The Drop | Spring 2024

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SPRING/ SUMMER 20 24

Henr y Jef fr eys

Rebecca Pitcair n

Chr is Boiling

Put aside your grape prejudices

Goes off the beaten track in England's vineyards

Makes an Orange wine in Georgia

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Contents 04 The Value Pr oposition Dan Far r ell-Wr igh t shares his buying hacks for great value wine

08 The Or ange Revolution es Pierres Dorées is a sub-region of Beaujolais. Unlike the rest of Beaujolais, which is predominantly granite, the bedrock is limestone. Sharing similar "terroir " to Burgundy, it is particularly well suited to growing Chardonnay.

A new Beaujolais classification has been created to recognise this special status.

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I recently visited Kevin Jandard (pictured above) at his organic estate, Famille Descombe, to taste "Pierres Dorées" Beaujolais Blanc (from £17.55). Impressed I brought back a few cases. It's a great alternative to white Burgundy and shows that there's good value out there if you know where to look.

Writer and wine maker Ch r is Boilin g's guide to this fashionable style

12 Another England Rebecca Pit cair n unearths England's less common grape varieties

This edition is dedicated to value.

Rebecca Pitcairn explores some less common English grapes. Award winning wine writer Henry Jeffreys starts a new column, in this edition he urges us to set our grape prejudices aside. I give you my insider hacks to finding good value alternatives to your favourite wines, and Chris Boiling recounts his adventures making an orange wine in Georgia.

18 Tickled Pink!

Ch r is Boilin g reveals the secrets of perfectly pink wine

22 Intoxicating Stor ies Hen r y Jef f r eys suggests setting aside your wine prejudices

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New est Ar r ivals We're happy to welcome two exceptional new ranges from sustainable vineyards. Both vineyards are preserving the land for future generations and producing wines of quality and character.

DOMAINE DE MÉNARD, GASCONY Elizabeth Prataveira is the 4th generation of winemaker at Domaine de Ménard. She works alongside her brother Philippe who manages the vineyards, which are certified to HVE3.

Their multi-award winning wines offer great value for money, each cuvée is just £10.35 (Any 6 Mix).

The grapes include popular varieties Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc alongside local varieties Gros Manseng, Colombard and Ugni Blanc.

CHÂTEAU FONT BARRIELE, NÎMES The organic vineyards of Christian and Caroline Gourjon sit at the crossroads of the Costières de Nîmes and Côtes-du-Rhône appellations.

Château Font Barrièle is a jewel in the heart of history. Forming part of a nature reserve, their emblem is the little bustard, a protected species which soars above the vineyards.

Their wines are full-bodied and typical of the region. Prices from £12.60,

Any 6 Mix

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Far r ell-Wr igh t reveals the THE VALUE Dan insider hacks for discovering PROPOSITION great wine at affordable prices.

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am on a constant quest to discover new wines. I visit vineyards and events hoping to find something special. This enduring search unearths both hits and misses, though I can?t remember the last time I tasted a truly bad wine. Modern wine making and clean wineries ensure winemakers can easily produce in -offensive, drinkable wines.

Now, there?s a killer hook for an ad campaign!

Joking aside, beyond inoffensive and drinkable, as a wine buyer, how do I discover wines that are good enough to make the cut?

I start with ABC: Aromas, Balance, Complexity.

Each element must feel right - multiple aromas, a balance of acidity and tannin, and complexity Next I look for sustainability, which is at the heart of everything we do at Wickhams. Every winery must operate sustainably. That could be organic or bio-dynamic certification, the French HVE standard, or taking initiatives such as using renewable energy.

Lastly, the price must represent good value for money. When I say good value for money do I just mean cheap? No, I?m talking about wines that punch above their weight. A £10 wine that tastes like a £20 wine.

Higher prices don?t always translate into better quality wines. Sought after or well-regarded appellations such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Champagne attract a premium. Scarcity drives prices up, hence why even mediocre Burgundy can be eye wateringly expensive. Fashion plays its part too, people love the cachet of an insta-famous wine drunk by celebrities.

Finding value requires a little research. Think about wines you enjoy, but possibly can?t justify the expense of as often as you?d like.

Look for the name of the village or the region in which the wine is made. If the wine is a blend of grapes, find out what the blend is. The secret is to look for wines made using the same grapes, using the same methods, in similar places.

Wines made in neighbouring (but less well known) villages will often be better value.

Everyone knows Chablis, famous for its crisp, steely, and mineral white wines. But have you heard of Côtes Salines? It sits just outside the Chablis demarcation, shares similar terroir, grows the same grape variety (Chardonnay), and creates wines of a similar style.

