English Still Wines
Lyme Bay Sandbar Bacchus 2018
Grapefruit, guava and box wood interwine in a complex, balanced wine
Sandbar is made from 100% Bacchus grapes, arguably the flagship variety for English still wines. Whilst it has Riesling in its lineage, most would say Bacchus expresses itself more similarly to Sauvignon Blanc, but with its own unique qualities. Thanks to England’s cool maritime climate and long growing season, Lyme Bay’s Sandbar shows fresh and bright acidity with a complex and pronounced delivery of grapefruit, guava, box wood, and a hint of blackcurrant. When deciding when to pick Bacchus they either aim to pick it before the grapes are considered ripe, or once the grapes are considered overripe. After crushing and destemming, the segregated juices were cold settled for 48 hours before been inoculated with four specially selected yeast strains to maximise the varietal character. Following fermentation, the wine was gently racked, then left to age for four months on fine lees to improve structure and mouth-feel, before being bottled at the end of February. The wine was then allowed to settle and develop in-bottle for several months, before release.
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