WTN: English sparklers from Ridgeview (great stuff!)

I have read so much about England having the potential to make great sparkling wine that I was very excited to get to taste these three. I think the potential has been realised here:

• 2005 Ridgeview Merret-Bloomsbury - England, West Sussex (5/29/2008)
  70% Chardonnay, 23% Pinot Noir and 7% Pinot Meunier. A very enjoyable fizz. The nose is slightly sweet (high dosage?) but with green apple and some slight hints of more red fruit aromas, but these Pinot aromatics are rather in the background now. Very slightly sweet but very crisp - again seemingly a rather high dosage -, but impeccably balanced and refreshing. I would imagine that this can age some years? Good now and I would imagine better with a few years age.
• 2005 Ridgeview Merret-Cavendish - England, West Sussex (5/29/2008)
  38% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 27% Pinot Meunier. Elegant nose of clover, apples, red fruit and minerals. Fruity and quite full bodied but with high acidity and great balance. Finishes very mineral. Lovely wine.
• 2005 Ridgeview Merret-Fitzrovia - England, West Sussex (5/29/2008)
  58% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Noir and 28% Pinot Meunier. Salmon pink. The nose is bready and smells of earth, oranges and flowers with strong savoury notes, too. It turns more toward a sweeter, strawberry spectrum of scents with air. Elegant mousse. Quite full bodied, but tangy and moreish. Long and quite earthy aftertaste. It seems to show much Meunier character because of its prominent earthiness. I love it.

Posted from CellarTracker

Good to read this - I agree Ridgeview are excellent.

If you get the chance to try Nyetimber in particular they are at least their equal, ageing for longer on yeast and releasing later if you like that style. Nyetimber are in Sussex, not that far from Ridgeview in the South Downs (chalky) area. Camel Valley from Cornwall in the southwest are also good. Then in the recent International Wine Challenge, a new winery in Kent built with lots of money from a construction company Balfour won Gold with theirs - and that's a rare thing (Haven't tasted that yet). (Results are here - the other wineries mentioned did well too).

It's currently the official 'English Wine Week' so thought I would wave the flag for once. Now I'll get back to Savoie & Jura ...

I haven't had the other sparklers mentioned, but I'd like to second Wink's praise for Nyetimber. Tasted it once and was really impressed. Could be taken for a good champagne.
Cheers,
Anders

I've read much about Nyetimber but I haven't seen any up here.

Wink, do you have any experience in how Ridgeviews age? Was I right in my assumption that it will only be good for the wines? The Savoie & Jura rock! My dream is to visit there. I'll be armed with all your excellent posts here when I do!

-O