In appearance, the wine is brilliant gold with a fine-beaded mousse. On the nose, there are aromas of mandarins and vanilla with notes of lemon zest, shortbread and light apricot underneath. This is a very fruit-driven cuvée with yeasty and biscuity notes playing a supporting role. On the palate, all three grape varieties are in evidence, but Chardonnay is to the fore at the moment. Concentrated in fruit flavours of pink grapefruit, melon and apricots, the wine displays a pure minerality and is typically complex and well balanced.

A new era for English wine began in 1988 when the first Nyetimber vineyards were planted in the heart of West Sussex. The aim – to make premium sparkling wine that would rival Champagne. That aim has been fully realised, and over the years the wines have attracted international acclaim and set a high benchmark for premium sparkling wines the world over.

The secret of their success lies in the fact that these are at their heart, terroir driven wines, and therefore the fundamentals of geology, soil and aspect are the principle factors in the meticulous selection of all Nyetimber vineyard sites. The south of England shares similar geology and soils to the Champagne region, the chalk seam found there reappearing from under the Channel across the Sussex and Hampshire downlands. The classic Champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are ideally suited to chalk and the Nyetimber vineyards present a combination of free-draining greensand over chalk sandstone as well as areas of pure chalk, perfect for Chardonnay in particular.

Now the largest vineyard in the UK, the Nyetimber Estate comprises 350 acres under vine and it is the fusion of expertise in the vineyard together with highly skilled winemaking that sets the wines apart. Also unique in the UK, Nyetimber is the only producer to make premium sparkling wine exclusively from estate grown fruit, thus ensuring complete control at every stage of the process.