Ashling Park Cuvee NV English White Wine

There are times when one tastes a wine and thinks ‘why haven’t I tried this before and how did they create something so beautiful?’ and that is what happened when I tasted the Ashling Park Cuvée. It hails from a small, family run estate outside the hamlet of West Ashling and is a classic blend of Pinot Noir 60%, Chardonnay 30% and Pinot Meunier 10%. It has won the 2020 WineGB Sparkling Wine Trophy and it really deserves that accolade. The estate is in the South Downs, so has loam soil over chalk and is only a few miles from the sea so enjoys a climate with maritime influence. There are a number of estates along the south coast which claim that the proximity to the sea has a beneficial effect on their micro-climate; Gusbourne and Oxney to name but two. In addition to the particularities of the site the Gardeners have employed the services of Dermot Sugrue to add exceptional quality to the winemaking process. Dermot has made wines for a number of prestigious estates and seems to always create wines of distinction. Ashling Park Cuvée shows how long ageing on the less can enhance the flavours and the integration of the wine. The aromatics display plenty of autolytic characters, biscuit, brioche, plus citrus notes and apple and honey. There is a depth to the aromatics not often found which promises a fulsome palate and long finish. On the palate there is the expected depth but great harmony and a fine mousse. The wine has one of the longest I have experienced in English sparkling wine and it is one of the balanced wines you will find. Approach to winemaking. It is a wine to be savoured and sipped and will partner many dishes with its combination of umami and fruit flavours. Try with a rich creamy chicken or guinea fowl dish and experience the wonderful combination of flavours, the wine working to open up the food and the fresh finish of the wine on your palate. Â