WINE REVIEW
Exton Park is a producer that has continued to push boundaries in English Sparkling Wine since the launch of their first wines. Their signature ‘Reserve Blend’ style draws upon the juxtaposition of racy, non-Malo sparkling wines with a complex blend made from a diverse pool of reserve wines. But it’s their innovation that has notably grabbed the headlines; they were one of the early pioneers of varietal Pinot Meunier sparkling, and also the first English producer to launch a sea-aged sparkling wine. But their ‘BBB’ is likely their most innovative yet.
The BBB stands for Barrel-aged Before Bottling, meaning that this 100% Chardonnay from the 2015 vintage was aged in barrel for over three years, as a still wine, before bottling for secondary fermentation and lees ageing for a further five years. While not the first English producer to age their wine in oak prior to bottling, they are the first, to my knowledge, to do so for a prolonged period.
The nose is immediately striking, opening with a fusion of zesty lemon and yuzu, green orchard fruit and waves of vanilla and almond croissant. There’s a lovely air of toastiness to this wine, bright mineral notes with hints of toasted sourdough and smoke.
The palate picks up where the nose left off, delivering a striking multi-faceted sensory experience. The acidity is bright, bursting and linear, demonstrating a tingling lemon zest and chalky precision that Exton Park Chardonnay is known for. But then there’s this sumptuous, creamy softness, almond cream, hints of marzipan and soft baked apples. And on the finish there’s lingering toastiness, and bursts of finger lime and salinity.
What’s impressive is how the oak has left a subtle but nuanced impression on the wine, elevating rather than masking the wine’s bursting freshness.
