Wiston Estate Cuvee Traditional 2013

Cuvée Traditional 2013 has been ageing in Wiston's cellars for three years, fermented in five to six year-old Puligny-Montrachet barrels, giving it the ability to gain character over time. A blend of all three classic Champagne grape varieties combined with a very low dosage at disgorgements: this has a wonderful clarity of fruit flavour.

Weather: Overall 2013 produced an average sized yield, it was due to be very high but as the year went on this was looking less likely. Following a long cold winter, the bud burst was delayed due to some frosts however the summer months were bright and sunny giving ideal conditions for the grapes to grow and mature. Overall the harvest took slightly longer than normal around 10 days.

Technical Information:
Grape Varieties: 47% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier
Ageing: 3 years on the lees
Dosage: 6 g/l
Drink: Now to 2022

Tasting Note: On the nose, brioche aromas combine with toasted hazelnuts and that distinctive toasty note from barrel fermentation. The palate has loads of dried citrus fruits and beautiful lemon concentration with hints of tropical fruits. Given time in the glass, lovely toasty richness suggesting French patisserie custard and pastry flavours start to come through. Even when young this is very easy to drink, but expect this to age elegantly and continue to develop an even fuller palate for many years to come.

The Wiston Estate has been owned and managed by the Goring family since 1743. It took Pip Goring, wife of current owner Harry Goring, three decades to convince her husband to turn the family's turkey production into a winery. The first vines were planted in 2006 on the chalky soils of the South Downs - a land with all the hallmarks of the famous Côte des Blancs - and their 16 acres of vineyard are spread over a 6,000 acre estate.

Wiston use no herbicides on their soil and still utilise the traditional Coquard press, one of only four outside of France and the only one of its kind in the UK. With a large surface area and exceptionally gentle pressing, the Coquard enables extraction of the very highest quality juice and combined with Wiston's minimum intervention winemaking, the end product best reflects its vineyard origin and the characteristics of the vintage. Now led by famous winemaker Dermot Sugrue, Wiston are one of the frontrunners in the English sparkling wine industry.

Cellar Master: Dermot Sugrue
Winery Location: South Downs | West Sussex, England
Annual Production (bottles): Undisclosed