Seek out regions in different parts of the world which share similar climates. Not many people can regularly afford to drink classed growth Bordeaux. The climate of Stellenbosch in South Africa is very similar and the vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, the major Bordeaux grape variety. Stellenbosch wines have the same profile and ability to age, but the prices are much more affordable.

Crémant is sparkling wine made in France by the méthode champenoise, but not made in Champagne. Pick up a bottle labelled Crémant de Bourgogne and it will taste so similar to Champagne that the difference will be almost imperceptible.

Turnover for my selection of great value, off the radar wines! ?

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The Value Pr oposition

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An alter native to Pinot Gr igio

An alter native to Chateauneuf -du-Pape

CA' DI PONTI GRILLO 20 22 DOC SICILY

DOMAINE MABY "NESSUN DORMA" 20 21 AOC LIRAC

Any 6 mix £8.99 | Single £9.99

Any 6 mix £23.85 | Single £26.50

Pinot Grigio is cheap and cheerful, but often it can taste a little lack lustre. Grillo is a more interesting alternative. Indigenous to Sicily, it was originally used to make fortified Marsala wine.

The grapes are from organic vineyards in the Rhône village of Lirac, which has a similar terroir to Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It is a blend of Grenache and Syrah which are matured in barrels for twelve months.

However, when it's used to make a refreshing, crisp dry white it is full-flavoured with bags of character and fantastic value for money. It exhibits nutty, citrussy, apple and lemon characteristics. It's a great garden wine but would also pair well with fresh fish or seafood.

Nessun Dorma reveals astonishing aromatic complexity. It has a concentrated colour with ruby red highlights. It is a concerto of red and black fruit, sweet spices, liquorice and flowers.

The palate is full, rich, and fleshy. Superb!

An alter native to Sancer r e An alter native to Bor deaux

PETER FALKE SIGNATURE "KANOA" 20 16 WO STELLENBOSCH

DOMAINE OCTAVIE SAUVIGNON DE TOURAINE 20 21 AOC TOURAINE

Any 6 mix £29.70 | Single £33

Any 6 mix £15.75 | Single £17.50

The classed growths of Bordeaux are now touted by many as investment opportunities.

The result of this speculation is that they are out of the reach of most wine drinkers

Sauvignon Blanc is a grape variety at home in the Loire Valley. Sancerre is the original expression of the variety and the appellation cannot include any other grapes.

Stellenbosch in South Africa has a similar climate and selection of grapes to Bordeaux.

This flagship wine from Peter Falke is a blend of the popular Bordeaux grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon (76%) and Cabernet Franc (24%).

This wine has style and finesse, and has been created for those who understand that wines with personality are made to be drunk.

Just down river is the commune of Touraine.

Sauvignon de Touraine is very similar to Sancerre, but it is not so well-known. Isabelle and Noë Rouballay are the 5th generation of family winemakers. Established in 1885, the 30 hectares of vines are located on the terroir of the town of Oisly, which possesses the ideal conditions for growing Sauvignon Blanc.

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An alter native to Bar olo An alter native to Champagne

FAMILLE GUEGUEN, BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT NV AOC CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE Any 6 mix £23.85 | Single £26.50 The Chablis area produces some of the best Crémant in France and one reason is that its soil is not that dissimilar to that of Champagne. This wine definitely delivers excellent value.

This is made using only Pinot Noir grapes which gives notes of red apple, bramble fruits and lovely ripe flavours. A wonderful alternative fizz.

GIRIBALDI "CAMPO DEL PESCO" NEBBIOLO 20 19 AOC LANGHE Any 6 mix £17.99 | Single £19.99 Barolo and Barbaresco are at the top of the Langhe wine hierarchy. The tannins can be a challenge in early life, often requiring many years to soften. Langhe Nebbiolo is their more accesible cousin, offering amazing value. This is a wine to be enjoyed in its youth which has all the essential characteristics of Nebbiolo, a wonderful grape that prospers in the Piedmont region.

There are aromas of autumn raspberries, tinged with balsamic and a herbaceous minty freshness.

An alter native to W hisper ing Angel An alter native to Chablis

CHÂTEAU FONT BARRIELE "LES VIGNES D'HELOISE" ROSÉ 20 22 IGP COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES FAMILLE GUEGUEN, CÔTES SALINES AOC BOURGOGNE

Any 6 mix £12.60 | Single £14 This is a perfectly pale pink rosé from the organic vineyards of Christian and Caroline Gourjon. Their estate sits at the confluence of Arles, Nimes, and Avignon, just north of the iconic rosé region of Provence. The blend of Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Vermentino, and Syrah mirrors that of the brand leading Whispering Angel. However, and here you must applaud French bureaucracy, being only a lowly IGP classification the wine offers much better value for money!

