Simpsons Wine Estate, Kent, 'RailwayHill', Rosé 2022
Winemaker: Leigh Sparrow Region: Kent Subregion: Kent Country: England Alcohol: 12.5% Dry/Sweetvalue: 1 (1 is dry, 7 is very sweet) ResidualSugar: 7 Contains Sulphites: Yes Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes/Yes Milk/Eggs: No/No Organic: No Biodynamic: No ProductCode: 6392519A Case unit of measure: 6X75CL FormatsAvailable: 75cl Closure: Mushroom Cork
This delicate and fruity Pinot Noir roséhas fresh aromas of watermelon and lychee, with peachy, strawberry flavours and a delightfully smooth texture.
Producer Note: Charles and Ruth Simpson have been making award-winning wines in the South of France since 2002. In 2012, attracted by the quality of the terroir and the opportunity to become part of one of the most dynamic wine producing regions in the world, they brought their expertise back to the UK, establishing Simpsons Wine Estate. Aspiring to produce the finest quality English wine, they gradually planted 30 hectares of vineyards on the iconic chalk terroir of the North Downs and built a state-of-the-art winery. They are members of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. In 2016, the Simpsons saw their first harvest. With a strong focus on provenance, they produce a highly acclaimed range of exclusively estate-grown still and sparkling wines, including the Chalklands Classic Cuvée 2016, which won a gold medal in the 2019 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships.
Vintage: The start of the 2022 growing season was cool so the vines were slow to shoot which meant frost damage was avoided. It was a warm sunny growing season with very little rain which led to excellent fruit flavours and ripeness. At one stage there was concern the dry conditions would lead to a smaller than normal crop, however the chalk soils provided the vines with adequate moisture to provide an ample harvest.
Vineyard: Simpsons Wine Estate is situated in the Elham Valley; an unspoilt seam in the North Downs of Kent where the contours of the land, the climate and the soil are excellent for viticulture. The intensely lime-rich chalk soil forms part of the same chalk ridge that stretches from southern England to Burgundy. The Guyot trained vines are trained on vertical foliage wires to help with canopy management. The vines are planted at a density of 4,200 vines per hectare with a range of Burgundian clones on either Fercal or 41B rootstocks. They are grown on south facing slopes, ensuring heat accumulation in the day and cold air drainage at night. The vineyard is less than eight miles from the coast, providing a crucial maritime influence insulating the fruit against intense temperature variations. Grass cover crops between the rows encourage biodiversity within the vineyard. Pruning and harvesting takes place by hand and they are signed up to the WineGB’s Sustainability Scheme.
Winemaking: Made with as little intervention as possible. The hand-picked grapes were whole bunch pressed and cold settled for 48 hours prior to racking. The must underwent a long and slow fermentation in stainless tanks with wild and selected aromatic yeasts at controlled temperatures of 14 to 16°C. This wine did not go through malolactic conversion, retaining a crisp and vibrant character, but spent time on fine yeast lees to build palate weight, before being bottled in the following spring.
TastingNote: This delicate and fruity Pinot Noir roséhas fresh aromas of watermelon and lychee, with peachy, stone-fruit flavours and a delightfully smooth texture.
Grape: Pinot Noir 100%