Davenport Limney Estate Sparkling 2016/12.5%/750ml East Essex England

LOCATION: East Sussex, England

GRAPE/BLEND: 50% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir, 24% Pinot Meunier

SUSTAINABLE/ORGANIC/BIODYNAMIC: Organic

CERTIFICATION: Soil Association Organic

SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS/VEGANS: Yes, both

ALLERGENS (EGGS AND/OR MILK): None used

TASTING NOTE: Green apple and conference pear fruit, buttery richness from the lees ageing and mineral earthiness from the Pinot Noir and citrus drive and edge from the Chardonnay.

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SHORT HISTORY: The winery is at Limney Farm, an old dairy farm with buildings that made easy conversion for their new winemaking purpose. Since 1993 they have extended the buildings for a dedicated bottling area and temperature controlled store. Since 2010 the winery is now solar powered. Solar panels generate enough electricity to run the whole winery.

TERROIR: The Pinot Noir is grown on a west facing site at Rotherfield, sandy loam soil over sandstone, planted 1993. The Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier come from vines at Horsmonden, Kent – sandy silt soil over sandstone, almost level site, planted 2007

VITICULTURE: Double guyot, 1000 vines per acre. Disease control is done by spraying sulphur and copper as well as a range of home-made foliar feeds (comfrey, nettle, garlic, etc.). Canopy management is vital although they try to get a balance of soil fertility so that the vines remain healthy but are not overly vigorous. Compost is used as well as organic poultry manure where needed. Sheep are grazed on the Rotherfield vineyard over winter months to clean the vineyard floor and add their own fertiliser.

VINIFICATION:

• Manual harvest

• Whole bunch pressed

• 10% fermented in oak foudre, 90% in stainless steel

• Indigenous yeast

• Ambient ferment

• Second fermentation in bottle, aged for 4 -5 years on lees before disgorging

• Dosage with RCGM (Organic) at 7g/L

• Filtration - none

• Fining - none

• Minimal SO2 added

TECHNICAL:

Free SO2: 3 mg/l

Total S02: 24 mg/l

Acidity: 7.2 g/l

Residual sugar: 8.4 g/l