Any 6 mix £17.55 | Single £19.50 Famille Gueguen are renowned for their excellent Chablis wines. The vines for this wine are thirty years old, but they are located just beyond the boundary of the Chablis appellation in the village of Préhy. The resulting wine is classified as AOC Bourgogne and it is a delicious, crisp and steely chardonnay.

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The Or ange Revolution

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THE ORANGE REVOLUTION A guide to orange wines by wine writer and winemaker Ch r is Boilin g

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view orange wines as white wines made in the style of red wines. Unlike normal white wines, where the grape skins are quickly removed after pressing, orange wines are made by leaving the skins of white grapes in contact with the juice before and during fermentation ? and often for weeks or months post-fermentation. This extended ?skin contact? gives the wine an orange or amber hue.

It?s the same technique used to give red wines their colour ? but with white grapes. Without extended skin contact, red wines would be rosés.

As well as imparting colour, the grape skins add tannins, extra flavours, and aromas, resulting in a more complex and textured style of wine.

Orange wines have become trendy over the last 15 years, but they are actually a tribute to wines made in ancient times ? thousands of years ago in the birthplace of wine, the fertile valleys of the South Caucasus (present-day Georgia and Armenia), when winemakers used to dump their grapes in a qvevri (a large clay vessel buried in the ground to keep the wine cool), where they were left to ferment, stabilise and clarify naturally.

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Many orange wines are considered ?natural wines?? because they are made with the yeasts carried on the grape skins and with techniques often described as ?low intervention? or ?zero manipulation?. It means the winemakers make no additions, apart from a little S02 to prevent the wines from oxidising. These ?natural wines? are usually bottled without filtration ? so you may find some deposits at the bottom of the bottle, as you do with some red wines.

The first orange wine I tasted was made by a long-bearded monk from Georgia. It was disgusting. ?Natural?but in a faulty kind of way.

However, since then, I have tasted many amazing orange wines and this style has become my favourite.

So much so that I went to three very different countries in 2022 to make three different styles of amber wines. In the Alazani Valley ? in the heart of Georgia?s primary wine-growing region, Kakheti ? I harvested two rare indigenous grape varieties, Kisi and Khikhvi, and put them together in a qvevri, keeping the skins in contact with the wine for six months. Then, the wine was racked off the skins and stored in a clean qvevri for a further four months. This limited-edition wine is due to be shipped to England in May. ?

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The Or ange Revolution

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As w ell as impar ting colour, the gr ape skins add tannins, extr a f lavour s, and ar omas, r esulting in a mor e complex and textur ed style of w ine.

Wickhams?customers can pre-order this wine at w ick h am w in e.co.u k / ch r is-boilin g. Come and meet me to taste the wine at Toby's Garden Festival (3rd and 4th May, Powderham Castle), or you can join me, Dan Farrell-Wright and Sarah Abbott MW for an online tasting of Amber and Orange wines (including mine) on Thursday 25th June (details on Events page).

My second wine is a semi-orange wine made in Slovenia, a country that has been at the forefront of the Amber Revolution.

Most of the juice was obtained in a typical way

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Or ange W ines to tr y...

HUXBEAR ORANGE BEAR 20 21 DEVON Any 6 mix £15.30 | Single £17 ·From Lucy and Ben Hulland this is one of the best examples of a skin-contact wine from England and showing a very different side to

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for a high-quality white wine ? by putting the La?ki rizling (Welschriesling) grapes in a press but only using the juice which ran out freely (before the grapes were squeezed). As the fermentation of this versatile grape began (its used to make top-quality sweet wines in Austria, sparkling wines in Brazil and dry white wines in Croatia and Hungary), we pitched in whole grapes of the extremely aromatic and exotic Traminer variety. These grapes fermented inside their own skins and eventually exploded ? depositing more of this variety and more sugars slowly into the wine to extend the fermentation

Chardonnay grapes.

Despite the increase in popularity, there are still only a handful of English winemakers making skin-contact wine. Chapel Down in Kent was one of the first, launching an orange wine made from England?s ?signature?grape, Bacchus in 2014, followed by Litmus in Surrey in 2016, and there are now English orange wines made Solaris, Albariño, Orion, Siegerrebe, on the market. However, this one is thought to be the only one made from 100% chardonnay.

Lucy and Ben wild fermented the chardonnay grapes for 15 days on skins before pressing. The resulting wine has notes of peach, nectarine and sweet vanilla. It goes brilliantly with salty snacks (crisps and nuts, hard cheese like Manchego or blue cheese) but my favourite pairing is pork with plenty of crackling!

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period from weeks to almost a year (protecting the wine without the need for sulphites). The result is a very elegant and aromatic light-style orange wine. It will be released later this year.

