Rosé, Wiston Estate NV
Tim Atkin MW 88; Wine Enthusiast 94; Tom Cannavan 93; David Allen MW 92; Decanter 92; Jamie Goode 91; JancisRobinson.com 90; Decanter World Wine Awards 87 points; Gold, Sommelier Wine Awards 2025; Highly Commended, The Wine Merchant Top 100 2025
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Why this wine
Wiston's chalk escarpment on the South Downs is as close as England gets to Champagne's geology, and the family have farmed it on biodynamic principles from the start rather than converting late. Reserve wines going back to 2009 and two to four years on lees give this rosé a depth the price does not suggest. It is among the most consistently praised English sparklers in the country.
At a glance
- Grape
- Pinot Noir 40%, Chardonnay 30%, Meunier 30%
- Region
- Sussex, England
- Alcohol
- 12.00%
- Body
- Medium
- Acidity
- High
- Sweetness
- Dry
- Drink
- Drink now (1-3 yrs)
- Pairs with
- Seafood, Salads, Poultry & Pork
How it tastes
Rhubarb leads, with raspberry, sour cherry and redcurrant behind it and a lift of wild rose and lemon zest. The palate is bright and dry, fine bubbles running persistently through high, refreshing acidity, and the finish turns to sherbet and hibiscus. Pinot Noir 40%, Chardonnay 30%, Meunier 30%.
The producer
The Goring family have owned Wiston Estate in Sussex since 1743, and it is presided over today by Harry and Pip Goring, with their son Richard and his wife Kirsty running the vineyard and winery day to day. It was Pip Goring, who grew up in South Africa's winelands, who held the conviction that the land could grow high-quality grapes, on the strength of the South Downs' similarity of soil and climate to Champagne; the original 16-acre vineyard was planted in 2006. The vineyards lie on a south-facing chalk escarpment planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and the team works to biodynamic principles under winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward: cover crops between alternate rows, alternated yearly for soil health, sheep grazing between the vines through winter, home-made compost and recycled pressed skins, and a Lipco tunnel sprayer that recycles spray and has cut chemical use by 40%. The chalk suits Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; Meunier prefers clay, so some is sourced from clay soils in Kent, alongside fruit from long-term partner growers across the south-east. Everything is picked by hand in late autumn and pressed whole-bunch by variety, fermented in stainless steel and rested eight months on its yeast lees before bottling the summer after harvest, when reserve wines dating back to 2009 are added to make up 20–30% of the blend, along with a small portion of still Pinot Noir for colour and deep red fruit. The wine then takes its slow second fermentation in bottle and stays on lees at a cool 9–11°C for two to four years, finished with a dosage of 8 g/l.
Food and drinking
Serve at 8–10°C. It is good with charcuterie, seared tuna, a tomato and goat's cheese tart or strawberries and cream at the other end of the meal, and is best drunk over the next two to three years. No decanting. The bottle is closed with a traditional sparkling-wine mushroom cork. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.