Major Kong Syrah, Payten & Jones 2018

Outstanding Sancerre from Bourgeois; intensely flavoured with a bone-dry finish.

Famille Bourgeois Sancerre

A toasty marmalade, pineapple, lime and honey nougat character on the nose gives way to a fresh acidity on the mid pallet ending, in a long lingering finish, with tropical fruits and charry vanilla.

Longridge Wine Estate

Brut Selected Reserve is made of two thirds Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and one third Chardonnay. 100% of the blend is then aged for a year in oak casks. The colour is a deep yellow that hasn’t sacrificed a bit of brilliance.The aroma is subtle, slightly closed even, giving an impression of reserve. Then wheaty notes arise. On the palate the truth of the flavour comes through with powerful aromas of fruit jellies, candied fruits, especially orange, and a blend of spices, cinnamon with just a hint of anise. The texture is structured, tight and firm, adding to the serious character of the wine. Underlying mineral notes are mentionable from beginning to finish, the personality running through it. This highlights the complexity and strength of this champagne.

Champagne Gardet

Fiona and Niall Shiner had been living in Hong Kong for 18 years when they returned to Britain to take on Niall's parents' property at Amberley. Niall continued with his career, but mother-of-three Fiona decided to plant some vines at the property following a comment by her mother-in-law that the Romans could have grown vines there. The first acre was planted in 2007, with the acquisition of an old cattle farm on the (really quite steep) hill opposite and converting an old barn into a winery in 2016. A third vineyard side since been acquired taking the current area under vine (but not all producing grapes yet) to 58 acres (23ish hectares), still firmly in the ‘tiny’ bracket.

This non-vintage Reserve Cuvée has a minimum of 30 months lees ageing in bottle which is expressed by the toasted autolytic characters of this Pinot dominant blend. The wine shows great complexity both aromatically and on the palate, expressing ripe red fruit and subtle red apple with great balance, a fine mousse and an excellent lingering finish.