As will the third orange wine I made during the 2022 vintage, travelling across the Slovenian border to neighbouring Austria to make an amber wine from two new grape varieties, Souvignier Gris and Muscaris. The advantage of these grape varieties is that they are disease resistant and require very little spraying, so this organic wine will be one of the most sustainable wines in the world. The grapes were fermented in a variety of vessels (amphora, oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks) with different batches undergoing different lengths of skin contact ? from 72 hours to six months. The wine will be the best blend possible from these components, but it is likely to be an orange wine that is very approachable for lovers of white wines and rosés. Ensure you are signed up to receive Wickhams regular emails for information on

when these wines will be available to buy.

After the bad experience with my first orange wine, I?m so glad I persisted in exploring this new/old style of wine ? it has opened an exciting new world of flavours and experiences.

ANGUS PAUL ORANGE 20 23

TELIANI VALLEY GLEKHURI KISI QVEVRI 20 20

STELLENBOSCH Any 6 mix £17.55 | Single £19.50

GEORGIA Any 6 mix £22.50 | Single £25

From South Africa comes a wine which proves that aromatic varieties make some of the best orange wines, this delightful example is made of mostly Muscat with a touch of Semillon and 10 days of skin contact. It?s fantastic with a wide range of foods ? but this one goes especially well with Japanese cuisine.

From the Alazani Valley in Georgia this is wine made in qvevri from Kisi grapes. Kisi is a fantastic aromatic white grape ? turned a gorgeous golden amber colour here after six months? skin contact. The equally gorgeous aromas include jasmine, crystallised ginger, acacia, apricots, and hay.

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Languedoc-Rousillon

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ANOTHER ENGLAND Rebecca Pit cair n, finds some unusual English wines to try this spring.

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ver the past 20 to 30 years, Britain has made a name for itself producing sparkling wine from the ?holy trinity?Champagne varieties ? Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Not only has English and Welsh sparkling wine grabbed market share from Champagne but it is winning against the French region in blind tastings and attracting top Champagne houses to plant vines on our soil.

But while the market may well be dominated by traditional method sparkling, Britain?s winemakers have plenty more in their arsenal and are not only experimenting with different winemaking techniques but a variety of grapes too. So, if you fancy something a little different this spring, here?s my pick of some off-beat British wines to try.

Rebecca Pitcairn is host of Th e En glish Win e Diar ies, a podcast sponsored by Wickhams which uncovers the stories of people in the world of wine and how a love of wine ? particularly that made on British soil ? has helped shape their lives and careers.

Listen at t h esou t h er n qu ar t er .co.u k or find it on all major podcast platforms

SHARPHAM "LITTLE BEE" PINOT GRIS W ILD FERMENT 20 22 DEVON Any 6 mix £20 .25 | Single £22.50 Pinot Gris, aka Pinot Grigio, is a mutation of Pinot Noir and is characterised by a pinkish -grey skin. It currently makes up less than two per cent of the grape varieties planted in England but there are some amazing examples of traditional style white wines being produced here.

The brainchild of assistant winemaker Charlie Brown (pictured opposite), this skin-contact wine is quite a departure from the estate?s usual style.

Complex and textured, it?s been made with minimal intervention from start to finish, with the wine spending three weeks on its skins before undergoing wild fermentation.

The nose is bright with notes of lime, orange peel and anise with raspberry, grapefruit and nectarine flavours. You?ll notice a little grippy tannin on the palate yet the finish is clean and refreshing.

Try it with dishes inspired by the aromatic flavours of the Far East, such as a chicken with ginger and spring onion stir fry. ?

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Another England

BREAKY BOTTOM CUVÉE JACK PIKE, SEYVAL BLANC 20 15 SUSSEX

BIDDENDEN VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR 20 22 KENT Any 6 mix £23.85 | Single £26.50 Gamay is a light-bodied red wine, similar to Pinot Noir, which is most notably grown in the Beaujolais region of France. It usually has delicate floral aromas and subtle earthy notes.

While Pinot Noir is grown widely in Britain for our sparkling wines (and some wonderful still wines), there are just a handful of vineyards growing Gamay. One of the first was Julian Barnes, from Biddenden Vineyards in Kent, who planted Gamay Noir back in 1985, having returned a few years earlier from picking in Touraine, Loire Valley. ?A love of the wine and process coupled with a limited growing knowledge at the time, meant any success was a long time coming,? he admits. ?However, gradual climate change and some special years 2003, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2020, 2022 have allowed some amazing vintages.?

This latest 2022 vintage, which won Gold at the IEWA 2023, is cheerfully fruity on the nose with a slight smokiness to it and is bursting with juicy flavours of raspberry and cherry. it goes well with spicy dishes, or try a chilled glass with grilled meats or cold cuts and salad.

