The
wines
of
New
wave wines/Curious Grape, England
New Wave Wines, Tenterden Vineyard, Small Hythe, Tenterden,
Kent TN30 7NG
Tel: 01580 763 033 Fax: 01580 765333
E-mail: sales@newwavewines.com
Website: www.newwavewines.com
England’s finest? From this tasting, it seems to be the
case. With wine, size matters: it’s usually a bad thing as far as
quality is concerned. However, in the UK, the largest producer happens
to be one of the best. New Wave Wines was formed in 2000 from the
merger between Lamberhurst, Tenterden and Carr Taylor vineyards, and
they’ve since pushed the UK wine industry forwards.
The key to their success has been making good quality wines
at affordable price points. It’s all very well making good wine, but
unless it’s priced right no major outlet will list it, and therefore
no one will buy it. Curious Grape have priced their wines so that they
are stocked in supermarkets and high street shops, by means of their
economy of scale.
They own some of their own vineyards, but the majority of
their grapes are brought from up to 23 growers, though they have 2–3
major suppliers. Grapes come from Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Essex,
Suffolk and Norfolk.
According to Owen Elias, who poured these wines, they pay
more for better grapes, depending on the variety, the sugar levels,
the acidity and the level of rot. Lots of grapes are used, but
Elias’ favourites include Bacchus, Huxelrebe, Pinot Blanc and Pinot
Noir.
Recent vintages have given the UK wine industry a boost. 2002
was a very successful vintage, with high sugars, high acidity and
yields down. 2003 is the warmest in recorded history, and the
suggestion is that this will be a classic vintage, although I’ve yet
to try any of the wines.
So the key question: are these wines very good for English
wines, or are they very good full stop? I suspect if you tasted them
blind (and I once came across one in a blind tasting - the 2000 Pinot
Blanc - marking it down
as a decent Loire white), you’d find them quite convincing. They are
of at least solid commercial quality and priced just right. But I
wouldn’t say that any blew me away. Maybe next year?
Curious Grape Huxelrebe 2002
Lovely floral, ripe nose: sweet and not too grassy. The palate
shows good acidity coupled with lovely rich fruit. Nice balance. Very
good+ 86/100 (£6.99)
Curious Grape Seyval Blanc 2002
Slightly neutral grassy nose. The palate is vivid and juicy with
lots of crisp fruit and good concentration. Acid provides balance.
Very good 84/100 (£6.99)
Curious Grape Bacchus 2002
Very taut crisp nose is tight and herby. Really lovely herby,
grassy palate is savoury with good acidity. Quite firm. Very good+
88/100 (£6.49)
Curious Grape Schönburger 2001
13 g residual sugar. Gently herby nose. Lovely balance on the
palate with the acid and residual sugar in nice tension, giving
weight. Nice herbiness. Very good+ 87/100 (£5.99)
Curious Grape Ortega 2001
Lightly oaked. Nice savoury nose with gentle nuttiness from the
oak. Savoury, dry palate with some spiciness. Very good+ 85/100 (£6.99)
Curious Grape Bacchus Reserve 2001
Nice savoury spicy nose with some herby fruit. Lovely weight and
balance on the palate, which is deliciously rounded with a nice
herbal, grassy edge. Ripe and full. Very good+ 88/100 (£7.99)
Curious Grape English Rosé 2002
Nice pinkish sort of colour. Gently herbal nose. Very juicy,
high-acid palate with soft sweet strawberry fruit. Very good 82/100
(£5.99)
Chapel Down NV Brut
A blend of Rivaner, Reichensteiner and Pinot Noir. Fresh, crisp
clean and refreshing. Very good 83/100 (£7.99)
Chapel Down Pinot Reserve 1999
Fizz made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. Nice fresh herby nose.
Lovely crisp taut palate with a hint of yeasty, biscuitty character.
Very good+ 87/100 (£14.99)
Chapel Down Pinot Reserve Brut 2000
Toasty biscuitty edge to the nose. Nice herby palate. Taut with
good acidity. Very nice. Very good+ 86/100 (£14.99)
Curious Grape Pinot Noir 2000
Pale red colour. Nice varietally true nose is herby with some
spicy medicinal notes and berry fruits. Midweight ripe, savoury palate
is quite elegant. A little simple but nice. Very good 84/100 (£12.99)
Curious Grape Epoch 1 2002
This red wine is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 20% Rondo and 20%
Dornfelder. Deep purple colour. Sweet berry and blackfruits nose with
a warm, spicy meaty edge. Nice midweight palate shows soft fruit
character. Quite rich and appealing. Very good+ 86/100 (£8.99)
Curious Grape Rondo Reserve 2000
Very deep purple colour. Soft, ripe chocolatey black fruits on the
nose. Savoury, minerally palate with soft ripe fruits. Tasty. Very
good+ 87/100
Curious Grape Nectar 2002
Sweet ripe grapey nose. The palate is fresh and grapey with some
herby character. Nice weight and texture. Medium sweet. 30–35 g
residual sugar. Very good 84/100 (£5.99 50 cl)
see
also: UKVA award winning wines, 2003; English
wines:raising the standard; tasting notes of
English wines
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