Monday, February 19, 2018

February 2018. English Wines, Robin Goldsmith

This February we had English Wines, Presented by Robin Goldsmith www.thewritetaste.co.uk.

The wines were:

  • Jenkyn Place, Classic Cuveee. Chardonnay/Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier - £29.50
  • Exton park, Blanc De Noirs Pinot Noir - £29.95
  • Chapel Down. Kit's Coty Blanc de Blancs. Chardonnay -£40
  • Hush Heath. Balfour Brut Rose Chardonnay/Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier - £29.50
  • 2014 £38
  • Nyetimber Rose NV Chardonnay/Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier - £39.99
  • Camel Valley. Darnibole Bacchus - £17.99
  • Chapel Down. Bacchus reserve - £14.99
  • Bolney. Lychgate Red. Rondo. - £14.99

The real difficulty for me is the sheer price of many of these wines. As you can get a half decent fizz for £10, and a half decent Champagne for £20, the sparkling English wines have a real challenge. So they are a bit niche. And for me, the first 4 were very much at the dry brut end of the scale. I did like the Nytimber as it came across as more well developed and rounded, and less austere.

The Bacchus wines were interesting, and certainly worth trying whilst the Lychgate Rondo Red was a bit of a novelty. A most peculiar nose, but tasted pretty good.