Winbirri, Solaris, 2019, Norfolk, UK
A few years ago Winbirri won a Decanter world wine award trophy which is some achievement. That was for their Bacchus but their Solaris is very good, it’s dry and crisp but with a softness that is very palatable. Lemon, blossom and stone fruit flavours with a slight tartness on the end makes this perfect for fish, salad or as an aperitif.
At 13 a bottle it’s what English wine usually costs, it’s a shame as it puts people off trying English wine.
Chet Valley, Jubilee Blanc de Blanc 2020, Norfolk, UK
Chet Valley, Jubilee Blanc de Blanc 2020 from Norfolk was made with the Queen’s 70th jubilee celebrations in mind. It’s easy to dismiss this as all marketing, but this is truly an excellent sparkling wine. Made with 100% chardonnay it has many characteristics of champagne but is that little bit lighter with slightly less toasty notes and more fruit driven.
It’s got to be one of the best English sparkling wines I tried in a long time. It’s a shame that it’s £30 a bottle because it would put people off, but that’s the cost of champagne beating wine from the UK.
Chapel Down, Kits Coty, Chardonnay, 2013, UK
If you think you can’t keep English wine for years before drinking it you’re wrong and this is exactly the bottle to try. Chapel Down make a lot of wine and a million bottles on a year but this kits coty is one of their premier lines.
Even after 8-years it is stunning wine to taste and although it costs over £25 a bottle it’s a must to try anyone that likes white wine. A worthy gold medal winner.
Theres still complexity in this wine with aromas of peach and apple, apricot with flinty under notes and subtle oak and a very long finish.
With summer and sitting out in the garden eating salads and barbecues, talking with friends this is got to be one to put on the menu.
Sugrue, English Sparkling Wine, South Downs, UK
Its the first time that I have tried Sugrue’s english sparkling wine which is from the South Downs in England and I was very surprised.
Dry, crisp with high acidity and tasting exactly like Champagne I was expecting more fruit driven flavours rather than deep yeasty notes. Its nice but I’m more a cremant person, its good but just not for me.
Hencote, Solaris, 2018, Shrewsbury, UK
The UK makes good white wine, excellent sparkling and ok red wine but this Hencote, Solaris from Shrewsbury, that’s up north! Is really good, excellent you could say.
It’s fresh and vibrant with smells and flavours of grapefruit, lemon, lime and a mineral undertone on the taste. There’s acidity there which would pair this well with shellfish.
The fact it come from so far up north is amazing and shows the skill of the wine maker.
Simpsons, Derringstone, Pinot Meunier, 2019, UK
Simpsons, Derringstone, Pinot Meunier from the UK it’s the first pinot meunier that I’ve tasted. Normally this is a great that’s so mixed in sparkling such a champagne, it’s rare to have it on its own and I sort of see why, but I can’t say I disliked it.
There’s lots of pear and apple in this with notes of citrus, grapefruit but also yeasty notes, a creaminess but this a very interesting wine. Slightly thicker in texture and and not much acidity, so I would drink this on its own or with light food. We had it this with a full roast and it probably had a job on its hands keep up with the food, but this is one I would definitely recommend trying.
It’s a shame it’s going to be by about £18 a bottle as this will put a lot of people off.
Camel Valley, Bacchus Dry, 2015, Cornwall, UK
Bacchus is the english grape as Sauvignon Blanc is to New Zealand and its generally good. There are exceptions and this 6 year old Bacchus from Camel Valley in Cornwall is flippin great. 6 Years old and its still fresh, crisp, light in texture but with loads of flavours of citrus, gooseberry, and a hint of elderflower.
This is wine making at it finest and quite frankly at about £15 a bottle its not cheap but there is value here for the quality.
Toppesfield, Classic Brut, Sparkling wine, 2018, Essex
I really like the Toppesfield wines, they are no that far away from me and they are really passionate about what they do which I love, along with the wines and this Sparkling Brut.
Its crisp and dry, made in the traditional sparkling wine way this is a elegant but more fruit driven on the flavour than a traditional Champagne way. You get citrus and apples and a little gooseberry undernote in there.
At £24 a bottle its priced as cheaper Champagne but so much more drinkable than french champagne and a step up from french Cremant.
Chet & Waveney, Solaris, 2017, Norfolk, UK
Chet & Waveney is in Norfolk in the UK and has been making wine for a while and for a while its been good stuff. In the last year they have built a new winery and expanded. This white is made with the Solaris grape and while from 2017, its still excellent.
Its light on the nose but has favours of goosebery, lemon, lime and grapefruit with decent length and freshness that you can’t help but want another glass. its not complicated or fussy.
This is what I like about english wine, its just enjoyable.
Hencote, Solaris, 2018, Shropshire, England
English white wine is pretty good and this Solaris from Hencote in the north of England is fresh and clean on the palate. There’s citrus, gooseberry, grass and mineral flavours which are subtle but easy. Thats the best part because you don’t get much in the way of aromas.
The only other bad part is the cost, which at £20 a bottle is far to much. At £10 it would be worth getting.