HarrowandHopeBlancdeNoirs2018

Harrow & Hope was founded in 2010 by Henry & Kaye Laithwaite with a 6.5 hectare vineyard, one plot on the Thames gravel terrace, formed by the river cutting into the Chilterns chalk around 450,000 years ago. Today their soils are a complex layer of clay, flint and gravel suited to Pinot Noir and lower down the slope the clay layer gets thinner before the pure chalk, home to Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. In 2020they made the commitment to convert their vineyards to organic farming, focussing on bringing the very best fruit to the winery, where Henry uses a “light touchâ€?approach. Widely praised by consumers and press, this is one of England’s top sparkling producers, their wines show precision, purity and expressive varietal character. rrBeing quite central and away from the coast the vineyard experiences high summer day temperatures with cooler nights that preserve precious acidity.rrUnlike the 2015, this release is 100% Pinot Noir. This decision was taken to hone in on one particular part of the vineyard, where clay and chalk combine to give a complete wine without the need for blending varieties.rrWeather in 2018: Probably the best vintage of the modern era thanks to the warm summer that produced large volumes of top-quality fruit. While the sparkling wines will be excellent, it is the still wines that are especially promising, especially the Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs.rrTechnical Information:rVineyard:Old BlockPinotrRegion: Chiltern Hills near MarlowrGrape Varieties: 100% Pinot NoirrLees Ageing: 3 YearsrDosage: 8 g/lrDisgorged: 28th April 2022rFermentation: 47% Barrel FermentationrDrink: Now to 5 yearsrrTasting Note: Light gold hue and a fine, delicate mousse. Aromas of citrus and honeysuckle lead into subtle brioche and vanilla characters. The palate offers generous yet elegant notes of baked lemon and white peach with the warmth of the vintage shining through. Subtle mineral notes accentuate the fresh, crisp acidity, leading to a long and complex finish.