Wine Advisor
Rathfinny, Classic Cuvee Brut 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Anne Krebiehl MW
The 2019 Brut Classic Cuvée is a blend of 44% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier, fermented in stainless steel with full malolactic conversion. It spent more than four years on lees and opens with a lovely mix of smokiness and ripe, juicy red apple. The palate has immediate balance, spreading luminous freshness on a light but firm body where fine mousse swirls to create smooth creaminess. There is some understatement here and something wonderfully cooling, elegant and bright. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: December 2024.
About the Producer
Husband and wife Mark and Sarah Driver established the Rathfinny Wine Estate in 2010 on a working arable farm with the express intention of producing some of the world's finest quality English sparkling wines. The estate's vision is much more than producing outstanding Sussex Sparkling wine. Rathfinny aims to contribute something special to the unique spirit of place in this beautiful part of the South Downs. Rathfinny once was a working arable farm in the South Downs of Sussex, and it's first 50 acres of vines were planted in April 2012. All of their grapes come from the single-site Vineyard, which means the estate have 385,000 vines across 93 hectares (230 acres). The varieties planted are predominantly Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier for the English Sparkling wines. In addition, they have smaller blocks of Pinot Gris for the Cradle Valley still wine. The Romans claimed the best location to plant a vineyard was three miles from the sea. It's also where Rathfinny is located. Its vines are set out on an ideal south-facing slope, just three miles from the English Channel, where its unique micro-climate and the free-draining chalky soils create superb grape-growing conditions. Rathfinny is the world's first grower-producer of sparkling wine to achieve the B Corp accolade.
