Davenport Vineyards Horsmonden Dry White 2018

Davenport’s well-known blend of Ortega, Bacchus, Siegerrebe, Faber and Huxelrebe, produced every year since 1993. 2018 is a harvest that will be seen as one of the best ever in the UK. The wine has the familiar aromatic fruit character and background of complex flavours. 10% of the blend was fermented in large oak foudres producing no hint of oak, but a more rounded feel. This charming English wine is unchaptalised and unfiltered, with a natural yeast ferment. This wine may have slight sediment in the bottle. In 1991 Will Davenport planted 5 acres of vines at Horsmonden in Kent, while simultaneously working for a Hampshire vineyard and, unintentionally, this became the beginning of a life-long business as a wine producer. Over 25 years later the vineyards now make up 24 acres, grown on 5 parcels of land, 9 grape varieties and a multitude of soil types and micro-climates. The vineyards are mostly at Horsmonden in Kent, with a smaller vineyard next to the winery at Rotherfield, East Sussex. Will was always a keen supporter of organic farming and in 2000 he made the decision to convert all the vines and winery to organic systems, certified by the Soil Association. At the time this was a huge risk, but ultimately the vines are in great shape, the fruit quality is second to none, and the wines show a depth of character that Davenport believe could not be achieved with the use of chemicals in the vineyard and winery.