Harrow & HopeHarrow & Hope Blanc de Blancs 2017

For Henry Laithwaite, owner and winemaker at Harrow & Hope, this is the standout wine of their 2017 harvest, as the Chardonnay really shone. The Pinots did well but the white grapes had something extra and just looked great throughout the season. In his opinion, the 2017 is more generous and softer than its predecessor. Every vintage this wine comes from the same chalky plot of their best Chardonnay. The 2017 has had the same treatment as previous vintages, with 50% barrel fermentation and 40 months bottle ageing on yeast lees. No matter what the conditions in any given year, similar characteristics run through every release, a true testament to the quality of this plot of land and the organic farming methods employed to bring out its best.

Harrow & Hope’s single-vineyard sits on an ancient Thames gravel terrace. Being quite central and away from the coast the vineyard experiences high summer day temperatures with cooler nights that preserve precious acidity.