New releases from Flint Vineyards, East Anglia
I’ve written about impressive East Anglian winery Flint wines before here and here. They are doing some interesting things. I recently tried their new releases and my verdicts are here. I really liked them, and the Charmat Rosé is a really lovely example of what can be done with non-traditional-method fizz here.
Flint Vineyard Charmat Rosé 2021 England
12% alcohol. A vivid pink in colour, this is fresh, joyful and fun with tart cherries and raspberry fruit, with just a hint of sappy greenness and nice acidity. It offers immediate pleasure, but there’s a touch of seriousness and true vinosity, too. Lovely stuff. 90/100
Flint Vineyard Silex Blanc 2021 England
11.5% alcohol. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Blanc aged in oak with partial malolactic and a little skin contact. This is a stylish oak matured white with some nuts (hazelnut and almond), a touch of vanilla and a fresh, direct citrus fruit core with good acidity and some subtle herbal hints. It’s compact with a touch of pleasant sourness on the finish. Overall, this is a food-friendly white with a savoury dimension and keen acidity, and it could develop in interesting ways. 88/100
Flint Vineyard Bacchus 2021 England
11% alcohol. A really good example of this interesting grape, offering elderflower, lime and crisp herbal notes. It’s textured and rounded (a portion was barrel fermented and matured), but there’s also a keen acidity and bright fruit. The balance here is just right, and it has real charm and depth. 91/100
Flint Vineyard Pinot Noir Precoce 2021 England
11.5% alcohol. 40% whole bunch and 60% destemmed and crushed berries. Aged for six months in old French oak. This is pale-coloured and really elegant, with rounded sweet cherry and plum fruit as well as some wild strawberry. It’s really soft and textural with a nice sweet fruit core and a juicy finish. So digestible. I really like that they’ve not tried to make this wine anything that it can’t be. So well judged. 90/100
These are available directly from their website.
