Description
Wiston Estate has been owned and managed by the Goring family since 1743, and owners Harry and Pip have planted grapes on the fields since 2008. Its 6,000 acres straddle the chalky slopes of the South Downs and the flat clay soils of the Weald. The traditional Coquard press at Wiston is one of only four outside of France and is unique to the UK. Its large surface area and exceptionally gentle pressing enables extraction of the very highest quality. The estate has won numerous awards for their sparkling wines and were dubbed ‘Winery of the Year’ at the WineGB Awards in 2018.
Wiston’s vineyards consistently produce exceptional fruit and their winemaking philosophy is quite simply to guide it through the production process in as gentle a way possible, to allow maximum purity of expression. They press the grapes immediately after picking, extremely gently, and ferment and age the wines in barrel and in tank prior to bottling. They allow the wines to mature in their cellars for many years, monitoring them constantly.
This producer constantly strives to make their winery processes as sustainable as possible. Solar panels on the roofs of buildings help power the winery. All used corks are collected and recycled by Recorked UK. They package the cases using paper tape which can be recycled, and all the cardboard used in the winery is either re-used or recycled. The storage sheds where the wines age are insulated as opposed to refrigerated. This producer minimises water use by steam cleaning tanks and equipment. Once barrels are beyond use for winemaking, we pass them onto the Estate’s Restaurant to use for smoking food as water butts. At the end of vintage the leftover grape juice which cannot be used for winemaking is distilled for gin or vodka.
Tasting Notes
This version of our single vineyard wine from 2014 shows elegant characteristics of marzipan, baked apples and a touch of white pepper on the nose. The poised palate consists of rich buttery notes, apricot and vanilla, with a flash of salinity on the bright finish. This is a pure wine which moves across the palate with commanding grace.
This is a unique expression of our Blanc de Noirs 2014 – showing a different slant on this stunning vintage. The winemaking team disgorged this small Library Collection parcel with a very low dosage, making it ‘Extra Brut’, and the result is fascinating and delicious!
