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www.buyersandcellars.ca Cellar Profile
Owned and operated by Ruth and Charles Simpson, this English wine estate was established in 2012 and officially opened its doors in 2016. Ruth and Charles have a long and successful history in the wine industry. For 17 years, their Languedoc estate, Domaine Sainte Rose, has crafted award-winning wines from that region’s warm, sunny climes. Their British roots brought them back to the southern slopes of England to fulfill the enormous potential of the region for making elegant, cool-climate wines, both still and sparkling. Their two vineyards are located in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, overlooking the gently-undulating English countryside. This one of the sunniest corners of Great Britain. The region’s lime-rich, chalky soils and moderate climate are similar to that of Champagne and Burgundy, making grape selection an easy choice; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier dominate plantings. The long, cool ripening period here means that the best wines exhibit pure varietal flavours along with elegant acidity and a complex character. These vineyards are planted almost exclusively on south-facing slopes, ensuring that grapes reach full phenolic and sugar ripeness each year and are protected from the area’s fierce winds and spring frost.
Region
Elham Valley is an unspoilt seam in the North Downs of the county of Kent, where the contours of the land, the climate and the soil could scarcely be improved upon for viticulture. The intensely lime-rich chalk soil forms part of the same chalk ridge that stretches from southern England to the French Champagne region and on to Burgundy. The English climate may be marginal for viticulture but its relative austerity— when expertly handled—and long, cool ripening period is ideally suited to creating still and sparkling wines with pure variety flavours, elegant acidity and subtly sophisticated aromas.
Vineyard
Simpsons Wine Estate is located in one of the sunniest corners of the British Isles. Proprietors Charles and Ruth have further safeguarded their vines against extremes in climate by selecting sloping vineyards that face almost due south, ensuring heat accumulation in the day, and excellent cold air drainage at night. The maritime influence is also crucial to the success of these vines. The property is less than eight miles from the coast on three sides, which helps insulate the fruit against intense variations in temperature. Roman Road Vineyard was the original Estate Vineyard, so named for the road the Romans marched upon in their first invasion of England in 43 AD, bringing along vines with them. Railway Hill was planted in 2016 for another 20 hectares of south facing vineyards.
Varieties
Known predominantly as the most planted variety in Champagne, Pinot Meunier brings an abundance of fruitiness to the blends of this renowned sparkling region. The dark-skinned Meunier possesses wonderful acidity and low to moderate levels of alcohol. Despite its ability to blend well in sparkling wines, it is also vinified into still wines, mostly in Australia. In addition to Champagne, you will find significant plantings in California and Germany.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested Pinot Meunier, a grape typically used for blending into sparkling wine, is given 48 hours of maceration on the skins before being pressed into stainless steel for a cool, slow fermentation utilizing selected yeasts known to emphasize aromatics. The wine undergoes full malolactic fermentation, and is given six months of lees aging to add complexity and mouth-feel before being lightly fined and bottled.
Tasting Notes
A delightful copper-rose hue, with pronounced aromatics of honeydew, white flowers and apple. The palate is round and supple, but there’s enough back-end acidity to keep it from being too weighty and ponderous. There is a hint of butteriness, mixed with ripe pear and tart apple, all underlaid with a saline minerality. Do not over-chill. Serve with roast chicken or honey ham and potatoes.