Any 6 mix £36 | Single £40 Over a decade before Nyetimber planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in 1988, kick starting England?s foray into the sparkling wine market, Peter Hall planted his Breaky Bottom vineyard in Lewes. To begin with, he planted Seyval Blanc (mostly for its ability to ripen in the cooler British climate) and built a reputation making still white wines.

However, he made his first 100% sparkling Seyval Blanc wine in 1995, releasing it in 2000 as ?Millennium Cuvée Maman Mercier ?, in dedication to his mother. ?For years I felt the Seyval Blanc would make great fizz,? says Peter. ?It had such a clean fresh taste and retained good acidity even when fully ripe.?

And he was right, his sparkling wines have been described by Jancis Robinson as "effervescent magic? and this 2015 vintage is no exception. It?s got that pale, slightly green tint that is to be expected from a Seyval, but with a slightly golden tone from ageing. The nose fizzes with delicate aromas of green apple and elderflower and there is a fine balance of fruit and acidity on the palate.

Each of the cuvées crafted at Breaky Bottom are dedicated to one of Peter ?s close friends or relatives. Jack Pike helped Peter plant those first Seyval Blanc plantings back in 1974 and thus this wine is named in his memory.

"For year s I felt Seyval Blanc w ould make gr eat f izz. It had such a clean f r esh taste"

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BLACKBOOK URBAN W INERY THE MIX UP: VOL IV 20 21 LONDON Any 6 mix £20 .25 | Single £22.50 A crossing of Riesling with Madeleine Royale, Muller Thurgau has the advantage in England?s cool climate of ripening extremely early, but its reputation has been somewhat tarnished by the association with cheap German wines, such as Liebfraumilch.

In this still white from Blackbook, an urban winery located in a railway arch in Battersea, it has been blended with another Germanic variety (and England?s seventh most planted grape) Reichensteiner having been whole bunch pressed into Burgundy barrels, indigenously fermented and aged for seven months on gross lees.

Blackbook founders Sergio and Lynsey Verrillo tend to focus on making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but purchase additional grapes each year to experiment with and this is an experiment that turned out particularly well ? indeed it was named by Matthew Jukes as one of his Fifty Finest Wines of 2022.

Far from the character-less reputation of high yield Muller Thurgau wines, this ?mix up? has plenty of flavour ? a touch of vanilla, white blossom and even ginger comes through on the nose while the palate has plenty of texture and is alive with stone fruit and citrus and has a slightly herbaceous edge. It?s lovely drunk on its own, even better with East Asian flavours ? a light fish steamed with plenty of ginger, lemongrass and garlic works a treat.

SHARPHAM ESTATE SELECTION 20 21 DEVON Any 6 mix £17.55 | Single £19.50 In the 1960s, Maurice and Ruth Ash purchased the Sharpham Estate, near Totnes in Devon, bringing their Jersey cows with them all the way from Essex on the train.

The couple developed the idea of making a French-style soft cheese from the cow?s milk and planting some vines on a sunny south-facing slope over-looking the River Dart. They trialled 13 different grape varieties but the little-known Madeleine Angevine, brought over from the Loire Valley, seemed to show the most promise.

Forty-five years after those first plantings and Madeleine Angevine remains at the heart of the business, which has since relocated to the neighbouring Sandridge Barton Estate and rebranded.

Grapes from the best spot in the vineyard (rather unromantically named 'D' block) have gone into this 2021 Estate Selection, which is delicately floral yet juicy with aromas of green apple and wild meadow and a dry, zesty palate with a smooth minerality. A lovely, clean and crisp wine that?s perfect for enjoying with fresh seafood or on its own. ?

named by Matthew Jukes as one of his "Fif ty Finest W ines of 20 22"

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Another England

KNIGHTOR ORANGE MUSCAT 20 22

BLUEBELL VINEYARD ASHDOW N CHASSELAS 20 20

CORNWALL

EAST SUSSEX

Any 6 mix £22.50 | Single £25

Any 6 mix £20 .25 | Single £22.50

The Muscat family of grapes is one of the world's oldest and most widespread and is used to make a variety of wine styles from Italy?s light, low-alcohol sparkling wine, Asti, to full-bodied dry whites, sweet to full-bodied whites and sticky fortified wines.

Chasselas, also known as Gutedel, is a white wine grape widely grown in Switzerland but is also found in France, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and, more recently, England!

However, its planting in England?s cool climate has been somewhat sparing and experimental ? understandably seeing as it?s a late ripening grape. The English Wine Project produces a dry sparkling Muscat for Reinshaw Hall but I was particularly intrigued by this skin-contact still Muscat, produced by Knightor, in Cornwall. ?The Muscat was planted as a trial. We planted a few varieties that many would see as on 'the edge' given our climate,? explains Knightor winemaker David Brocklehurst. ?In 2022 it was only a very small amount so not the easiest to process in the winery. Because of this, I decided to go down a different route and make a skin contact wine but fermenting it for only a short period (seven days) on skins to preserve the varietal characteristics.?

