England: Danbury Ridge - Solstice Multi-Vintage, Crouch Valley, Essex

Alex's Producer Profile on Danbury Ridge.

An astonishing multi-vintage blend of Pinot Noir (70%), Chardonnay (20%) and Pinot Meunier (10%). 12.5% alcohol.

"Simply stunning. It's rich and golden and just insanely complex. It’s irresistibly drinkable...a new dimension for English sparkling." - Masters of Wine Susie Barrie & Peter Richards, The Wine Blast Podcast

94/100 (Classic, benchmark, truly exceptional) - Dr Jamie Goode, Wine Scientist, Wine Anorak.com

I was a member of the team that disgorged some bottles of this. It was then given another full year of ageing in bottle after disgorging!

It’s made up of barrel-fermented wines from the 2019 vintage (75%), along with reserve wines from 2018 and 2020 aged together in a large 2,500-litre wooden cask called a ‘foudre’. Only 3,000 bottles produced.

This long ageing has resulted in a textured, nutty, mature-tasting, smooth sparkling, made with considerably riper fruit than many sparkling wines. Solstice therefore isn’t your typical aperitif-style fizz, it’s full-bodied, refined and distinctive, and drinking beautifully right now.

You may notice it’s missing a foil - this is a conscious decision as foils are incredibly wasteful things. English producers are increasingly ditching foils, which is only to be applauded as there is simply no need for them.

Food Pairing:

Possibly more suited to be drunk with food than on its own, with smoked fish canapes, mackerel pâté, lobster, crab, scallops, salmon or trout, or with aged soft cheeses. Wonderful, too, with Eggs Benedict!

What the critics say:

"Simply stunning. It's rich and golden and just insanely complex. It’s irresistibly drinkable...a new dimension for English sparkling." - Masters of Wine Susie Barrie & Peter Richards, The Wine Blast Podcast

94/100 (Classic, benchmark, truly exceptional) - Dr Jamie Goode, Wine Scientist, Wine Anorak.com

94/100 "a multi-vintage blend of barrel-fermented Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. Complex notes of hay, lemon rind, honey-drizzled apples and decomposing autumn leaves. Luminous, vibrant and layered palate, with 4.8g/L dosage balanced by bright acidity" - Victoria Daskal, Decanter Magazine's "Weekend Wines", April 2026. See Photo Below.

92/100 (Outstanding: A wine of exceptional complexity and character) - Tom Newson, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "A great deal of thought and patience went into Danbury Ridge’s first sparkling wine, largely due to Essex’s forward, ripe fruit profile compared to most fruit used for English sparkling. The end result is very much set apart in style from most of its peers. The NV Solstice (first edition) is based on the 2019 harvest, with 25% from a perpetual reserve kept in foudre. It sets the ripe apricot kernel, dried pear and lemon barley fruit against darker, spicier tones of plum and roasted nuts, playing on some oxidative savory and vinous, food-friendly flavor saturation while teasing out a subtle bittersweet length".