Simpsons Roman Road Chardonnay Wine 2020

Exuding a true sense of place, this elegant, single vineyard, still Chardonnay is created from fruit specially selected for its maturity and concentration. The wine is clear, bright yellow straw hue flecked with golden glints. Some legs. Youthful fresh aromatics of ripe white peach, cream, salted butter, pineapple and cedar. Complex, harmonious and fresh.  The wine has a sweet/ripe fruit attack of ripe lemon, white peach with a crisp green apple freshness coming in on the mid-palate to brighten and enliven. There is a touch of cream and attractive silky feel which is cut by fine ripe acidity. The oak is well integrated delivering some cedar, nut and light vanilla. The finish is long, appetising with a salinity, mineral firmness and vibrancy.  As Clive says, this is another successful Roman Road (the 2018 won Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine awards – alas all sold out), with a more focussed, mineral character than the opulent 2018. It is currently offering a youthful vibrancy and bright flavours but will develop well over the coming 3 to 5 years showing greater integration and complexity (if you can keep your corkscrew away). The wine is created by a husband and wife, Charles and Ruth Simpson team learnt their trade and gained their deep knowledge of winemaking in the Languedoc region of France. To add to their French vineyard, they bought perfect wine growing land in a sheltered chalk valley in an area of outstanding beauty just south of the Cathedral city of Canterbury. They are passionate winemakers and this is reflected in the quality of their wine.