WINE REVIEW

Sharpham Estate “Little Bee”

Wild Ferment Pinot Gris

Tucked away in the depths of South West England lies an area , not only trying to be an appelation but also a fabulous microclimate. Perfect for the grapes of England to flourish. Perfect for an adventure to begin. In this instance the Pinot Gris grape shines in this little idyll.

What makes this wine that little bit different is that for an English wine to be approx £21 and to be an orange wine / natural wine is something of a find. Not many producers have Pinot Gris on their estate – so for Sharpham Estate/ Sandridge Barton to be growing. is very exciting indeed.

and the wild ferment bit ….. Naturally occuring yeast is allowed to do its own thing of fermentation rather than the winemaker interfering – minimal intervention (a buzzword)

For those that are new to the phenomenon of orange wine, it has become the darling of the modern wine era. Once squeezed, the juice, almost spends a month on the skins before fermentation takes hold. This grabs flavour and colour and tannin (remember tannins come from skin stalks and pips and give that dry water sucking taste in the mouth) From there the winemaker can either put the juice in oak or stainless steel vats – imparting or omitting oak characteristics.

So this wine has all the charactersitics of an orange wine . Nectarine and tangerine (very important characteristics) stone fruit and pink grapefruit. On the palate the same applies with a touch of spice. The tannins are not ‘moisture sucking’ as some care has been taken to make this wine different and not obvious. this is a very uplifting, refreshing and crisp white wine.

Full marks to the winemaker.

FOOD MATCH

Also good on its own

A great pairing with fresh grilled fish, crab or as an aperitif or aromatic Asian dishes.

Find your Grape – this is a great place to start

PINOT GRIS

SUSTAINABILTY

WATER AND ENERGY CONSERVATION

UPTO 10 Points

PRESERVE ECOSYSTEMS

UPTO 10 points

RESPONSABILITIES TOWARDS THE PLANET

UPTO 10 Points

BUT SHOULD INCLUDE THESE POINTS

Water Efficiency, Soil Health & Fertilization, Pest Management, Energy Efficiency, WastWastewater Management, Transportation, Packaging and Material Sourcing

All producers have been asked throughly with regard to their practices and their responses have resulted in their marks out of 30. Sustainability is an important aspect of the life of the vineyard and the scoring system should reflect this.

WINE & MUSIC PAIRING

APPROX COST	£	Website Link
SUPPLIER UK	£21	https://shop.sandridgebarton.com/products/sharpham-little-bee-pinot-gris-2021
	£24.99	https://www.tauruswines.co.uk