England: Danbury Ridge - Estate Chardonnay 2023, Crouch Valley, Essex

Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay. 13.5% alcohol. 

"The intensity of the work that goes into making these wines is next level.....whisper it....better value than Burgundy at the same price" - Rosamund Hall, The Independent

Drink Lightly Chilled (After Around 30 Minutes Out Of The Fridge).

This has such power, perhaps even opulence, yet is also moreish, energetic, and beautifully balanced.

Master of Wine Jancis Robinson in particular refers to its balance and finesse and it is rightly very favourably compared to other top-quality Chardonnays worldwide, so much so that several prestigious producers have been snapping up land in the area. 

The fruit was sourced from the loamy, carbonate-rich clay of the estate’s three vineyards. I was a member of the winery team for this vintage, one of the largest harvests in living memory both in England and across the continent. 

It was fermented and aged in a combination of used and new oak barrels for 12 months, followed by 6 months in stainless steel tanks for further ageing before bottling. 

This super-premium estate is located in the warmest, driest corner of England, between the Blackwater and Crouch rivers, just a few miles from Maldon (of sea salt fame). 

This south-facing ridge enjoys an exceptionally long and warm growing season, meaning the fruit can enjoy a long 'hang time' to achieve the required level of ripeness for still wines. 

Renowned Master of Wine John Atkinson, an expert on cool-climate viticulture and geology, is very intimately involved, while head winemaker Liam Idzikowski, like me a graduate of Plumpton College in Sussex, boasts many years of winemaking experience in England as well as in California. 

Backed by owners the Bunker family, the winery is an astonishing no-expense-spared jewel in the crown for top-quality English wine production.

I worked the 2023 vintage at this estate, the work that is put in here is insane, they are really pushing the envelope and they have garnered huge respect for the quality of their wines both here and abroad - not least in Burgundy itself: both Domaine Duroché of Gevrey-Chambertin and Domaine Benoit Moreau of Chassagne-Montrachet will be making wine in the Crouch Valley as a result of the quality they have seen at Danbury Ridge. 

Food Pairing:

An excellent food wine. Pair with: rich chicken, pork, and fish/seafood dishes e.g. creamy fish pie, scallops/cod gratin or just with some smoked trout or mackerel pâté; also especially good with dishes featuring creamy sauces, mushrooms, and truffles. 

What the critics say:

93/100 (Highly Recommended, of Excellent Quality & Character) - Decanter Magazine

17/20 (Superior Quality) - Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine, jancisrobinson.com 

92/100 (Exceptional Quality, Highly Recommended) - Neal Martin, Vinous

92/100 - "The 2023 Chardonnay spent 12 months in 40% new oak. The nose is all lemony, creamy intensity that opens up into the milkiness of fresh cobnuts. The rounded, almost juicy body has real flow and overtones of pineapple, but there is a firm contour of freshness too. Lovely." - Anne Krebiehl, Master of Wine, Vinous 

"The intensity of the work that goes into making these wines is next level.....whisper it....better value than Burgundy at the same price" - Rosamund Hall, The Independent