Marbury Crouch Valley Chardonnay 2023
Marbury Crouch Valley Chardonnay
Region: Crouch Valley, Essex, England
Vintage: 2023
Bottle size: 75cl
Grape: Chardonnay
ABV: 12.5%
An aromatic nose of ripe citrus fruit and apple blossom, interwoven with subtle notes of brioche, fennel seed, and toasted hazelnuts. The palate is full and rich, offering concentrated flavours of ripe orchard fruit and orange zest that lead to an elegant and zesty finish.
Perched above the River Crouch estuary where it meets the North Sea, this historic vineyard sits on land that has cultivated grapes for over 1,000 years. The site benefits from England's warmest and driest growing season climate, with distinctive coastal conditions featuring long sunshine hours, extended autumn light, and critically low September-October rainfall that allows extended hang-time for optimal ripening. The challenging London Clay soils, while historically poor for agriculture, prove exceptional for viticulture through their high smectite content, which provides excellent water retention during drought and prevents berry swelling during late-season rains. This unique site has established the region as England's premier still wine area, with a proven track record of fully ripening grapes even in the most difficult vintages.
The grapes were hand harvested and whole bunch pressed before fermentation directly in barriques without any settling or SO2. Following complete malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged on lees for ten months in a carefully selected combination of 85% old oak and 15% new oak to maintain elegance and fruit expression, whilst adding weight and complexity. The wine underwent light filtration before bottling to preserve its natural character.
A new project in Essex’s Crouch Valley, Marbury is a testament to the bright future of English Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Described by wine writer Tamlyn Currin as “England’s Côte d’Or”, the area is quickly gaining recognition as one of the finest sources of English still wine. Renowned winemaker Charlie Holland has been instrumental in driving the quality of English wine in recent years, with a decade of experience at Gusbourne. He has led the winemaking and viticulture at Marbury since its inception, describing his approach in the cellar as ‘hands-off’ to retain a distinct sense of place.