While delicately apricot in colour, the wine really punches you in the nose with citrus, rose and almond aromas. The palate, meanwhile, is wonderfully crisp with a touch of that nuttiness coming through and a long, zingy yet smooth lime finish. The wine is cloudy as it?s unfiltered but please don?t be deterred, this is an interesting and drinkable natural style wine.

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Bluebell Estate in East Sussex is thought to have the only commercial planting of this variety in the UK and is one that winemaker, Kevin Sutherland, is particularly passionate about.

The vines were planted in 2013 and a 2018 and 2019 have already been released under Bluebell?s ?Estate White? line. However, this 2020 vintage, which won bronze medal at Mondial Du Chasselas where it was pitted against wines from countries that have been growing the grape for decades, is the first vintage to be released officially as Chasselas.

Once poured, there are immediate aromas of peach and stone fruits, while the palate is alive with citrus flavour, yet has a smooth, medium body.

I can imagine sipping this in the height of summer with a fresh seafood salad but it also pairs brilliantly with cheese ? head to the Swiss section of the cheese counter to find the perfect match. ?

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Meet the W inemaker V

isiting Peter Hall, a legend of English wine making, is to journey to a different time.

Leaving the main road you head for two miles along a farm track. Following a sharp right-hand bend you descend through a small vineyard to a picturesque farmhouse. Sheep gently graze the slopes. This is Breaky Bottom.

It is little wonder that Peter, a self-confessed hermit, is happiest when ensconced in this secluded valley.

Peter arrived here from Gloucestershire in the 1960s and swiftly saw the potential for vines. His grand-père (Peter ?s heritage is part French) imbued the young Peter with a respect for, and love of, wine. He owned Le Petit Savoyard, a popular Soho restaurant, ?he was a fabulous cook with a wonderful cellar,? reminisced Peter. ?He taught us about all the wines of France. He told us to acknowledge the label, respect the wine, but, with a clap of hands said, remember, it?s only fermented grape juice!?

Dan Far r ell-Wr igh t makes a pilgrimage to Breaky Bottom, East Sussex, to visit English wine pioneer Peter Hall.

first provided wine boxes to Breaky Bottom.

Peter acknowledges that viticulture in a coolclimate can be challenging, especially with the erratic English weather. Though, to make things more difficult, Peter chooses to harvest as late as possible. This maximises ripeness and allows the full expression of Breaky Bottom?s terroir.

In 2002 Peter replaced his Muller-Thurgau with the three Champagne varieties. Bottlings are limited to the yield harvested each autumn. In a typical year this might amount to 10,000 bottles (although in some years the entire crop has been lost to floods or pheasants).

Peter 's wines are highly sought after and well regarded. In 2021 wine writer Hugh Johnson, suffering from Covid, chose 10 wines to ?cheer us up?, Breaky Bottom was the only English wine to make the list.

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In 1974, Peter planted early-ripening Seyval Blanc and Muller-Thurgau. In 1993 he won a Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge.

Breaky Bottom was quickly established as a quality producer of still wines.

From the start, though, Peter felt that Seyval Blanc would make a great fizz. His first sparkling wine came in 1995, which he named to honour his mother. Since when, Peter has focussed only on sparkling wine. As with the first, each cuvée is released only when Peter thinks it is ready and each is named for someone important to him. Cuvée Maranne Pooks 2016 honours his grand-mère; Cuvée John Agard 2017 honours the poet and good friend; and Cuvée David Pearson 2015 is named to honour the man who

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Tickled Pink!

As summer approaches Ch r is Boilin g looks at how to pick a perfectly pink tipple

I view rosé wines as white wines made from red grapes. Any of the popular red grapes ? including Pinot Noir, Grenache, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Mourvèdre ? can be used to make a rosé wine. It?s very difficult to make a purely white wine from red grapes ? a blanc de noirs in France ? as any contact time between the juice and grape skins can turn it pink.

The shade of pink consequently varies according to the length of time the skin and juice are in contact before or during the gentle pressing. The briefer the time, the paler the colour.

Provence, the world?s leading rosé wine region, has got the pale pink colour down to a fine art, setting the colour standard for most French rosés and many trendy rosés around the world. ?Sand?and ?lychee?are

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the names of the favoured shades now in Provence, according to the Rosé Research and Experimentation Center (Centre du Rosé) in Marseille, France.

However, I?m a fan of the darker-coloured rosés such as the crimson pinks of Tavel in the southern Rhône, the intense bright strawberry colour of Clarete in Spain?s DO Cigales and the cherry-red of Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo in the centre of Italy. I find that deeper-coloured rosés tend to be more versatile with food and have more potential for ageing.

