First taste: Ridgeview Oak Reserve NV

It’s a sign that an emerging wine region has become established when its leading players have the confidence to launch an experimental cuvée with a premium price-tag.

To mark its 25th anniversary, English sparkling wine estate Ridgeview has launched its first new wine in a decade, a barrel-fermented, non-vintage sparkling wine. The single-vineyard, one-off bottling of 2,600 bottles was created by director of winemaking Simon Roberts, who was inspired by his love of subtly oaked sparkling wines such as Cloudy Bay’s Pelorus from Marlborough in New Zealand. 

Made from 100% Chardonnay, the grapes were sourced from Ridgeview’s original estate vineyard, planted in 1995, located in Ditchling, East Sussex, eight miles from the English Channel. ‘These grapes have a real terroir character, with a salinity, a savouriness on the back palate that, along with the creaminess from the oak, complements the normal Ridgeview fresh fruit style,’ said Roberts. 

The base wine was from the 2017 vintage, aged in stainless steel for seven months, and this was blended with wines from 2016 and 2015. Some 15% of 2015, 15% of 2016 and 70% of 2017 was aged in barrels, a combination of new oak, three-year-old white Burgundy oak and 10-year-old Loire Sauvignon Blanc oak.

Subtle oaking

Roberts was set on a restrained and delicate style: ‘I didn’t want it to be in-your-face aggressive,’ he said, ‘and I didn’t want the autolytic character to be too prominent.’ Consequently the wine spent less than a year on the lees, compared to the usual minimum three years. ‘I have kept 1,000 bottles back to see how they develop with a later disgorgement,’ he added, ‘but I don’t think it will benefit from extended lees age – it’ll make it much more savoury, maybe too rich.’ The dosage is low at 3.25g/L, the idea being, said Roberts, to ‘keep everything in balance while taking the edge off it’.

The striking packaging – which is already winning design awards – features a label printed on natural cherry wood paper, giving each bottle an individual grain, pattern and colour. ‘Oaked wines can split consumer opinion, so we wanted a name and design that would give no illusion to the contents of the wine,’ explained Ridgeview’s Mardi Roberts.

Ridgeview Oak Reserve NV will be positioned in the top tier category of English sparkling, priced at £75. The first release of 1,000 bottles is available direct from Ridgeview, and from selected independent stockists including Harvey Nichols and Butlers Wine Cellar.

Tasting Ridgeview Oak Reserve NV

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