County Business Clubs’ Wine of the Month August 2023

Upperton Nebula English Sparkling Brut 2021

This month’s Wine of the Month comes from Upperton Vineyard which is in the shadow of the South Downs National Park near the village of Petworth in West Sussex.

Upperton was one of the first English vineyards I ever tried over 10 years ago. In fact I still have a bottle from that first visit in the cellar, hidden somewhere. The owner Andy Rogers is in the same cellar door tendering his wines. There is a nice air of relaxation from Andy and his vineyard, this is probably down to the fact that he is now semi-retired. I find the same wines but new vintages. There is something nice about visiting a vineyard that was part of your introduction to English wines, it feels like coming home or putting on a comfortable hoodie. We spent over an hour tasting his wines with a little dash of my spirits, exchanging funny stories on English wine and the characters within it.

About the Upperton’s wines

I tried all four of Andy’s wines, which varied in age from 2019 to 2021 vintage and have tastes to suit most palate;

1. Alia – We make Alia solely from Chardonnay grapes that are given time to reach their full potential before we harvest them. This ensures that Alia will mature into a truly distinctive ‘blanc de blanc’.

2. Nebula – is a meticulous blend of our Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, creating a wine with rich fruit flavours, power and finesse.

3. Aurora – The imposing strength of Chardonnay is matched by the deep, rich qualities of Pinot Noir and complemented by the soft, gentle warmth of Pinot Meunier.

4. Tenebris is born from our superlative Pinot grapes which envelope our exceptional south facing slopes. Being pressed from the black sparkling wine grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Michael’s choice and comments on Nebula

The wine I have chosen from the above is the Nebula which is a young vibrant sparkling wine which has a great freshness and balance. Very easy to drink and great with food!

Comment from the winemaker’s Tom and Simon

Pale gold colour with hints of pink. Fruit on the nose, with apple and peach dominant and aromas of brioche. Palate is crisp, with green apple and citrus notes and a full, refreshing finish. Considerable finesse. Excellent quality English sparkler made with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.

This wine retails at £29.50 a bottle and can be purchased directly from the vineyard https://www.uppertonvineyards.co.uk/the-wines/ You can also book a tour of their vineyard and tasting with stunning views, so book in online for this.

Written for County Business Club by Michael Yeoman, English Wine Specialist and producer of Spirit of the Downs, award-winning local artisan Brandies and Grape spirit.