But always bear in mind ? the colour is not a guide to quality (or to sweetness, a dark rosé can be just as dry as a pale Provence rosé). What I?m looking for in a great rosé is balance between the fruit, the freshness, the structure and the complexity; I?m looking for vibrancy, lightness, subtle aromas and delicate, refreshing flavours.

Languedoc is a superb hunting ground for alternatives to Provençal rosés.

For a deeper-coloured, more full-bodied, more serious rosé, look to Tavel in the Rhone Valley.

Most modern rosé wines are made by draining off the juice from red grapes as soon as the pneumatic press is filled, and fermenting the juice at very cool temperatures. For the darker-coloured rosés, the juice and the skins are likely to remain in contact for a few hours in the press (under a blanket of inert gas) or sometimes up to a couple of days in a stainless-steel tank at very cold temperatures.

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wine to make a pink version. This blending method is chiefly used with pink sparkling wines. Any sparkling wine ? including Champagne, Prosecco and Cava ? can be turned pink with the subtlest addition of a red wine, especially Pinot Noir.

There is a third technique used for making rosé wines; a very traditional way. It?s called the saignée method and involves bleeding off juice from a tank of macerating red grapes. I used this method with a wine I?m making in Albania. We drained off some of the juice for a rosé because we wanted to make a more concentrated red wine (by increasing the ratio of skins to juice).

Whichever way it?s made, whatever shade of pink it is, there are a few other things to remember about rosé wines:

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They pair well with seafood, vegetarian, fish and poultry dishes and many cheeses.

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You can drink rosé wine in winter. I?ve seen many French men and women enjoying a glass of rosé in ski resorts. Any day is a good day to enjoy a chilled glass of good rosé! ?

Of course they pair well with Mediterranean dishes, but they also go well with many Asian dishes.

Another method for making rosé wines involves blending a little red wine with a white

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Tickled Pink!

Chr is' top

Pink Picks LANGHAM ROSÉ BRUT NV DORSET Any 6 mix £31.50 | Single £35 Our favourite pink sparkler at the moment is this gem made by Tommy Grimsham at Langham Wine Estate in Dorset. Subtle floral, pastry and red-berry aromas lead to a bright, refreshing palette of strawberries and cream, sour cherry and Pink Lady apple, carried by fine bubbles to a long, complex finish. The colour comes from 6% red wine.

LOUIS ALIX "LES CALANQUES BLEUES" ROSÉ 20 22 AOC CÔTES DE PROVENCE

DOMAINE MABY "PRIMA DONNA" 20 23 AOC TAVEL Any 6 mix £17.55 | Single £19.50 Prima Donna, as the name suggests, is a diva literally the star of the show. A certified organic wine made by Richard Maby in the little southern Rhône village of Tavel, an appellation famous in wine circles for its darker style of rosé.

Don't be put off by the colour. The deep shade of pink comes from a longer maceration on the skins. The result is a dry, full-flavoured rosé made from Cinsault and Grenache. It is my choice for a juicy, gastronomic rosé to drink all year round

Any 6 mix £16.65 | Single £18.50 Les Calanques Bleues means ?the blue streams?? a reference to the organic vineyard?s location on the Mediterranean coast. This palest of pink rosés is a ravishing blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Syrah. It is everything you would expect of a top rosé from a Provençal producer with more than 160 years of experience: gentle with subtle white peach and lemon aromas, ripe red fruit flavours, and a minerally finish that will remind you of the wine?s coastal origins.

W HISPERING ANGEL ROSÉ 20 22 AOC CÔTES DE PROVENCE Any 6 mix £20 .25 | Single £22.50 Among our classic Provençal lineup is the brand leader, Whispering Angel from Chateau d'Esclans.

It is an exquisite rosé: palest partridge-eye pink, perfumed bouquet, elegant summer fruit flavours and refreshing acidity. The bottle for those wanting to make a great impression.

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LYME BAY PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 20 22 ESSEX Any 6 mix £19.98 | Single £22.20

LE VERSANT GRENACHE ROSÉ 20 22

A refined and elegant English rosé made from the best Essex vineyards.

IGP PAYS D'OC Any 6 mix £10 .80 | Single £12 A party wine, dressed to impress. Le Versant Grenache Rosé from Languedoc producer Foncalieu is a delicate pink colour, it has a deliciously perfumed nose (hints of strawberries, raspberries, rose and orange flower) and feels both fruity and silky in the mouth ? with a hint of citrus zest on the finish.

In the glass the colour is a robust salmon pink. The nose presents aromas of delicate red berry fruits, strawberries and raspberries. This is followed by red berries on the palate with good balanced acidity and structure from the red fruit combined with a mouth-watering acidity and a lingering finish. Perfect served chilled with seafood and light pasta dishes.

