England vs France, except the English don’t lose

As English sparkling wine becomes more sophisticated, Brummell picks a 100% Pinot Noir, a Blanc de Blancs and a rosé to take on the best from Champagne

Food and Drink 20 Dec 2022

A vineyard in Champagne

A vineyard in Champagne

Langham Pinot Noir 2019

The Dorset estate’s chief winemaker Tommy Grimshaw is, at 26, one of the greatest young talents in British – no, world – winemaking. After learning his trade at Sharpham in Devon, he moved one county over to Langham. He takes his influence from the grower champagne movement and particularly the predominant style of those wines – lower pressure, oxidative, oak influence and a certain viscosity. Langham wines are fine wines first, with a hint of soft sparkle.

The new Blanc des Noirs, although it is not referred to as such on the label, completes their trio of 100% individual grape sparkling wines. In addition to a chardonnay and meunier, this is 100% pinot noir – a real rarity, even from champagne houses. Its oxidative nature means that this 2019 pinot noir has fewer of the red fruit and floral notes usually associated with the grape. Instead, it has more of a flavour of cooked stone fruits with spice – ideal for the season!

Langham Blanc des Noirs
Langham Blanc des Noirs
Langham vineyard
Langham vineyard

This wine is all about the structure and complexity that pinot noir has to offer. There is a rich, umami element, bolstered by the unctuous mouthfeel. And that is useful because Langham has some of the lowest dosages in sparkling wine, not least this one… where there is absolutely zero sugar added. In fact, it is a brut nature, so there is less than one gram of residual sugar per litre. There is, in Grimshaw’s words, ‘absolutely no hiding place’ for the winemaking in this bottle. Highly recommended to accompany a seafood starter on Christmas Day.

Langham Pinot Noir 2019, £52.50 

 

Hundred Hills Blanc de Blancs 2018

Another English grower-maker, Hundred Hills is based in Oxfordshire, just north of Henley-on-Thames. It is there that the owners have found a version of Champagne’s famed chardonnay terroir, the Côte des Blancs. The steep chalk slopes of the Stonor Valley, plus weather conditions similar to Burgundy and Champagne 100 years ago, make for ideal chardonnay growing conditions now.

The Stonor Valley vineyard
The Stonor Valley vineyard

One of the keys to Hundred Hills’ quality is the careful consideration that goes into matching grapes with parcels. There is not simply one varietal called “chardonnay”; there are more than 30 clone varieties within the classification, each thriving in slightly different terroirs – and Hundred Hills plays with that.

Hundred Hills Blanc de Blancs 2018
Hundred Hills Blanc de Blancs 2018

The 2018 vintage Blanc de Blancs is from a single parcel on the elevated Hill Top vineyard, vinified in what was an exceptional year. The nose effervesces with high citrus notes punctuating a lovely floral breeze. On the palate, white peaches, sprinkled with sea salt, broadened by oak ageing. While delicate, this is a subtly complex expression of bubbly chardonnay. Ideal with canapés to kick off a pre-Christmas party.

Hundred Hills Blanc de Blancs 2018, £189 for a case of three

 

Chapel Down English Rosé NV

As the largest producer of English sparkling wine, Kent’s Chapel Down may not have the plucky underdog status of some of the country’s artisan makers, but it produces consistently good wines.

Chapel Down English Rosé NV
Chapel Down English Rosé NV

The non-vintage English rosé has everything you want if you opt for a pink sparkling wine… which is actually more uncommon than you might think. This is delicate and floral, with lemon sherbet notes along with summer fruits – none of the tannic bitterness that sometimes comes from the pinot skin contact or red-wine vinification required to gain the colour. Its blend is 52% chardonnay, 35% pinot noir, 7% pinot meunier, 5% pinot blanc and 1% early pinot noir – a complicated recipe that works. If you don’t fancy a heavy dessert on Christmas Day and go for a fruit pavlova instead, this is the wine to serve with it.

Chapel Down English Rose NV, £144 for a case of 6;