CSWWC SILVER MEDAL WINNER
Our second Lady Elizabeth vintage, the 2015, came from a really interesting year for Pinot Noir. The grapes were carefully selected hand-harvested fruit, picked much later than usual into the year. After a cooler August and early September, there was something of an Indian summer thus we picked and whole-bunch pressed some wonderful late-ripened pinot.
A mid salmon colour with a fine mousse. Bags of red fruit, cranberries and rhubarb and strawberries on the front palate, and really pronounced Pinot Noir character on the finish.
We will always consider this vintage the one that announced our arrival on the English Sparkling Wine scene, following the tiny and more experimental 2014 release. It has defined the Lady Elizabeth style, albeit that, as a single vintage and varietal, we will always be subject to the vagaries of the harvest of one season.
WHAT THE PRESS SAID:
My top English sparkler from pink specialists of unlimited quality. Lady Elizabeth 2015 is a future classic and all you ever really want from fine fizz – cascading delicate bubbles and romping refreshment.
Olly Smith, Mail on Sunday @ollysmith
This is one of England’s finest, a supremely elegant interpretation of the Pinot Noir Rosé style framing wonderful delicacy of fruit in a slightly more serious, developed light than some. A beautiful pale copper, the aromas of raspberry tart and sweet, delicate crab-apple jelly and clementine are flecked with tiny touches of allspice and smoke. It’s so perfectly judged, with a beautiful clarity of flavour and a texture like taut silk.
Tom Hewson @sixatmospheres
It’s no secret that I do like my champagnes but tonight I got to experience some English sparkling wines at an event organised by @thewinegang which proved interesting. In general I think the quality of English sparkling wines is on the up. My biggest challenge is with the dosage – quite frankly I don’t care how high or low the dosage is as long as the wines are well balanced but I found that most of the English wines that were in the 9 g/l range just didn’t work for me. They were cloy and unfortunately lacked the critical line of acid needed to keep the wine fresh, I think this has to be addressed in order for these wines to start seriously competing with champagne. One producer that I would want to call out that has got this right is @coolhurstvineyards . Their Lady Elizabeth is dosed at just 5 g/l and gosh does it make a difference. The wine is fresh and vibrant. 100% PN, on the nose it’s quite savoury. The palate delivers a dollop of red fruit along with a pear and rhubarb compote. On the finish there is a hint of smokiness.
Mat P @the_champagne_pom
Elegant and crunchy with really pretty and precise red berry flavours.
Sam Caporn MW @themistressofwine
This wine is delicate pink in colour with a subtle amber glow. The nose is elegant, displaying hints of tangerine, vibrant red fruit and only a very subtle element of toastiness from its 36 months on the lees. This wine is beautifully balanced on the palate with intense red currant, nectarine and a creamy mid palate with a gentle mousse.
Emerging Vines @emergingvinesuk
With its striking presentation, Lady Elizabeth Rosé is now in its second vintage and comes from a 6.5 hectare vineyard situated on the Coolhurst Estate in Sussex.
The Coolhurst has a rather appealing salmon flesh hue, and lots of tiny bubbles, to lift a surprisingly charismatic nose. There are aromas of cherry and raspberry, with hints of toasted biscuit, dried tangerine peel and light oxidative notes.
It’s similarly engaging on the palate, with bright red cherry and cranberry flavours that soften to creamier textures and notes of warm brioche.
What I really enjoyed about this wine was how welcoming it was; it felt a step up, from a textural point of view, from the many (excellent) fruit-forward English rosé wines.
John Mobbs @greatbritishwine
KEY AROMAS AND FLAVOURS TO SEEK OUT
rhubarb, strawberry, cranberry, red cherry, clementine, crab-apple
tangerine, nectarine, allspice, toast, brioche, smokiness
DOSAGE 5 g/l