GRAN DUCAY BRUT NATURE ROSADO NV DOMAINE MABY "LA FERMADE" 20 23

DO CAVA Any 6 mix £11.25 | Single £12.50

AOC LIRAC Any 6 mix £15.75 | Single £17.50 Here is a full-bodied, organic rosé made from a blend of Cinsault (80%) and Grenache (20%).

The vineyards are in the Southern Rhône village of Lirac. The winemaker, Richard Maby, was named as the best winemaker in the region by Guide Hachette (aka the French wine bible) in 2021.

This is a stylish shade of pale pink. The bouquet is bright berry fruit, the palate is full and fruity with undertones of rosehips and redcurrants.

Often Spanish rosado wines can have a bold colour, but here winemakers Jesús Prieto, Juan García and Javier Domeque have produced a pale pink Spanish sparkler. It is made from 100% Garnacha grapes which are left on their skins to allow the colour to bleed into the juice.

This soft approach gives subtle red fruit flavours of wild strawberry and redcurrant with a wonderfully creamy texture. The finish is dry with the characteristic nutty, savouriness of Cava.

It's a great food wine, pair it with a broad variety of foods from salmon to charcuterie, or try it with Chinese cuisine.

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Intoxicating Stor ies

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Henr y Jef fr eys

Intoxicating Stor ies s anyone who has ever been on a date will know, it?s easier to bond with someone over what you don?t like rather than what you do.

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A shared liking for Keith Floyd is good but a shared loathing for Nigel Slater, well, that?s romantic dynamite. So it is with wine. I gave a little cheer when I read that Remi Cousin, head sommelier at Le Gavroche which is closing its doors this year, would not allow New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Prosecco in his cellar. Good man, I thought, I?d like to have a drink with him.

But as fun as these prejudices are, I feel that it is my duty as a wine lover not only to overcome my dislike of certain grapes and styles but to positively embrace them. Take Sauvignon Blanc, I came of age when New Zealand wines were taking off in the late ?90s. Naturally I took against the grape. They were all a bit too obvious, too showy with those big tropical fruit flavours. Later when I became a wine writer my heart would sink when I went to the big supermarket tastings where there would often be 20 Sauvignon Blancs in a row, all made in the Kiwi style with the same yeast and by the same winemaker.

It was in Romania that I had a Sauvignon Blanc epiphany.

The German winemaker at Prince Stirbey in Dragasani makes an old vine version inspired by Riesling - it?s aged on its lees in a huge oak vat for over a year followed by four years in the bottle.

You might think that this would be just the wrong way to treat a grape that majors on fresh grassy flavours but it was wonderfully honeyed and nutty. Not unlike an aged Semillon or, yes, a good dry Riesling.

Defining by grape variety is often not a good way to think about wine. Pinot Gris from Alsace, for example, tastes nothing like Pinot Grigio from Italy, though they are the same variety. Perhaps the most maligned grape of all is Müller-Thurgau which is blamed for the destruction of the great

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name of German wine as growers in the ?50s and 60s began planting this high yielding high sugar accumulating grape on fertile plains that had previously been used for cereal crops. It was once popular in England too but there?s very little of it left, replaced mainly by champagne grapes and Bacchus. Good riddance, you might think, as it usually went into pale imitations of not particularly good German wines. And yet Sergio Verrillo at Blackbook winery in London manages to coax gorgeous stone fruit flavours from this unloved variety, blending it with Reichensteiner, another unsung grape (see page 15).

Sticking with English wine, as I?ve recently published a book on the subject, Owen Elias veteran winemaker at first Chapel Down and now Balfour in Kent, describes Seyval Blanc as barely a grape making wine that tastes of cabbages and potatoes and yet there?s Peter Hall at Breaky Bottom crafting some of the country?s best sparklers from Seyval (see page 14).

Now I?m not a grape socialist, some varieties clearly have greater potential than others.

Riesling is usually more interesting than Reichensteiner but what you want to do with a grape, where you plant it, how you grow it, how you crop it, when you pick and how you make the wine is just as important as what the grape is.

Previously neglected grapes have a habit of surprising you. Back in the ?90s Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan were all largely seen as workhorse varieties in the Languedoc, Australia, South Africa, Chile and Lebanon. The EU and other bodies used to give grants to pull up these varieties in favour of Syrah, Cabernet and Chardonnay. Now some of the most interesting wines from these countries come from these grapes.

Fashion is a fickle thing especially with grapes.

Yesterday?s ugly duckling might be tomorrow?s swan. It?s not as much fun as nursing my prejudices but I?m keeping an open mind about everything? even Pinotage.

Vines in a Cold Climate: the people behind the English wine revolution by Hen r y Jef f r eys is pu blish ed by Allen & Un w in .

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