If you take a trip to the South Downs on your way to the coast, you may well come across the vineyards of Nyetimber, a proudly English producer of award-winning sparkling wines and a favourite with our wine tasters, particularly for our upcoming Valentine’s Day event.
Over the years, Nyetimber has won numerous awards including eight-times winner of the English Wine Producer of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.
As part of the Lunzer Wine events, we will be hosting a Valentine's day event - an overt excuse to try the Nyetimber that is considered one of the best English sparkling wines.
Nyetimber Vineyards
The Nyetimber vineyards, spread across several sites in Sussex, Hampshire and Kent, are planted in soil with similar characteristics to many of the best sparkling wine regions across the world.
The English climate being slightly cooler than Champagne in France means a longer, slower ripening of the grapes which, when combined with their meticulous production process, results in complex, distinctive flavours.
The current owner is Eric Hereema, with the wine being made by Cherie Spriggs and Brad Greatrix since 2007 using a combination of tradition and technology. For example, drones fly over the 642 acres of vines to check the growth!
Wine expert Jancis Robinson scores their Classic Cuvée highly, well ahead of some well-known non-vintage Champagnes. Not only do they produce a Classic Cuvée but also a rather delightfully named demi-sec, Cuvée Cherie, sparkling rosé and a Blanc de Blancs.
The efforts combined, produce this exquisite champagne, which to some, is considered the best English sparkling wine we have to offer.
Nyetimber's ethos
Nyetimber’s ethos is founded on a respect for the land with a commitment to sustainability and a watchful eye on their carbon footprint. The uncultivated land which makes up a significant proportion of their estate, is planted with broadleaf woodland and wildflowers meadows.
The use of fertilisers and pesticides is kept to an absolute minimum with all the prunings and pressed grape skins being composted and returned to feed the vines. They collaborate with six major wine producers to share the results of trials to find ways to increase the quality of the wine while reducing the need for chemicals.
The taste of green apple, pear and citrus
Nyetimber Classic Cuvée is a Blanc de Blancs, made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in the Nyetimber vineyards. The wine has a lovely balance of refreshing acidity and richness, with a fine persistent mousse.
The blend consists of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir. It's complex, elegant, and well-balanced, with flavours of refreshing green apple, pear, and citrus.
Classic Cuvee pairs well with sushi, seafood, or poultry dishes. Smoked salmon is also a classic choice for pairing with champagnes thanks to its acidity and sweetness. The champagne cuts through the richness of the salmon and the sweetness brings out the flavour of the smoke: a pair perfectly made for eachother.
Join our Valentine's event where we will taste the famous British bubbles
Nyetimber wine is frequently featured as one of the fine wines at our Champagne events and is extremely well received by guests who enjoy comparing this delicious wine against its French ‘cousins’.
Enjoy the refreshing lemon and fresh acidity of this complex wine together with fellow wine enthusiasts as we undergo our own virtual taste test accompanied by these fine bubbles.
We look forward to welcoming you to our special Valentine’s Day event.
To find out more about our online wine tasting sessions, click here.
