Hoffmann & Rathbone, Blanc De Blancs Brut, 2011

Rathbone and Hoffmann's Winemaker, Ulrich Hoffmann, has an impressive international 16-year career to lean on. It was not only his passion for sparkling wine that finally bought Ulrich to New House Winery on the Mountfield Estate in Sussex, but a long, long-distance love affair with now wife Birgit Rathbone. The couple got to work, combined their names and the result is a collection of award winning English sparkling wine.

The Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay, aged for 60 months on lees. It has a beautiful luminous pale golden colour and active effervescence with a persistent release of bubbles. On the nose, at first there are powerful fresh fruit notes with notably ripe citrus fruits, white flowers and peach. On the palate supple, rounded vinosity with excellent freshness. This has a long and refreshing finish, with notes of nectarines and a pleasant mineral quality.

Decanter World Wine Awards 2015 - Gold
Effervescents du Monde 2014 - Silver
Catavinum World Wine & Spirits Competition 2015 -
Gold
International Wine Challenge 2015 - Silver

"Made from the chardonnay grape, this sophisticated and pale golden ‘white of whites’ from this top-drawer boutique Sussex wine producer is both fragrant and intense, with hints of herbs on the palate with a good acidity and a long, refreshing finish. The winery, located in the beautiful village of Mountfield, is run by husband and wife team Ulrich Hoffmann and Birgit Rathbone, where a lot of emphasis is put on the long ageing in their cellars. Be warned: they only create small amounts of their spectacular wines. Enjoy as an aperitif or with fresh oysters and other shellfish – or, for a main course food pairing, we’d recommend Dover sole and exotic Thai curries."
IndyBest '15 best English sparkling wines'