The English Bubble – Review of Simpsons Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs 2018 with Richard Bampfield MW

In 2012, Founders Charles and Ruth Simpson were attracted by the quality of the terroir and the opportunity to become part of what is one of the most dynamic wine producing regions of the world, they brought their expertise back to the UK having spent numerous years producing award-winning wines at Domaine de Sainte Rose, with an aspiration to produce world class English wines. With 30 hectares of vineyards now in production and a state-of-the-art winery situated just minutes from the vines, their exclusively estate-grown still and sparkling wines are increasingly heralded, both nationally and internationally, as some of the finest of their kind. The White Cliffs Blanc de Blancs 2018 and Flint Fields Blanc de Noirs 2018 are two of the best examples of their kind being made in England, made in the reductive style, they are elegant, rich, fresh and varietally correct.

The Blanc de Blancs 2018 consists of grapes from two different sparkling Chardonnay clones, 121 and 124, picked separately over a two-week period. Each clone was fermented individually using a selection of different yeasts. All the primary vinified components then underwent malolactic fermentation and spent 3 months in tank and barrel (20%) ageing on light lees. Following the bottle fermentation, the wine spent 36 months ageing on yeast lees prior to disgorgement in January 2022.