy citrus and white peach. There's slight suggestions of honey and cream, but it's just a hint, while notes of roasted cashew and saline minerality really hold your interest. And those light suggestions of French oak really seal the deal for me. Four vintages in (KC Coeur de Cuvée launched with 2013), and this is still one of the country’s very best. #EnglishSpakling #EnglishWine #KitsCoty #Wine #SparklingWine #Kent #ChapelDown #Travel
An English Wine Retrospective The latest wine I a An English Wine Retrospective The latest wine I am revisiting is the @simpsonswine Derringstone Pinot Meunier 2018. A former GBW Wine of the Month way back in March 2019, this was one of several brilliant 2018 vintage releases from Charles and Ruth Simpson. I've re-tasted most of these wines in the last month or so, and the Derringstone is the one that has aged best. The wine retains that intriguing nose of red apple, peach skin, roasted almond and an almost fennel, spiced note. To taste, there's a really diverse mixture of flavours and textures going on here. Still some hints of cranberry and bright acidity, the mid-taste is a curious mixture of roasted almond, red apple and stone fruit and creamy textures and light balsamic and fennel hints. #EnglishWine #PinotMeunier #Meunier #Kent #WhiteWine #WineTasting #Wine
An English wine valentine... When owner Nick Wenm An English wine valentine... When owner Nick Wenman planted Albury vineyard back in 2009, he planted two rows of Pinot Gris for his wife, Linda. Linda's Pinot is a wine that Albury makes in the best years from that Pinot Gris, and in 2018, was blended with Pinot Noir to form this very limited 280-bottle release. With a pale golden hue, the nose on the Albury remains appealingly bright, with notes of cranberry, peach and white flowers, as well as a hint of marzipan. To taste, this wine retains the racy freshness and acidity it had on release, with a good dash of citrus and tangy cranberry to balance softer notes of peach and slightly buttery notes as it warms in the glass. While the 2018 has long since sold out, the excellent 2020 vintage is still available from @alburyvineyard directly for £24.95. A brilliant #EnglishWine curiosity and well worth a try. #SurreyHills #OrganicWine #Surrey #Albury #Pinot #WhiteWine #Organicawine
I expect that plenty of rosé #EnglishWine and #En I expect that plenty of rosé #EnglishWine and #EnglishSparkling will be consumed this valentines. How about these two latest releases from Norfolk's @winbirri Winbirri Rosé Brut 2018 - £29.00 On pouring, the wine's vibrant magenta and red colours live up to the winery's promise of sunset hues. The nose stands out, too, with aromas of strawberry and raspberry as well as grapefruit and cherry. The palate is soft and fruity, showing generous red berry richness, with hints of rhubarb, cherry and pear drops on the finish. Winbirri Pinot Noir Rosé 2021 - £16.00 The palate bursts onto the tastebuds immediately with its tangy raspberry, cherry and cranberry, and that promised citrus invigoration. What makes this stand out, as with precious vintages, is the softer, riper cherry and strawberry mid taste with a slight creaminess that adds weight and indulgence. Brilliant. #Valentines #Rosé #RoséWine #Winbirri #Norfolk #Valentine #ValentinesDay
For his latest article, Stephen visits the pictur For his latest article, Stephen visits the picturesque Fairmile Vineyard in Henley-on-Thames. "Henley-on-Thames. What comes to mind when hearing that name? A beautiful riverside setting, a rowing regatta, and an attractive market town, I’ll warrant. But what about rolling chalk hills and English Sparkling Wine? Probably lower down the list, if at all. But since 2011, Jan Mirkowski and his wife Anthea have been working to change that perception. Jan previously worked in telecoms and he figured that the stresses of winemaking would pale into insignificance compared to his exacting commute and working in an office. Now his office is a sloping field in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with glorious views across the valley to the south west. " Read the full article on GreatBritishWine.com (link in profile) #EnglishSparkling #SparklingWine #Henley #HelneyonThames #winemaker
