Fumé 2023

A rounded style of Bacchus presenting our best expression of the variety.

Inspired by our Bacchus Fumé 2022 (the highest scoring Bacchus in the UK), the Fumé 2023 is our only release of Bacchus from the last vintage. Read more about how our winemaker Ben Witchell has evolved our Bacchus wines here.

The fruit was harvested by hand from our own vines and a parcel from Martin's Lane Vineyard in the Crouch Valley, Essex.  To express the complexity of the Bacchus grape, we use a multitude of techniques that respect both the traditional and more novel methods of winemaking. 

40% fermentation and ageing in 3rd-fill oak barrels lends texture and encourages aromatic development rather than oak flavour. Barrels can push Bacchus towards the style of its parent variety, Riesling, and the 2023 Fumé demonstrates this.

Hyper-oxidation of some juice fractions softens the wine and use of nitrogen at the press preserves aromatics.

Ripe, fleshy pear and apple

Extended skin contact at the press (late press fractions held over night under nitrogen). Fermented and aged (6 months) 100 % in neutral oak barrels (3rd and 4th fill). Partial indigenous fermentation / partial use of complex non-Saccharomyces strains. No malolactic fermentation. No fining agents have been used so the wine is vegan friendly gluten free. Alcohol: 11 %, residual sugar: <0.5 g/L, titratable acidity: 7.3 g/L.