London Wine Fair’s ‘Battle of the Bubbles’ saw an English sparkling wine from Nyetimber taking the top place.
Twenty-six wines from all over the world were tasted by sixteen expert judges – Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and specialist sparkling wine writers – who gave each one a score out of 100. The top scoring Global sparkling and the top scoring wine overall went to 1086 by Nyetimber 2010, which pipped prestige cuvées from Champagne – including Dom Perignon 2013 and Dom Krug Grande Cuvée, 172ème Édition – to reach the top spot.
Nyetimber was the first producer to release a prestige cuvée wine in England, back in 2018. 1086 by Nyetimber represents the pinnacle of the brand’s winemaking, as the wine is only made from the best parcels from the best vintages and undergoes extended lees ageing.
Earlier this year, Nyetimber became the first prestige cuvée English sparkling wine to be served on an airline, with British Airways now offering 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé in First Class, and its white equivalent later this year.
Eric Heerema, owner and CEO of The Nyetimber Group said, ‘It is wonderful to see 1086 by Nyetimber being recognised in such a renowned competition. So much hard work and passion goes into creating this wine, and we only make it from vintages when the quality of the harvest has been strong enough. Champagne has been renowned for its prestige cuvées for decades; however, we have always been quietly confident that prestige cuvées from England can match, if not exceed the standards of those from Champagne.’
The win follows a host of award wins for Nyetimber at the International Wine Challenge, including two Gold awards for its 1086 by Nyetimber and 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé 2013 vintages; both of which scored 96 points out of 100. Nyetimber’s Blanc de Blancs 2016 Magnum was also awarded a Gold medal, with 97 points.
1086 by Nyetimber has a complex and rich nose of fruit and floral characters, including notes of red apple, peach and white rose petals. These aromas develop on the palate, which is delicate yet structured with a crystalline backbone of vibrant acidity. Subtle notes of yellow pear, almond and clotted cream entwine in a long, refined finish. It is a fantastic pairing for oysters, lobster, turbot and caviar.
1086 by Nyetimber Rosé offers elegance, structure and complexity balanced in perfect harmony. Evocative aromas of wild strawberry and red apple are elevated by complex cream and floral notes. On the palate, a pure crystalline core beautifully complements the textured fresh red fruit and subtle brioche characters which combine in a long luxurious finish. It is the perfect pairing for duck, veal carpaccio, steak tartare and grilled octopus.
1086 by Nyetimber 2010 is available to purchase from Majestic (£145) and Harrods (£120). 1086 by Nyetimber 2013 (£150) and 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé (£175) are available to purchase from Nyetimber.com, as well as Waitrose Cellar, Majestic Wines, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Selfridges and Berry Bros & Rudd.
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