We're celebrating valentines early here as Qian is We're celebrating valentines early here as Qian is flying out next week for business. An impromptu afternoon too and bottle of mature #EnglishSparkling #rose. A delight to revisit this #Sparklingwine example of the potential of English sparkling rose with age on its side. The colour is bold and confident; salmon and autumn hues, and it's a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Meunier. This particular bottle was disgorged all the way back in November 2017, so has some five and a half years under cork. It's possibly the same disgorging that I tasted back at launch in 2018. The racy acidity is proud and present, thanks to winemaker @ermosug's recognisable style. Flavours of dried cherry, cranberry, red apple up front, with savoury tones, orange zest, spice and rhubarb. There's a hint of creaminess, and the red fruit is more mature some five years on, but the citrus and acidity is still remarkably fresh. And it's still available from Digby for just under £50, and around £44 from @twelvegreenbottles #englishwine #valentines #rose #rosewine #Digby #sparklingwine
Today, we celebrated Chinese New Year with a selec Today, we celebrated Chinese New Year with a selection of Chinese wine and of course a bottle of #EnglishSparkling. My mate @winetimelondon kindly hooked me up with a duo of @theiwsc medal winning Chinese wines, one each from the top regions of Ningxia and Xinjiang. First up is the Tiansai T20 Chardonnay from the emerging Xinjiang Region. This was a lot more understated and elegant than I expected. Green apple, citrus and mineral, with suggestions of white peach. Quite Chablis esque, with a hint of tropical fruit. Reminded me a little of Kentish Chardonnay. We also tasted @everflyht Brut, crisp, clean and delicious inaugural release from a very promising estate. This held its own, following on from an unexpected but very elegant @Billecart Blanc de Blanc. Finally, we ended on food and the rather indulgent Jade Vineyard Aria Reserve. This is like a no holds barred approach to Cab Sauv. At 15.4% its like Amarone meets Bordeaux. Big blackcurrant, kirsch cherry, cigar and tobacco on the nose. To taste, alcohol dominates, and perhaps detracts from another wise fine example of Chinese red. The fruit is concentrated and ripe; blackcurrant, cherry, with big spice and smoke. Very tasty, but the alcohol warmth takes over. It's a step too far, perhaps, but still shows a lot of promise for big Chinese red. Food by @qianmobbs and @fatfifiona. #chinesenewyear #rabbityear #chinesewine #englishwine
Hard to believe it is a year already since we lost Hard to believe it is a year already since we lost mum. Not a day passes that I don't miss her, so raising a glassof sparkling wine to her today. I got my love for sparkling wine from mum, she always knew how to enjoy the good times, and those times are what I'm remembering today. I opened a bottle of @nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2010, a wine with bountiful energy and longevity. It's the perfect wine to toast to mums memory, as we shared quite a few bottles of Nyetimber over the years. This 2010 is in a great place right now, with a nose of brioche and croissant, baked apple, peach and vanilla biscuits. The palate is fresh, zesty and mineral up front, leading to sumptuous almond croissant and apple pudding richness. The finish is long and clean. An exceptional wine in memory of an exceptional lady. Thanks for everything mum ❤️. #englishwine #Nyetimber #memories #mum #sparklingwine #blancdeblancs
Following on from a brilliant vertical tasting wit Following on from a brilliant vertical tasting with @balfourwinery @fergelias last month, I managed to bag a bit of a January sale bargain from @hardtofindwines, the Balfour Brut Rosé 2010 for a bargain £20 a bottle. This is a fascinating wine, and shows just how a well considered English rosé can age. Aromas of preserved red fruit and orange zest, with hints of almond croissant. The palate has a wonderful juxtaposition of racy, fresh acidity (thanks to the Balfour non-malo approach) and then developed notes of dried cranberry and cherry with almond nougat and perhaps even hints of white chocolate. Quite a subtle wine, this opens up nicely as it warms in the glass. Glad to have another 4 bottles to enjoy in the future. #englishwine #englishsparkling #kent #Rosé #rosewine #winebargain
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