Nyetimber
For the last quarter-century, England has played a very special role in the world of wines – an exotic in moist and chilly northern Europe.
When you think of England you might think of umbrellas, charm, and bowler hats. Specifically umbrellas, since British weather is famously rainy. Few people know that winegrowing in England is historically documented back to the 7th century. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the climate is mild enough for certain types of grapes to grow and fully ripen. The change in climate during recent decades has brought some advantages to English winemakers, improving growth conditions and encouraging many to try their luck at winegrowing.
Sparkling wines from Nyetimber
from Nyetimber
Nyetimber was founded as a winery in 1988. However, the estate is much older; it was first mentioned in the Domesday Book (a famous land registry) in 1086. Embedded in the peaceful green landscape of West Sussex, with its carefully restored medieval buildings and houses, Nyetimber is a small gem that can transfer us into a far distant era.
Nyetimber was the first winery in England to grow champagne grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, all with the aim of producing the best English sparkling wine through respecting the “méthode traditionnelle”. In the early 1990s, the first bottle left the winery and even beat some champagnes in various competitions.
The winegrowers Cherie Spriggs and her husband Brad Greatrix, both with international experience, have been responsible for all steps of the wine production since 2007. 170 hectares of grapes grow on eight different south-facing sites in Sussex and Hampshire on precious chalk soil similar to that found in the Champagne. Ever since the couple arrived at Nyetimber, they have worked to improve production processes. The inventory of reserve wines was and will be increased on a regular basis in order to create a non-vintage Classic Cuvée according to the Champagne model. At the other end of the production line is the Tillington Single Vineyard, the first English vintage sparkling wine from a single vineyard. A Rosé Non-Vintage and a Blanc de Blancs that will only be bottled during the best Chardonnay years, supplement this extraordinary sparkling wine experience.
Learn more about Nyetimber in this video: Master Class Series: Brad Greatrix (Winemaker) and Marc Almert (Chef Sommelier Baur au Lac and Baur au Lac Vins and ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2019)
Producer
Domaine Julien Brocard
The seven vineyards - Chablis "naturally"
Julien Brocard's domaine is located in Préhy, just a few kilometres from the town of Chablis in northern Burgundy. The aim of the domaine is to bring out the true character of the wines without any distortion, and for this purpose the vines have been cultivated biodynamically since 2011.
Roland und Karin Lenz
In 1994, while Roland Lenz was still studying oenology, he and his wife Karin were able to acquire eight hectares of vines on the Iselisberg. It was a unique opportunity that they seized, even though they were toying with the idea of setting up their own business abroad, far from Switzerland. They actually did so later, but that's another story…
Il Molino di Grace
Frank Grace acquired this estate in 1995 after holidaying in Tuscany with his wife and having fallen for the charm of this idyllic region.