Pale gold, the exceptional fragrance displays a gorgeous fruit quality, full of ripe golden apple and brioche notes of complexity; sumptuously complex with orchard apple and biscuity notes following through on tasting, this pure Dorset chardonnay is underpinned by a lively streak of juicy acidity and balanced by an elegantly dry finish; quite delicious and harmonious with a touch of class that makes it almost champagne-like.
Full sparkling-wine bottle 1,580 g. 100% Chardonnay. 90% 2020 and 10% reserve wine. Single-vineyard wine grown on Dorset chalk with minimal intervention in the winery. The fruit is pressed oxidatively in a three-tonne pneumatic press and the juice left to settle overnight. The juice is then racked into a combination of stainless steel and old, predominantly French oak (minimum three years old, ex Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux). Alcoholic fermentation occurs spontaneously, followed by full malolactic conversion and prolonged ageing with regular bâtonnage. This wine sees more oak and longer ageing than the Corallian bottling. Disgorged 3 July 2024. Dosage 1 g/l. Unfined and unfiltered.
Heady nose with the lightest of oak influences. Really intense on the palate, along with zesty, citrus acidity in great balance with the brightest Chardonnay fruit. Impressive! Drink 2024-2030.
100% estate-grown Dorset fruit, farmed sustainably. Winemaker Tommy Grimshaw tells me that sometimes this wine is a vintage, sometimes not. All the base wines are made with spontaneous fermentation and Grimshaw works really oxidatively with neutral oak. Dosage is always low. Slightly lower pressure, 5 bar, 'so you can taste the wine'. 2019 was a wet year and they leant heavily on reserve wine (30%) which is stored in concrete tanks.
That is a beautiful nose! This could rival any grower champagne. The minerality is coruscating! Pixelated precision: a thousand crystals. Like crunching lemon salt, and yet the fruit is ripe and compelling. Love this wine. The finish is so good: woven and tense, racy and long. GV. Drink 2024-2030.