On the Up: Chapel Down
English wine. There was a time when uttering the phrase would provoke snorts of laughter, raised eyebrows or sheer indifference, and that’s just from snooty English oenophiles, let alone our French brethren.
How things change.
English Sparkling Wine has placed this green and sometimes pleasant (ok, no politics…) land on the wine-lovers’ map, with many producers making wines which adorn wine lists of the finest restaurants in the world. Yes, if you want champagne, and who doesn’t, then head to champagne, but English wine is now happy in its own skin, no more trying to be the popular aesthete who smokes in school, but comfortable singing in a choir and wearing the school tie the correct length, thank you very much.
Having mastered wines with fizz, English producers are now making still wines of real acclaim and, following the launch of the ever-brilliant Oz Clarke’s new book, English Wine: From still to sparkling: The NEWEST New World wine country (available here), I thought I’d tackle an estate and try a couple of still wines alongside one of their fizzier offerings.
Enter stage right, Chapel Down.
You’ll probably have spotted Chapel Down’s distinctive label in several supermarkets led by its bottles of English Sparkling wine. Based in Tenterden, Kent, Chapel Down has over 25 acres of vineyards and it’s on my list to visit asap. They make a range of sparkling wines, from their lightly sparkling Bacchus to the more traditional, champagne-style bubbles which are made using the same grapes and wine-making process (méthode traditionelle) as their French counterparts.
Their Three Graces as well as their Kit’s Coty Blanc de Blancs and Kit's Coty Coeur de Cuvée (Decanter Platinum medal winner in 2019) are premium level, vintage offerings made from, in the case of the latter two, individual parcels of chardonnay from their estate, with the Coeur de Cuvée literally translating as the heart of the cuvée – the treasured middle of the first real press of grapes, offering exceptional purity. These I will have to try!
In addition to fizz, Chapel Down makes a range of still wines and it is here in particular where I’d like you to wipe away your scepticism. They offer a mix of white wines as well as an English rosé and they are quite brilliant. On a recent trip up to Northumberland with the Walthamstow Winos I led a blind tasting for a bit of fun after a day walking and (mainly) hot-tubbing. I included three whites and three reds, with a bottle of Chapel Down’s Still Bacchus 2018 included to show that a) English white wine exists and b) but look how wonderful this French Maçon and this Austrian Riesling are in comparison to the plonk from dear old Blighty.
Mea maxima culpa, Chapel Down.
The Bacchus was one of the standout wines of the tasting and you can read my tasting note below. So, I thought I’d try their Sparkling Bacchus and their English Rosé over the weekend and I really couldn’t have been more impressed, with all three wines offering a superb level of wine-making and brilliant drinking for the price.
Why are English wines more prominent than they were twenty years ago? A massive public relations exercise helps but it starts with climate and terroirs, with the south of England sharing a seam of chalky soil with Northern France. The weather is generally more stable during both the growing season and harvest in the South of England, with south-facing slopes and low average rainfall alongside good average pH level in the soil helping vines grow.
Climate change, as we’ve all experienced, has bolstered growing conditions in Kent, with warmer weather helping plump grapes up and enhance flavour characteristics. Bacchus the grape has become the de facto still white varietal in the UK where it’s high acidity and freshness suits the climate down to the ground.
One of the bug bears of English Sparkling wine for me has been the price, often demanding more than for a good French crémant or as much as a good grower Champagne. These three bottles are all available for under £12, at least as much as you’d spend on a couple of Guinness at a London pub (with tuppence left over) and so we have no excuse not to try them. Chapel Down’s wines are finely-crafted English gems, adorning the tables of Michelin star restaurants around the world, royal banquets and Number 10 Downing Street. If it’s good enough for jet setters, royalty and Prime Ministers, then, dear reader, its good enough for you and me, particularly as this Indian summer is extended into September and beyond.
So, go on, give English wine a go and make a start with Chapel Down – you’ll be in for a treat.
A reminder of the Sour Grapes rating system, where a 1 is a good value wine can be read here
Chapel Down Still Bacchus 2018 - £11.24
Colour: Very pale straw
Nose: A very pleasant nose with incredible freshness. Notes of peach, melon, white blossom, red apple
Palate: The freshness perseveres on the palate, with melon and peach leading the way, with light straw, red apple, a touch of elderflower and white blossom on the tail end. This is a really well-made wine with bundles of refreshing acidity. A pleasure to drink.
Chapel Down English Rose 2019 - £9.74
Colour: Medium salmon
Nose: Strawberries, raspberries, poached rhubarb, mint, white pepper and a hint of cream, this is like a smorgasbord of crushed summer fruits and cream.
Palate: Fresh strawberry and raspberry mingle with rosehip, rhubarb, redcurrant, red apple and cream. There is wonderful, lively acidity which keeps the wine zippy, whilst a substantial mouth-feel makes for a luxurious finish. This was a pleasant surprise I would urge everyone to try!
Chapel Down Sparkling Bacchus 2019 - £11.99
Colour: Very pale straw, almost completely clear
Nose: A really fresh nose, with gooseberry, peach, green apple, nectarine and elderflower coming to the fore. Fresh, clean and vibrant.
Palate: This is a real treat to taste, with delightful freshness and lively acidity, driven by notes of gooseberry, peach, apple, lemon, under-ripe mango and latent sweetness from the fruit. The bubbles are soft, making for a lovely mouth-feel. For the price this is super value and I urge everyone to spend the extra couple of quid and buy this instead of Prosecco.
