August 13, 2024
From self guided tours to wine and dine, these are recommended places to visit in England by Nick Baker, TFB Founder. Balfour Saignee Rose 2018
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Co-founders Richard and Leslie Balfour-Lynn planted their first vineyards in 2002 on the beautiful Hush Heath Estate, which has been part of the Balfour-Lynn family for three generations, but it wasn’t until Richard and Leslie purchased the 400-acre farmland attached to Hush Heath Estate that Balfour Winery’s story began. Over the following years, Richard and Leslie formed a team of viticultural and winemaking experts who assisted them in creating a state-of-the-art winery and tasting room on Hush Heath Estate, which opened in 2010. In 2018 both the winery and tasting room was greatly expanded and is now one of the best visitor and winemaking facilities in England.
The Saignée method of rosé production is rarely used for sparkling wines, it extracts colour from a period of skin contact rather than blending, and is a technique that is used to create sparkling wines with structure, body and aromatic richness.
Winemaking: Grapes were handpicked before crushing and de-stemming prior to a brief period of skin maceration for 2 to 3 days. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks followed by prolonged lees ageing before secondary fermentation in bottle.
Weather in 2018: Probably the best vintage of the modern era thanks to the warm summer that produced large volumes of top-quality fruit. While the sparkling wines will be excellent, it is the still wines that are especially promising, especially the Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs.
Technical Information:
Grape Varieties: 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier & 5% Pinot Blanc
Region: Kent, South East England
Vineyard: Multi-site
Alcohol: 12%
Dosage: 8 g/l
Drink: Now to 5 years
Tasting Note: Vivid dark pink bordering on coral rose. An intriguing and complex nose. Hints of minty charm combine wonderfully with wild strawberry jam an blackberry bud notes. Raspberries and lemon combine with a delicate herby undertone. Dry and beautifully balanced with a hint of tannin.
The Saignée method of rosé production is rarely used for sparkling wines, it extracts colour from a period of skin contact rather than blending, and is a technique that is used to create sparkling wines with structure, body and aromatic richness.
Winemaking: Grapes were handpicked before crushing and de-stemming prior to a brief period of skin maceration for 2 to 3 days. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks followed by prolonged lees ageing before secondary fermentation in bottle.
Weather in 2018: Probably the best vintage of the modern era thanks to the warm summer that produced large volumes of top-quality fruit. While the sparkling wines will be excellent, it is the still wines that are especially promising, especially the Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs.
Technical Information:
Grape Varieties: 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier & 5% Pinot Blanc
Region: Kent, South East England
Vineyard: Multi-site
Alcohol: 12%
Dosage: 8 g/l
Drink: Now to 5 years
Tasting Note: Vivid dark pink bordering on coral rose. An intriguing and complex nose. Hints of minty charm combine wonderfully with wild strawberry jam an blackberry bud notes. Raspberries and lemon combine with a delicate herby undertone. Dry and beautifully balanced with a hint of tannin.
