England: Flint Vineyards - Charmat (Incl Sustainable Disease-Resistant Varieties)

Read Alex's Producer Profile on Flint

Grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (26%), Reichensteiner (21%), Bacchus (16%), Auxerrois (14%) and the remainder a blend of super aromatic varieties, all of which are disease-resistant meaning a great deal less sprays in the vineyard and a great deal less emissions. 11.5% alcohol. 

This wine therefore significantly ups the dial on environmental sustainability.

If you like your fizz fruit-forward, crisp, citrusy, and lean rather than rich and biscuity, this is the wine for you!

Dry - in Brut territory - and 11.5% alcohol, without chaptalisation (the addition of sugar to increase alcohol) meaning the alcohol comes 100% from natural sugars. The bubbles are lively, but they are delicate and caressing rather than prickly, and they don’t dominate.

Flint describe it as "fresh, fruit-forward fizz made for pure, uncomplicated enjoyment." 'Pure' was one word I jotted down when I first tasted this wine: "lovely lightness, pure, texture, refreshing, balance, sherberty." 

Given its unusual blend of varieties, this is a genuinely distinctive wine. Some wine anoraks describe certain sparkling wines as "vinous" - odd, since they’re all made from grapes, but I get it, and this one is most certainly vinous.

Cheaper fizz can taste a little industrial, with aggressive bubbles and little character. Not this one. Here, the bubbles resolve, and you can simply enjoy it for what it is — a delicious wine.

And, referring again to my tasting note, there is texture here too, as a proportion of the wine is fermented in neutral oak which lends roundness and a subtle depth, enhancing its quality.

Quality that London's L'Escargot restaurant charges £69 a bottle for! 

You may notice it’s missing a foil - a conscious decision as foils are incredibly wasteful things.

Food pairing:

In Flint’s own words: this is "all about freshness and vibrancy. Fizzing with bright citrus, orchard fruit and floral notes, it’s crisp, clean, and beautifully balanced. A perfect aperitif, but just as happy accompanying seafood or salads."

I can vouch for the fact that this wine is a wonder with anything from the sea - especially crab, for some reason. Try with crab linguine. 

What the critics say:

Matthew Jukes, Renowned Wine Writer & Critic: "This is by far and away the most thoughtful and enticing Charmat in the land. And before you cock a snook at this style of sparkler, this beauty tramples over a wagonload of Champagne styles, too, with its perfume, palate and lip-smacking finish... Ben Witchell is a balance maestro".