Denbies Wine Estate
Denbies Wine Estate is planted in a south facing valley on the North Downs and owned by Adrian and Gillian White. It was suggested to them by Professor of Geology at Imperial College London, Dr Selley, who is also a Dorking resident, that instead of farming, they plant vines as the soil and climate in the area is so similar to that of the Champagne region. They are currently the largest vineyard in the UK with 265 acres of vines and produce around 400,000 bottles of wine a year.
Denbies Greenfields Sparkling wine is an elegant fizz with biscuity aromas and stone fruit flavours. This wine is made in the traditional Champagne way with favoured Champagne grape varieties - Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
Buy Denbies Greenfields Sparkling wine.
Denbies Whitedowns Bottle Fermented Cuvée has spent two and a half years on its lees adding richness and roundness to the wine. Whitedowns is a fresh, floral, crisp wine made from hand picked Seyval Blanc grapes. Suzy Atkins, writing in The Sunday Telegraph described Whitedowns as a sophisticated fizz which knocks spots off most champagnes.
Buy Denbies Whitedowns Bottle Fermented Cuvée 2004.
Denbies Flint Valley is a delicately oaked, crisp dry white wine made from Reichensteiner and Seyval Blanc grapes, the two most widely grown grapes in the UK. This blend is similar to a French Loire Chenin Blanc. Denbies recommend serving alongside fish, soft cheeses or sausages.
Denbies Surrey Gold has been in production since 1990 and is the largest selling English wine. It's a medium dry wine which is rich in fruit and floral aromas with subtle hints of spice, making it a good match with spicy food. Surrey Gold is a blend of Müller-Thurgau, Ortega and Bacchus and has a fresh elderflower aroma.