Ashdown Rose, Bluebell Vineyard Estates Sussex
£19.95 per bottle
NEW
ABV 12.0%
Tasting Notes
A fruity blend of Pinot Noir and Merlot. This English rose is bold and fruit-forward with aromas of peach, apricot and strawberry on the nose. The palate is fresh and elegant, with a crisp acidity balancing the juicy summer fruit flavours.
Food
Perfect chilled as an aperitif or pair with prawn cocktail or cured meats.
Region
If you have never tried an English wine before – well now is your opportunity. The vineyards of England are generally located in the warmer southern counties where the milder influences of the gulf stream have an important effect, as our northern hemisphere vineyards need a longer cooler growing season than in Europe to produce top quality grapes. More than 500 vineyards are in production across the UK and bottled annual sales has reached 3 million bottles, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bacchus the most planted varieties.
Producer
The original vines of Bluebell Vineyards were planted in 2005 with the desire to produce high quality English sparkling wines. The wines are named Hindleap as the Hindleap Hill is just beyond the vineyards. Situated on the fringes of the Ashdown Forest on sandstone soils, there are now 10 ha under vine, predominantly Pinot Noir and the classic Champagne varieties with some experimental Seyval and Bacchus. The vines are carefully nurtured, and hand harvested before small bath fermentation. Blending the wines before the second fermentation and ageing for a minimum nine months (17 months in practice) imparts a distinct imprint of terroir to the Champagne quality.
