The first impression of Rathfinny Wine Estate Blanc de Noirs is the refined rosé-gold colour and expressive bouquet featuring wild strawberries, morello cherry, orange pith, brioche, and baked apple. On the palate, it offers nuanced notes of pear and plum, balanced by a rich texture and autolytic complexity. The fine, persistent mousse and vibrant acidity work in harmony to elevate an elegant, refreshing finish, reflecting the quality and craftsmanship of this signature cuvée. This fruit-driven wine would match perfectly with a plate of charcuterie, Asian-style crab cakes or venison and can withstand and complement spice and richer flavoured dishes.

Critic Review

JancisRobinson.com: 17.5Pts
Drinking Window: Now - 2035

"Mid-gold colour, toasted sesame, baked apple, white chocolate, sea salt and lemon sherbet. The quality of flavours is excellent, and it has the savoury weight of Pinot Noir rather than the flesh of Chardonnay. Fluffy, frothy bubbles. Long, classic length with dried apple, spice, elderflower and lots of yeasty complexity. I appreciate how the Brut dosage and the high acid soften each other out. Beats many a champagne at its own game"
Richard Hemming MW

About the Producer

This family-owned estate was established in 2010 by Mark and Sarah Driver, with the first vineyards being planted in April 2012. Rathfinny’s estate vineyard now extends to over 93 hectares in the South Downs, just three miles from the Channel. Lying on a south-facing slope, their estate vineyard is predominantly planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier as well as small plantings of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. The site benefits from a semi-continental maritime climate and free-draining chalk soils, providing the ideal conditions to ripen grapes. Rathfinny uses only estate-grown fruit for their four traditional-method sparkling wines: Classic Cuvée, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé, as well as their still white wine. Each of their wines is produced and labelled as a vintage wine.

Vineyard and Winery

Situated just south of the village of Alfriston in East Sussex, and just three miles from the English Channel, Rathfinny's vines are set out on an ideal south-facing slope, protected from the worst of the prevailing south westerlies by a natural ridge that runs along the southern edge of the Estate. The soils are silty clay loam over chalk and free-draining like the soils found in Champagne, part of the Paris Basin. Rathfinny currently has 91 hectares of vineyards, with vines planted in 2.2 metre rows at a density of 4,500 vines per hectare.

The 2020 growing season got off to an early start, with warm weather prompting budburst in some clonal areas from 12th April. Spring comprised of very little rainfall with the driest May ever recorded in England. Flowering was completed by 27th June. The settled weather then gave way to challenging conditions in July with high winds and rain resulting in a lower yield per vine, ensuring an ideal ripeness and composition across all varietals come veraison. The fruit quality matched that of the well documented 2018 vintage.

The grapes were hand harvested and fermented in stainless steel tanks at 16°C, followed by malolactic fermentation for a creamier mouthfeel. After bottling, the wine was aged for 36 months on lees to develop rich autolytic complexity. Following disgorgement, the wine received a low dosage of 3g/l to preserve the purest expression of vintage and place.