WINE REVIEW
Oxney down in Sussex make some of the best Organic English wines out there. I’ve been a little behind in tasting their releases for the last year or so, but I had the chance to taste this hugely memorable Blanc de Noirs earlier in the year, and I thought it would be a brilliant wine to revisit for Christmas.
This is made with 100% Pinot Meunier from the brilliant 2022 vintage; Oxney decided not to put the wine through Malolactic Fermentation because the fruit was so good. The wine spent 18 months on lees and was bottled with zero dosage.
The result is striking and vibrant, and not just because of its copper-tinged hue. The nose is full of redcurrant, red apple and a decidedly complex mixture of roasted nuts, dried herbs and spice.
The palate is bone dry, but the acidity remains in control and well-integrated. There’s a lovely forwardness to the red fruit, cherry and red apple flavours, as well as fascinating textures of winter spice and a touch of salinity. There’s this brilliant savoury spiciness that just feels so festive. I can see this pairing really well with charcuterie.
