Berry Bros. & Rudd English Sparkling Rosé by Hambledon, Hampshire, England
About this WINE
Hambledon Vineyard
Hambledon Vineyard boasts a rich history as the first English commercial vineyard, established in the early 1950s by the Francophile Sir Guy Salisbury Jones. After a decline, Ian Kellett acquired the vineyard in 1999, and his dedicated investments have led to some of the country’s finest Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes.
The appointment of renowned oenologist Hervé Jestin, a pioneer of organic viticulture and Cellar Master at Champagne Leclerc Briant, has revitalised Hambledon’s standing in the wine industry. Alongside winemakers Felix Gabillet and Sam Picton, Hervé crafts exquisite sparkling wines with a distinctive English flair.
In 2023, we proudly became part owners of Hambledon in partnership with Symington Family Estates. This collaboration merges our longstanding family businesses and shared dedication to sustainable viticulture and winemaking.
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county in South East England that has become celebrated for its production of English wine, and English sparkling wine in particular.
Leading producers here include Hambledon Vineyard, Exton Park Vineyard and Hattingley Valley. It is also home to Bride Valley Vineyard, founded by the late wine writer Steven Spurrier and his wife, Bella.
Hampshire has long been an important place for Berry Bros. & Rudd: we have offices and warehouses in Basingstoke and Andover.
Champagne blend
Which grapes are included in the blend, and their proportion, is one of the key factors determining the style of most Champagnes. Three grapes are used - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
26% of vineyards in Champagne are planted with Chardonnay and it performs best on the Côtes des Blancs and on the chalk slopes south of Epernay. It is relatively simple to grow, although it buds early and thus is susceptible to spring frosts. It produces lighter, fresher wines than those from Burgundy and gives finesse, fruit and elegance to the final blend. It is the sole grape in Blancs de Blancs, which are some of the richest long-lived Champagnes produced.
Pinot Noir accounts for nearly 40% of the plantings in Champagne and lies at the heart of most blends - it gives Champagne its body, structure, strength and grip. It is planted across Champagne and particularly so in the southern Aube district.
The final component is Pinot Meunier and this constitutes nearly 35% of the plantings. Its durability and resistance to spring frosts make the Marne Valley, a notorious frost pocket, its natural home. It ripens well in poor years and produces a soft, fruity style of wine that is ideal for blending with the more assertive flavours of Pinot Noir. Producers allege that Pinot Meunier lacks ageing potential, but this does not deter Krug from including around 15% of it in their final blends.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
For a limited time, Cellar Plan members can enjoy a 20% saving on this wine, with the discount automatically applied at checkout. This offer will revert to 10% at midday on December 16th.
Based on the stellar 2018 harvest, this comes from the chalky vineyards of Hampshire. Chardonnay gives the wine grace and direction with a pithy citrus bite, russet apple and crystalline, mineral freshness. Pinot Noir offers a regal rose-gold colour, floral notes and redcurrant charm. Careful ageing in Hambledon Vineyard’s cellars gives a creamy mousse and toasted richness. This is perfect on its own or with small sharing plates.
Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
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