We had a family celebration over
Christmas. It was a good excuse to buy a bottle of sparkling wine from Nyetimber,
a Sussex vineyard. We had their Classic Cuvee. It was expensive - £32 a bottle
– but beautiful, elegant and understated. If this wine were a film
star, it would be Grace Kelly.
Nyetimber is one of several
Sussex vineyards which are developing an international reputation. Their
success is down to a blend of soil, sunshine and science.
The chalk soil of the Downs
is similar to that of the Champagne region in France, producing wines with similar characteristics. The sunshine comes
courtesy of global warming, raising temperatures and making it easier to grow
grapes in the UK. The science is the specialised knowledge and technology
needed to produce top quality wines. Put them together and you have something
very special.
You can’t visit the
Nyetimber vineyard, but you can buy its wines all over the country. We get ours
from Waitrose in Lewes.
No comments:
Post a Comment