Simpsons gravel Castle Chardonnay

AA3298

Wine information

Country - Great Britain

Region - Kent

Grape Varieties - Chardonnay 100%

Alcohol by volume - 12.5%

Bottle - 75cl

Producer - Simpsons Wine Estate

Tasting notes - A zesty, fruit-driven and unoaked Chardonnay displaying fresh, citrus aromas, refreshing tropical fruit flavours and a smooth, textured palate.

ProducerNote

Charles and Ruth Simpson have been making award-winning wines in the South of

France since 2002. In 2012, attracted by the quality of the terroir and the opportunity to

become part of one of the most dynamic wine producing regions in the world, they

brought their expertise back to the UK, establishing Simpsons Wine Estate. Aspiring to

produce the finest quality English wine, they planted 30 hectares of vineyards on the

iconic chalk terroir of the North Downs and built a state-of-the-art gravity fed winery. In

2016, the Simpsons saw their first harvest. With a strong focus on provenance, they

produce a highly-acclaimed range of exclusively estate-grown still and sparkling wines,

including the Chalklands Classic Cuvée 2016, which won a gold medal in the 2019

Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships.

Vintage

2020 saw a bright and sunny start to the growing season in late March and early April

that augured well, but unfortunately it was followed by a series of frosts that ultimately

reduced the crop. On the positive side, the remainder of the summer was relatively

sunny and warm with occasional rain. By harvest, the smaller crop levels and

favourable conditions resulted in high quality fruit bursting with intense flavours.

Vineyard

Simpsons Wine Estate is situated in the Elham Valley; an unspoilt seam in the North

Downs of Kent where the contours of the land, the climate and the soil are excellent for

viticulture. The intensely lime-rich chalk soil forms part of the same chalk ridge that

stretches from southern England through the Champagne region and on to Burgundy.

The Roman Road and Railway Hill vineyards are planted with Burgundian clones 96 and

548, at a density of 4,200 vines per hectare on either Fercal or 41B rootstocks. The

Guyot trained vines flourish on sloping, south facing vineyards, which ensure heat

accumulation during the day and cold air drainage at night. The vineyard is less than

eight miles from the coast providing a crucial maritime influence insulating the fruit

against intense temperature variations. Grass cover crops between the rows

encourage biodiversity within the vineyard. Pruning and harvesting takes place by

hand and they are signed up to the WineGB’s Sustainability Scheme.