Sue Ray Uncorked
Glass of Bubbly Show 2024 - 30 April 2024
Sheraton Grand London Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly, London W1J 7BX
I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to the Glass of Bubbly Show. Below are my highlights from England, France, South Africa & Spain.
Bluestone Vineyards, Amesbury Road, Cholderton, Wiltshire, SP4 0EW, England
A boutique 10-acre vineyard set up in 2016 by brothers, Toby and Nat McConnell, alongside their existing family farm, Cholderton Rare Breeds. First harvest was in 2018 and they currently work with Hambledon Winery to produce their wines. Located near Stonehenge and open to visitors, they have created 2 beautiful English Sparkling wines.
Premier Cuvée 2019
48.5% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, 18.5% Pinot Meunier, 7% Reserve wines
Their flagship English Sparkling wine is aged 36 months on lees and 6 months in bottle. Great fruit concentration – ripe citrus and stone fruit - with complementary acidity.
Premier Rosé 2019
83% Chardonnay, 16% Pinot Noir (10% red), 1% Pinot Meunier.
Aged 22 months on lees.
Very intense ripe red fruit flavours; strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants.
Champagne Mangin et Fils, 22 Rue Blanche de Castille, Le Chêne-La-Reine, 51700 Leuvrigny, France
www.champagne-mangin-et-fils.fr
A family Champagne house for 5 generations, Champagne Mangin produces wines exclusively from Pinot Meunier. Grapes are grown on hillsides of La Vallée de la Marne, a sub-region of Champagne, located south of Montagne de Reims, and north of Côte de Sézanne and Côte des Blancs. Cédric Mangin and his son represented the house.
Brut Nature
September 2021 harvest. Aged 24-30 months.
Light, floral and full of ripe citrus.
Brut
September 2021 harvest. Aged 24-30 months.
Fuller bodied, white peach, apricot and honey.
2020 Millésime
September 2020 vintage. Aged 5 years.
Rich and more complex with ripe citrus, stone fruit and a hint of fig/prune.
L'Ôdace Meunier
Grapes from 2011-2019 vintages. Aged 9 years in stainless steel.
Pronounced aromas of ripe peach, yellow plums, apricots, butter and toast. Very rich and toasty, with a super long finish.
Château Civrac, 33710 Lansac France
A family-owned vineyard on Bordeaux’s Right Bank producing low intervention, terroir driven wines. In addition to their flagship, Château Civrac label, they produce a small batch of single vineyard cuvees, one of which, Grace Lohan, Marketing Director, presented today.
Eriu Crémant Brut Nature 2020
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc
A Blanc de Noir, dry, sparkling wine, made by the Traditional Method and aged 36 months on lees. With a hint of pink and ripe red fruits on nose and palate, this is a vibrant and refreshingly fruity sparkling wine.
Champagne André De Villeneuve, 4 Rue des Bavolets – 51370 Les Mesneux, France
André Roux presented 3 amazing Champagnes.
Brut Cuvée Spéciale NV
50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier, of which 1/3rd are reserve wines.
Elaborated with juice from the first two pressings, no malolactic fermentation ensures a fresh, elegant aperitif-style of Champagne with lively acidity.
Brut Grande Réserve Grand Cru NV
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, of which 1/3rd are reserve wines aged in oak barrels.
A blend of wines from Grand Cru vineyards of the Montagne de Reims (Mailly Champagne, Verzy, Verzenay and Beaumont sur Vesle). Aged minimum 4 years on lees. Intense, gold, rich, toasty and complex.
Rosé Brut Grand Cru NV
50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Noir vinified into red wine from Bouzy, of which 1/3rd are reserve wines aged in oak barrels.
A blend of wines from Grand Cru vineyards of the Montagne de Reims (Mailly Champagne, Verzy, Verzenay and Beaumont sur Vesle). Pale salmon, with a delicate creamy mousse and soft ripe red fruits. Great as an aperitif or similarly with red fruit desserts.
Champagne Roger-Constant Lemaire, 50 rue de la Glacière, 51700 Villers-Sous-Châtillon, France
The Lemaire family history began with a small vineyard in Hautvilliers, the birthplace of Champagne. In 1945, grandchild, Roger Constant Lemaire, doubled the size of the estate and re-located to Villers-sous-Châtillon. Still family run, grapes are harvested by hand, with only the first press used in production. No malo-lactic fermentation ensures wines display their own natural acidity.
Cuvée Trianon NV (flagship Cuvée of the Lemaire House)
40% Chardonnay, 60% Pinot Noir
From vineyards in La Vallée de la Marne, aged 4 years on lees.
