Needs Time: Exton
... a superb Blanc de Blancs ...
You might feel that a sparkling wine that is already thirteen years old probably does not need further time in your cellar. Having tasted Exton Park’s Blanc de Blancs 2013 last week, I will be keeping the bottles I have now acquired in my cellar until 2033, possibly a little longer.
Exton Park is a unique estate. The winery is perched on a hill, commanding a position within the South Downs National Park. Their 60 acres of vines spread out from the summit on a gentle slope towards the local village. They only make wine from their own grapes.
Their vineyard director, Fred Langdale, and winemaker, Corinne Seely, are a formidable team. They have both been here for many years: understand the land, understand the wines they wish to create, and work in sync to deliver refined elegance.
I have watched this estate grow over the last decade, buying six bottles here and there, always considering that their unique style needed time to show its full potential. They all possess a structured concentration that sits alongside a precise, finely-tuned level of acidity that is both complex and exciting in equal measure. For my palate, this additional component of longer cork ageing creates further development, enhancing notes of brioche, hazelnuts, and dried fruits, and evolving into a richer wine with amplified complexity.
This 2013 Blanc de Blancs is no exception. 100% Chardonnay that came from the first 20 rows of their oldest vines. Vivid tones on the nose create a sense of anticipation, reminiscent of salty sea winds, wet stones, baked bread, and citrus fruits. The palate grabs your attention. A tightness, a pronounced freshness, tension brimming with energy, and focused precision. Tasting it with a Japanese Wagyu Crossbread Sirloin was a perfect marriage. You need weight here, and a concentrated mushroom risotto would also work superbly. Buy and forget about for at least 5 years.
£65.00 - Exton Park - winery link
