2018 Danbury Ridge Wine Estate, Chardonnay, Essex, England
Critics reviews
Offering up aromas of mandarin oil, citrus blossom and ripe orchard fruit, framed by subtle hints of nutmeg, Danbury Ridge's 2018 Chardonnay is full-bodied, textural and enveloping, its satiny attack segueing into a fleshy mid-palate that's girdled by bright acids, concluding with a mouthwatering and delicately exotic finish. Matured in barrels for 10 months, this is a real success. 5,005 bottles were produced and closed with Diam 30.
Drink 2020 - 2030
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Apr 2021)
Fermented in 288-litre burgundy barrels and left on gross lees for 10 months. Malo but no lees-stirring. Then aged for a further 20 months before release in spring 2021. 5,005 bottles produced.
Extraordinarily potent for an English wine! Nice chalky finish after a hint of popcorn and admirable refreshment. Good blend of sweet fruit and freshness with some butteriness. Remarkable in an English context. Though I suspect it will not be given away …
Drink 2021 - 2024
Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com (Feb 2021)
About this WINE
Danbury Ridge Wine Estate
Danbury Ridge Wine Estate is a vineyard and winery located in Essex, in South East England. The estate takes its name from the nearby village of Danbury. Owners Michael and Heather Bunker planted their first vines in 2014, with a focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varieties. The team produces wine using both their own estate-grown fruit and grapes sourced from other growers in Essex. Danbury Ridge has gained recognition for its exceptional English still wines.
Essex
Discover the hidden gem of Essex's flourishing wine scene, where South East England's rolling hills and fertile soils give rise to exceptional vineyards and captivating wines.
Here, you'll find a cornucopia of unique expressions, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay taking centre stage. The whites are remarkably crisp, refreshing and bursting with aromatic profiles.
The reds are elegant and refined with velvety textures, while the sparkling varieties are crafted with meticulous care and traditional methods.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
Offering up aromas of mandarin oil, citrus blossom and ripe orchard fruit, framed by subtle hints of nutmeg, Danbury Ridge's 2018 Chardonnay is full-bodied, textural and enveloping, its satiny attack segueing into a fleshy mid-palate that's girdled by bright acids, concluding with a mouthwatering and delicately exotic finish. Matured in barrels for 10 months, this is a real success. 5,005 bottles were produced and closed with Diam 30.
Drink 2020 - 2030
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Apr 2021)
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