Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut

£31.25

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Description

Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut is an English sparkling wine produced from vineyards around the village of Hambledon in Hampshire. 

Hambledon Vineyard is England’s oldest commercial vineyard. It was founded in 1952 by Major General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones who was a trailblazer for English wine-making. The vineyard passed through a couple of owners until Ian Kellett acquired the vineyard in 1999. Ian would eventually go on to study wine-making at Plumpton College and, in 2005, convinced that sparkling wine production was the way forward in the UK, a 10-acre ‘test bed’ of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier was planted on a combination of 27 different vine clones and rootstocks to see which gave the best results. In 2023 the estate was acquired by a consortium consisting of the UK oldest wine and spirits merchants, Berry Bros & Rudd, and Symington Family Estates, owners of Cockburns, Dows, Grahams, Warres et al. 

The the estate comprises some 200 acres of vineyards, spread over numerous sites, which are situated on chalky slopes around the village of Hambledon. The chalk of the South Downs is an extension of the chalky soils in Champagne. The Newhaven chalk on which the vines grow was formed on the seabed of the Paris basin some 65 million years ago and is found in the best Chardonnay areas of the Côtes des Blancs in Champagne. The grapes are all hand-picked and undergo a double selection for quality, once in in the vineyard, and once before pressing at the only gravity-fed, state-of-the-art winery which allows for wines to be made with the minimal possible intervention. In 2011 Hervé Jestin, formerly one of Champagne’s leading chefs de cave, was appointed as the consultant wine-maker and directs all winemaking at the Estate.

The assemblage for the Classic Cuvee Brut is 52% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir and 17% Pinot Meunier. The wine is a blend of two vintages. A small percentage of the reserve wines are barrel fermented in small French oak barrels to add extra complexity to the cuvee. The wine is fermented in stainless steel vats and is then left to settle for 6 months prior to blending with the reserve wines and bottling. Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut is aged for a minimum of 35 months on lees in their cellars dug into the chalk downs prior to disgorgement, dosage et al. The dosage for this wine is 5.7 g/L.

As well as this cuvée, there is also a Rose and Premiere Cuvee.

Tasting Notes

Hambledon Vineyard Classic Cuvee Brut has araoms of fresh sourdough, magnolia and lily scents which mingle with a hint of smoke over a core of greengage, red plums and dessert apples. The Palate is vivid, almost vibrantly crunchy with precise, structured yet ripe acidity. It is linear, dense and long with momentum and power that bodes well for the future. This wine has energy and latent tension that will unfold to reveal layers of floral and stone fruit aromas and a rich palate with great length.

Food Pairing

A perfect aperitif but also an ideal match to fresh seafood such as oysters, scallops, sushi or smoked salmon with asparagus. Best served between 10 and 12°C.

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