We rarely taste and seldom like still wines from England. So when two English Chardonnays dropped on our tasting bench last week, we were sceptical of their quality despite some strong reviews and an intriguing story. But what we tasted proved to be two of the finest examples of still English wine that any of us has ever tasted.

Whitewolfe Estates is still in its infancy. It was founded in 2019 by Clare Whitehead and Luke Wolfe, two friends who met studying oenology and viticulture at Plumpton College. In 2020 they planted the Whitewolfe vineyard in the unique microclimate of Kit’s Coty in the North Downs.
 
The vineyard faces south at the base of Blue Bell Hill. The site is protected from heavy rain and cold winds by its topography; weather fronts that approach from the River Medway largely fall on land on either side, increasing the vineyard’s average temperature. The soil is typically chalk-rich, draining freely and retaining heat, resulting in a longer, more consistent ripening period during England’s unpredictable summers.
 
The vineyard is planted to seven different clones of Chardonnay, each expressing the particular characteristics of the site, with each block within the vineyard being managed according to the specifics of its clone.  KC1 is predominantly made from clones 76, 95 and 121, whilst KC2 is made primarily from clones 95 and 121.
 
The wines straddle a sense of place with their backbones of vibrant acidity and cool, yellow-green fruit, with a depth and mid-palate we have rarely seen from English still wine. KC2 is the steelier, more Chablis-like wine, mineral and sleek. KC1 – our favourite – brings that same mouthwatering, appetising fruit and acid with a glossier mouthfeel and saline, moreish spice. Both are outstanding examples that offer an exciting glimpse of the quality potential both at this address and for English still wine as a whole.