Nyetimber Blanc de Blanc 2013

All of your champagne fans out there, have you had the pleasure of enjoying its next door neighbor? Welcome to English Sparkling Wine. Thanks to climate change, regions that were once too cool to fully ripen grapes to produce sparkling wine are now considered to be the next big thing in winemaking. One of the pioneers to bring English Sparkling wine to the worlds attention is Nyetimber. The 1980s brought about planting of traditional champagne varieties by several estates - Nyetimber being at the front of the line. Their goal is to make the finest top quality English sparkling wine to rival Champagne. They were the first producer to make wines from the most popularly utilized Champagne varietals - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. Their wines are made from 100% estate grown grapes in chalky limestone soils, located in Southeast England (Sussex, Hampshire and Kent). They age their wines typically for 3 to 5 years on the lees (the minimum required is 9 months on the lees).

Nyetimber Blanc de Blanc 2013

100% Chardonnay

Regions of: West Sussex & Hampshire, England

12% abv

9.5g/L

Pours into the glass a pale golden color with fine, persistent bubbles.

Swirl and delicate aromas of white blossom, crisp green fruit, fresh citrus, toasty bread and minerals greet you.

Sip and the purest lemon flavor, tart green apple and pear, rich creamy bread dough, a touch of vanilla, delicate honeysuckle leading on to a rich pastry and toasty brioche flavors.  Thanks to the cool climate, the racy acidity carries the lively bubbles and flavors for a very long, toasty complex finish. It has finesse, complexity and freshness.

Perfectly refined, beautifully British. It’s Englands version to grower champagne.

I paired this liquid sunshine with a picnic blanket and a warm sunny day, but a Blanc de Blancs savoriness loves to accompany crab cakes, fritto miso with aioli, lobster chive salad.