Ben says
★★ Great Wine “Beautifully aromatic and fragrant – almost exotic, like lychee. Brimming with stone fruits. On the palate it’s smooth with a mix of butterscotch and orchard apples. Creamy on the finish with a soft, orange like acidity and packs of length. This is a very satisfying English Chard.“
KEY POINTS
Varietal Chardonnay with 12.5% abv. Harvested later and by hand to allow more time for the skins to ripen. Pressed and then fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures using Burgundian yeast. Transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and 12 months’ ageing with extended fine lees ageing and lees-stirring.
Grown in: Crouch Valley, Essex, ENGLAND.
Food Pairing
Lightly oaked and balanced ripe Chardonnay from a cool climate loves the ocean. Think salmon fish cakes, creamy fish pie, scallops with bacon bits, or even fish and chips. I also think this kind of Chardonnay works really well lightly chilled with a butter curry.
Disclosure & Price
Tasted at the WineGB trade tasting. ~£35-£40. Currently available for pre-order directly from the vineyard.
Reviewed and tasted: 05/09/2023
About the Producer
Riverview Crouch Valley was set up by husband and wife team Umut and Katie Yesil in 2017, working with the viticulturist Duncan McNeil and Lyme Bay Winery’s winemaker Sarah Massey. The Yesils set up the vineyard after running a successful PR company, settling on a prime location in the Crouch Valley in Essex. The 2021 is their second vintage under their own label brand, having previously sold their grapes to Lyme Bay.
