Nyetimber to give disgorgement dates

Nyetimber has become the first English sparkling wine producer to release its bottling, riddling and disgorgement dates in a move towards greater transparency.

Many sparkling wine and Champagne producers have started to release disgorgement dates of their wines including Pol Roger, Moët & Chandon and Lanson.

However Nyetimber is the first producer to release all three key dates to its buyers.

By providing a bottle’s bottling, riddling and disgorgement date consumers are able to interpret the precise chronology of each wine bottling, including time aged on the lees and post-disgorgement ageing.

Bottles of Nyetimber’s Classic Cuvee 2009 now have a new back label with a code and message directing consumers to Nyetimbers website to reveal its dates.

Cherie Spriggs, head winemaker at Nytimber, said: “We didn’t feel that disgorgement date alone would give an accurate indication of the story and taste of the wine therefore we felt that sharing all three dates would enable consumers to better understand the process involved in creating a bottle of Nyetimber.”

The issue of deciding whether or not to reveal a wine’s disgorgement date was a key talking point in 2013 with strong views on its necessity or otherwise.

Most agree that there is a need for greater transparency when it comes to the production of Champagne and sparkling wine.

Bruno Paillard, co-chair of the quality commission, which forms part of the Champagne region’s “Project 2030”, last year called for Champagne houses to agree to new rules to ensure a minimum three month period between disgorgement and release.

Eric Heerema, owner and CEO of Nyetimber said: “As the most prestigious English sparkling wine producer, we have a responsibility for transparency and at Nyetimber, we pride ourselves on going over and beyond the standardised practices established by the world’s most renowned sparkling wine producers.”

Nyetimber’s new back label