The week in pictures: 17-23 June

This week in pictures has seen wine tastings in Brighton, a famous chef and English Wine Week, and asking a question about paper plates and whisky.

Lympstone Manor

A highlight of English Wine Week saw chef-owner of Lympstone Manor, Michael Caines MBE assemble a panel of drinks writers including db’s Douglas Blyde, the former UK and Ireland delegate of Relais and Châteaux (Caines is the incumbent), and the MD and the head winemaker of winery partner, Lyme Bay, to decide the level of dosage for the first release of his property’s Classic Cuvée. Served blind, six samples ranged from zero dosage to nine grams per litre. The majority, including Caines, favoured three grams per litre, though he did not cast a vote.

Although Caines was initially tempted to create a zero-dosage expression, he acknowledged the style’s niche appeal. “It’s like saying my fruit’s better than yours – there’s a lot of that going on.” He also compared dosage to seasoning a dish, in that it can bring harmony and “length”.

Running to 6,000 bottles including 150 magnums – the format being a first for Lyme Bay – the vivacious Classic Cuvée, based on 2020, and subject to full malolactic fermentation, is a blend of 49% Pinot Meunier, 22% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay (of which 22% was barrel-fermented). It is due for release initially to guests of Lympstone Manor during the October harvest festival.

Formerly used to graze livestock, the warm, sheltered, southwest-facing site, idyllically located between the house and the Exe estuary, had been fallow for around 250 years until Caines decided, “instinctively”, to transform it into a vineyard. 17,500 vines of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay were subsequently planted into the now well-drained red sandstone in May 2018, with the first wine, the French oak matured, single clone Triassic Pinot Noir, winning Gold at the International Wine Challenge.

Beaulieu in Brighton

Trevor Durling, winemaker from Napa Valley’s Beaulieu Vineyard, cane to the UK this week. On Monday evening, he hosted a small press tasting and dinner at Due South in Brighton, where db‘s Jessica Mason attended.

Durling co-hosted an evening of wine and food beside the seaside (pretty much on the beach) with Sean O’Carroll of Treasury Wine Estates.

A selection of BV’s bottles were opened and poured – including Georges de Latour, Rutherford and Tapestry.

Whisky plates

Scottish company, Glencairn Crystal, is challenging whisky companies and distilleries to think twice about the glassware they use to serve their whisky in and the vital role it plays in enhancing consumers’ experience of their brands with a new campaign featuring the Glencairn Glass.

The new business-to-business campaign will pose the question; you wouldn’t serve a gourmet meal on a paper plate so why would you serve your whisky in poor quality glassware? and will feature the strapline ‘Don’t destroy your brand – your whisky deserves better.’