 English sparkling wine by the UK’s leading Aussie specialist – Odd, some may say...Actually, this is our second outing with Digby Fine English – the first being when their 2010 Vintage Brut received an acclaim that will go down in English vinous history. The late Steven Spurrier, the man who put Napa wine on the world map in 1976, held a blind tasting pitting the top English wines against their French rivals. The result was unbelievable – the 2010 Vintage Brut came top with 2009 Dom Pérignon and Krug Grande Cuvée NV (to name a few) picking up lower honours. Rightly so, the English winemakers loved sticking their fingers up to the French who, and for many years, scoffed at the thought of sparkling wine across the channel. Now, they’re buying-up prized land… More recently, Digby has continued their success with a catalogue of honours winning Supreme Champion along with Top Sparkling and Best Vintage Cuvée category at WineGB Awards 2023 (The most important awards in the UK). There were 346 wines entered with 48 Gold medals, 145 Silver medals and 120 Bronze medals awarded, which shows the breadth and depth of English wine. Moreover, it shows how good Digby wines are… We have selected two wines (both from the 2013 vintage) which blew our socks off in a recent tasting. Exquisitely made and both displaying their hallmark richness of flavour and texture (particularly the ’13 Vintage Reserve Brut). Unquestionably, some of the best sparkling wine you will ever try… "Perfectly balanced. Flawless. Gastronomic. Remarkable breadth and depth. Prodigious, in fact."  Digby Vintage Reserve Brut 2013£40.00 per bottle Buy 3 bottles and pay £38.95 per bottle Stuart McCloskey "A truly glorious bouquet that unfurls to brioche, spiced, baked apples, poached pears, honey, confit lemon, lemon balm, chamomile along with a smidgeon of fresh ginger. Sea salt and oyster shell develop with more aeration. The flavour spectrum is outstanding. Butter-poached orchard fruits, fresh white toast, honey, sweet spice, buttery pastry (mum’s apple pie) – confit lemon provides lift without detracting from the luxurious flow. The symbiotic relationship between the nose and palate is a masterstroke. Perfectly balanced. Flawless. Gastronomic. Remarkable breadth and depth. Prodigious, in fact. Served using Zalto Universal glassware." 65% Chardonnay 25% Pinot Noir 10% Pinot Meunier Dosage: 8g/l Time on lees: 5 years (minimum)  "Skilfully crafted and a wine that shows soul… Beautiful."  Digby Blanc De Blancs Brut 2013Their first ever Blanc de Blancs and crafted with their top Chardonnay grapes – the finest 5% from their 2013 harvest. £59.95 per bottle Buy 3 bottles and pay £55.00 per bottle Stuart McCloskey "The bouquet is wonderfully fresh – almost minty. Honeyed orchard fruits, confit lemon, white flowers, fresh bread, oyster shell along with saline unfurl in the glass (almond croissant with more aeration). This is a serious wine that would be the perfect partner for a gastronomic feast (this is not a quaffer). The palate is tightly structured, layered, tensile and could go for another decade or more. Such incisive penetration. Super-clean, chiselled, immensely long, intensely saline, lots of chalk – the mousse provides pillowy comfort. Remarkably youthful and vivacious - greater things will emerge, although this delivers plenty of pleasure. Skilfully crafted and a wine that shows soul… Beautiful. Served using Zalto Universal glassware. *avoid flutes." TIME ON LEES: 8 years (minimum) DOSAGE: 6.5g/L “I vowed only to make a Blanc de Blancs if the Chardonnay had bags of personality, and boy did it in 2013! The grapes had range, depth, complexity, and plentiful punchiness to drive the wine through long ageing. With a focus on purity, the blend contains just four parcels, now singing together as a harmonious whole a decade later. Combining linearity from the largest parcel, phenolic intrigue from a single oak barrel’s worth of second-pressing juice, and a generous texture from our clay site, this is a wine to savour. An ebullient crown for our collection.” Trevor Clough, CEO & Head Blender   Stocks are running low with some stems now sold out. Save 10% with code ZALTO10 |