Pale gold, ripe citrus and a hint of toast. Gentle mousse, good length.
Rosé de Saignée NV
50% Pinot Noir, 50% Pinot Meunier
From vineyards in La Vallée de la Marne, aged minimum 4 years in the cellar.
Produced by maceration with skins for 42-78 hours, rather than blending with red wine.
Salmon pink, red cherry, fresh raspberries with a touch of honey and cream.
Millésime Les Hautes Prières Blanc de Blancs 2012
100% Chardonnay
From 45-year-old vines from Hautvilliers, aged 9 months in oak and minimum of 5 years in the cellar. Production limited to 7000 bottles.
Pale gold, fine mousse, rich, buttery and full-bodied.
Severan
Named after Rome’s first African Roman Emperor, Lucius Septimius Severus, Severan Black Label Blanc de Blancs Brut is crafted from 100% Chardonnay and produced by the Traditional Method. Founded by renowned music manager, Dumi Oburota, grapes are grown in Franschhoek, South Africa where the base wine is made. Once imported to Hampshire, the second fermentation takes place, and wine is aged for 30 months on lees. Launched in 2023, and with only 2000 bottles produced, this wine manages to capture the sunshine of South Africa and blend it expertly with the fine acidity associated with English Sparkling Wines. A rare treat!
Bodegas Hispano+Suizas, Ctra. Nacional 322, km. 451.7, 46357 El Pontón - Requena (Valencia), Spain
A personal project of Marc Grin, Pablo Ossorio and Rafael Navarro, Bodegas Hispano+Suizas is in the DOP Utiel-Requena. Vineyards are located between the ‘meseta’, the high plateau of central Spain, and the Mediterranean, approximately 65kms inland from Valencia. Grown at 700m altitude, grapes experience a continental climate, which produces wines with great acidity and excellent fruit concentration. All Brut Nature. Vilma Noraite, Export Manager, represented the company.
Tantum Ergo
Sparking White Wine Traditional Method, D.O. Cava
35% Chardonnay, 65% Pinot Noir fermented in French oak and aged 25 months.
Citrus and stone fruit aromas and flavours, with fresh acidity and a good length.
Tantum Ergo Rosé
Sparkling Wine, Traditional Method, D.O. Cava
100% Pinot Noir aged 25 months.
Fresh raspberries and red cherries.
Tantum Ergo Vintage
Sparking White Wine Traditional Method, D.O. Cava
40% Chardonnay/60% Pinot Noir aged 50 months.
Super fine mousse, great fruit and extremely complex.
Tantum Ergo Exclusive
Sparkling wine, Traditional Method, D.O. Cava
55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir aged 10 years.
Rich and creamy with ripe white peaches, fresh apricots, toast and honey. Very elegant.
Pere Ventura Family Wine Estates
Ctra. de Vilafranca km 0,4 - 08770 Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona, Spain
Pere Ventura was established in 1992 and became the foundation for Pere Ventura Family Wine Estates. Pere Ventura is the founder of the winery located in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, which produces high quality sparkling wines under DO Cava. Wines were presented by Nicolas Bertino, VP of Sales.
Pere Ventura Tresor Rosé Brut NV
100% Trepat, 25-year-old vines, fermented with natural yeast and aged in bottle minimum 15 months.
Aromatic, fresh and fruity, with balanced acidity.
Pere Ventura Tresor Gran Reserva Brut 2019
40% Macabeo, 40% Xarel·lo, 20% Parellada, aged 36 months.
Fresh, full-bodied cava with a fine mousse; great food wine.
Pere Ventura Tresor Cuvée Barrique Gran Reserva 2019
60% Xarel·lo, 40% Chardonnay, aged 45 months on lees, disgorged November 2023.
A long-aged Cava, with a significant proportion of the Chardonnay base wine fermented in oak to increase complexity. Well-structured, rich and creamy, with zesty citrus, ripe white peaches, butter and toast.
Pere Ventura Vintage 2016
60% Xarel·lo, 40% Chardonnay, aged 43 months on lees, disgorged October 2023.
Rich, creamy, full-bodied, gastronomic Cava with a very long finish.
Pere Ventura Vintage Rosé Gran Reserva 2018
100% Pinot Noir
Only produced in exceptional years, aged on lees 60 months, disgorged October 2023.
A beautiful fruit bomb.
Pere Ventura Gran Vintage 2015
50% Macabeu, 50% Xarel·lo, aged 8 years on lees, disgorged 2023.
Gran Vintage is a vintage cava which represents the vine from one particular year. Production is limited and this wine is only produced when grapes are of the highest quality.
Exceptional.
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