| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | England |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Sparkling |
The NV Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan, disgorged in February 2020, is based on 2016, with some reserve of the 2009 vintage, and it is in its second release. It is named after Dermot Sugrue’s grandmother’s brother, who essentially invented duty-free in Ireland. With a slightly higher dosage (10g/L), it presents a clean, precise, very complex bouquet of gunflint and smoke combined with orange pith and honeysuckle, all extremely well defined and displaying a little more spiciness than the regular cuvées. Possessed of wonderful depth and quite saline, it fans out brilliantly toward a finish that lingers in the mouth. Stunning. 800 bottles produced.
Rich and toasty aromas are accompanied by some serious depth, weight and texture on the palate. It has attractive brioche and mineral notes, the ripeness and flesh making this vinous fizz suitable for food. Impressive acidity gives balance and frames the wine well. Youthful and powerful, with a long, saline finish.
I tasted this wine in a line-up of over 100 bottles, unlabelled, and with no knowledge of what was inside – I can declare that it is the most profound, complex and rewarding English sparkling wine I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. I cannot wait to see it again, to put a name to its heavenly flavour.
