| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | England |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Sparkling |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Sugrue South Downs
70% Storrington Priory and 30% Coldharbour Vineyard fruit. 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. Sustainably farmed. Fermented and aged in a combination of large barrels and stainless steel. The initial release of this wine was disgorged in early January 2024. Dosage 6 g/l. 7,500 bottles produced.
The smoky, marine-scented aromas, like rain on windswept coastal cliffs, have goosebumps tingling down my neck before I've even sipped the wine. So racy it takes your breath away. White-knuckle tension, white-shell minerality, white stone fruit and long, long, sweet pithy tannins. Power in structure: salt-crusted verticality, a whisper of honey across the endless breadth. It feels like licking chiselled marble. Stern, high-cheek-bone beauty. There is so much tension in the wine that it feels like it might snap in your mouth; it feels like the crack of a whip splitting a white winter sky. I'd strongly urge laying this down for as long as you dare. If you drink it now, don't chill it as much as you might champagne and, if you can, allow it to open in the glass. I've been tasting a very large number of top-notch grower champagnes recently and by comparison the Sugrue wines, every bit as good, are underpriced (for which read VGV). 2025-2035
The first vintage to include Coldharbour Vineyard fruit (30%), with an 8g/l dosage, this vintage is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir raised 50/50 in barrel and steel. The colour is a pale straw with a fine mousse. The nose is piercing and expansive, with layers of juicy white pear, citrus peel, fresh bread dough and sourdough crust. The palate has a creamy entry, the mousse propping up layers of yellow and green fruit. Concentrated but very appetising due to waves of refreshing acidity, streaking across the palate with a zippy salted lime tang. The bready, leesy tones are subtle but integral to the complexity and savoury balance, lingering on the finish with that powerful, crystal-cut fruit. Excellent. Drink now, or over the coming 10+ years.
