2018 – a stellar vintage
Our three 2018 Vintage wines have recently received a wave of top scores from some of the most respected wine critics.
a fantastic vintage
2018 has proved an excellent vintage for us at Wiston, particularly regarding our single vineyard wines all from Findon Park Vineyard – the original planting from 2006. In a recent Decanter panel tasting the Blanc de Noirs was awarded 95 Points – ‘Outstanding’, while the Blanc de Blancs received 94 Points and the Rosé 91 points (both Highly Recommended). Matthew Jukes wrote in MoneyWeek “The 2018 Wiston Blanc de Noirs is stunningly balanced, wild-strawberry-scented 100% Pinot Noir, coming from the juicy, ripe 2018 vintage. It is a foodie number, and every inch a diva.”
a bountiful harvest
2018 marked the 10th harvest from this vineyard – the first being a tiny crop in 2008. By 2018 the vines were well and truly established. The conditions in 2018 were relatively unique – and produced spectacular results. It was a harvest which went down in recent folklore in UK grape-growing – a year when the stars aligned! For those who can remember – the Beast from the East – hit in February, an exceptional cold snap which covered much of the country in snow (luckily when the vines were still dormant and far from budburst). Budburst (when the first green shoots break out) took place well after the danger of frosts. This was followed by a perfect window of good weather around flowering (June) was key to ensuring a large crop as this is the period in the vine’s life cycle when the fruit is ‘set’ for the harvest. This was followed by a good summer – and the favourable conditions continued through October giving a bountiful harvest with an excellent level of ripeness.
words from Marcus
2018 was the first year our Winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward worked the harvest here and remembers – “the fruit which came off Findon Park Vineyard in 2018 was practically perfect. Good condition, no disease, and the levels of ripeness meant it was a pretty exiting prospect and we knew we were onto something special – to be able to make vintage wines.”
Once in the winery the grapes for these wines were all pressed through our Coquard press – allowing the juice to be ‘freed’ from the grapes in the most gentle manner, and allowing plenty of oxygen into the juice – which helps ‘inoculate’ it from oxidation later in its life.
the 2018’s vintage case
After pressing the different parcels were separated out (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier) and they were fermented in old oak barrels at the winery. Come spring 2019 the winemaking team recommended the blends which we are now seeing the fruits of – a Rosé made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, a Blanc de Noirs from 100% Pinot Noir, and a Blanc de Blancs – 100% Chardonnay.
These three wines are a unique snapshot of a superb vintage and very special single vineyard. They are a testament to the quality which can be produced from this land. Try them yourself, with this special 2018’s case…
MORE PRAISE…
Wine writer Tamlyn Currin recently tasted the wines for Jancisrobinson.com. Tamlyn writes such incredibly beautiful tasting notes, we just had to share there here… Blanc de Blancs 2018 “17 points. Statuesque, Rubenesque, thrillingly spicy. On the draw, it tastes of candied angelica, candied lemon peel, papaya, and then, and then … the spices fill and fill and fill every space. Sweet cardamom, pink Sichuan pepper, white pepper, helichrysum (italicum), chocolate mint, fennel seed. It’s bold, has an almost buccaneer swagger, a gorgeous swathe of sweep of body and flavour and drama. Pair with lobster or a candlelit bubble bath. Anything that feels extravagant.”
Rosé 2018 “17.5 points. Dark pink, Picasso pink. I love the vaudeville opulence of the Wiston rosés. I love their extravagant fruit. I love the way that Wiston is not afraid of richness and ripeness. I love the way that this wine swirls and sweeps like an opera diva ascending a grand staircase, silk and velvet rippling and cascading and shimmering like a train. I love that it tastes of tiny Alpine strawberries, of quince and pears poached in cherry syrup. Bold, sensuous, and almost, almost brash, in the most delicious way… “
