Details
Pinot Blanc Tillingham Estate 2018, Natural wine from England, Pinot Blanc fermented partly in Qvevri, steel and oak, savoury, peach, salinity and freshness.
A complex wine of tension and richness, the juice from whole bunches of Pinot Blanc was pressed to oak barrel, Qvevri and stainless steel. This wine is a blend of equal parts of the three, bottled by gravity with no filtration, no fining and with no added sulphur.
Tillingham is a fantastic project run by Ben Walgate in East Sussex. It is situated off a winding country lane on a slope leading down to the Tillingham River which meanders down to Rye. Ben has already set about using organic compost across his five acres, and he plans to introduce sheep onto the land in the spring to help naturally control cover crop and weeds. He's even experimenting with biodynamic preparations (such as 500) so as to improve the health of his soil. Now here's a man who's serious about natural wine making! In all Ben has planted around 10,000 plants including thirteen English and International grape varieties. His style is experimental, preferring natural methods and a 'try-it-and-see' approach, which is yielding some great results from this budding winemaker. Great to see such passion and instinct from English wineries.