Since planting their first vines in 1988, Nyetimber have grown to become one of the leading names in the English sparkling wine industry. Nyetimber were the first English producer to create sparkling wine from the holy trinity of grape varieties found in Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. They create all their sparkling wines solely from grapes grown on their estate, which now spans over 170-hectares in the South Downs.
Nyetimber 1086 is hand-selected from the finest estate-grown wines and matured on their lees for at least five years in the traditional method. In 1086, almost 1,000 years ago, the peaceful valley of Nitimbreha made its first appearance in recorded history. The estate is mentioned in the Domesday Book, the great survey of England and Wales ordered by William the Conqueror. It was coined as Nitimbreha likely referring to a newly timbered house or perhaps a small timber plantation. A deference to the rich extensive English history, the 1086 wines are therefore a homage to the estate which has been part of history for almost a millennium. Only 2,600 bottles and 40 magnums produced and each wine spends two years in the bottle post disgorgement.
Weather: 2009 vintage conditions; the average temperatures were as expected judging from the weather in the last decade. The wines progressed as expected. Flowering started around the middle of June under good conditions, vérasions during the last week of August and harvest early in October. Weather in August and September was great with sunshine and warmth, the grapes at the time of harvest were at optimum ripeness.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: West Sussex
Grape Varieties: 46% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir, 11% Meunier
Ageing: 6 years on the lees
Disgorged: July 2016
Dosage: 9 g/l
Cork:
Mytik Diam Technological
Drink: Now to 2034
Tasting Note: A well balanced acidity on the palate with alluring aromas of honey, pastry and roasted nuts. A smooth mouthfeel with abundance of citrus and orchard fruits. The finish is long and complex with slight brioche notes.
The Nyetimber estate counts three major landmarks in its history. Its earliest beginnings saw it first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. Then there was the planting of their first vines, almost exactly 900 years later. Most recently, there was the decision in 2006 that Nyetimber wines deserved an audience on the world stage.
Nyetimber is in the fortunate position of owning 100% of their vineyards and all of their wines are produced from their 170 hectares of vines planted on the best sites in West Sussex and Hampshire. Nyetimber’s vineyards were the first to be devoted exclusively to the holy trinity of Champagne grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. The climate in Southern England permits the slow ripening of grapes, allowing the optimum level of acidity to be reached as well as the complexity and finesse that Nyetimber strive for.
Chief winemaker Cherie Spriggs is central to every decision that gets made. Drawn to Nyetimber many years ago while still living in Canada, Cherie’s training includes postgraduate study at the Wine Research Centre in Vancouver. She worked in McLaren Vale and the Hunter Valley before joining Nyetimber with her husband Brad in 2007. Cherie assesses each and every handpicked vineyard individually and chooses the optimal time to harvest the grapes, supervising their gentle pressing and eventual vinification in stainless-steel tanks.
Nyetimber craft all of their wines according to the traditional method, ageing them for extended periods of time and giving the bottles sufficient post-disgorgement resting before release. In January 2014, Nyetimber began releasing bottling, riddling and disgorgement dates. Over the course of 25 years, Nyetimber has established itself as a pioneer and has become known for its integrity and perfectionism. This new initiative has been implemented in an effort towards greater transparency and to demonstrate Nyetimber’s continued endeavour for quality.
Bottles of Classic Cuvée have a new back label with a code and message directing consumers to the Nyetimber website to discover their wine’s story. The website has been set up so that connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike will find it easy to navigate, useful and informative. Eric Heerema, Owner and CEO says: “As the most prestigious English sparkling wine producer, we have a responsibility for transparency and at Nyetimber, we pride ourselves on going over and beyond the standardised practices established by the world’s most renowned sparkling wine producers.”
Cellar Master:
Cherie Spriggs
Winery Location: South Downs | West Sussex, England
Annual Production (bottles): 750,000