I couldn’t possibly go through the whole of Sauvignon Blanc Day with talking about a trip I recently made out to Greyfriars vineyard in the English county of Surrey. Sauvignon Blanc, thus far, hasn’t exactly been a mainstay of the emerging English Wine scene, with Champagne varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier ruling the roost. But owners Mike and Hilary Wagstaff have decided to have a go at something a bit funky.
English Sparkling Fumé
They decided to make a Sparkling Fumé, made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. I’m not going to argue with their claim that it’s the only one of its kind in the UK. I’ve certainly never seen one before. And what a great bottle of bubbles it is. There’s a neat touch of bready yeast from the year of second fermentation, some roundness from a bit of barreling, but that lovely gooseberry and grassiness that you expect and love if you’re a Sauvignon Blanc fan still comes out in spades.
More Of It Please!
At only £15 it’s a bit of steal, especially with (fingers crossed) English Summer time round the corner. You can buy it directly from the vineyard here. The only drawback is that it’s still fairly limited production quantities. But with a brand new cellar now finished (dug into the chalk bed, very cool!) and new plantings to match Mike and Hilary’s ambition, it might not be long til this one is gracing the shelves of the independents round the country.
Check it out if you get a chance, very interesting stuff
Cheers
