County Business Clubs’ Wine of the Month December 2025

Wine of the Month for December is Peter Hall from Breaky Bottom’s Kir Royale 2019 Brut. A fine English sparkling wine to celebrate Christmas with the late Peter Hall’s Cuvée Kir Royale 2019 Brut

It would only be fitting for me to sign off the year with a wine from Breaky Bottom which has been my favourite vineyard for the last 10 years and owned by a dear friend Peter Hall who recently passed and had been making wines in Sussex for the last 50 years. The vineyard is nestled next to the South Downs near the village of Rodmell near Lewes.

I have always called him the Godfather of English Wine, who as well as making fine wines was also full of stories from his rich history and Anglo French heritage. For the last 15 years the Royal Household has also bought his sparkling wines to serve to international guests such as Presidents, Kings, Queens and dignitaries visiting to the UK so you are in good company.  For me I have always celebrated with Breaky Bottom wines especially Christmas dinner, it’s a tradition in our household every year.

50th ANNIVERSARY KIR ROYALE

Peter own’s description of his Kir Royale;

In 1999 I decided to dedicate a small area of my vineyard to grow blackcurrants for producing a Crème de Cassis which I used as a dosage to craft a Kir Royale.  I believe it was the only rosé wine of its kind in England and proved to be widely appreciated.

To mark Breaky Bottom’s 50th anniversary I have revived this cuvée by disgorging just 1,000 bottles of my 2019 Seyval Blanc with cassis made from our own blackcurrants.

The wine has a light blush pink colour, with a lively and appealing mousse.  Aromatically the wine is cheerful and unpretentious – there is light and fragrant citrus, slight floral notes with berry fruit hints.  A crisp citrus and green apple bite is met with subtle berry flavours.  The blackcurrant undertones make this an enjoyable and delightfully playful wine.

Only 1,000 bottles produced.

Varietals: Seyval Blanc and Crème de Cassis. 

ABV: 12%

Serving and pairing suggestion from Michael;

This wine works well with smoked salmon and with charcuterie such as the Salami and Copa from Curing Rebels @curingrebels

Where to buy?

This wine is available from various Sussex wines sellers such as Middle Farm, Harvey’s Brewery shop, Lewes,

Butlers Wine Cellar or at Spirit of the

Downs Distillery in Bolney for around £60 a bottle.

Written for County Business Club by Michael Yeoman, English Wine Specialist and producer of Spirit of the Downs, award winning local artisan Sussex Brandies, Grape Vodka and Boosy Barista Coffee Liqueur.

Spirit of the Downs distillery celebrate Christmas in style with their locally produced Morerish Morello Cherry Brandy, Sussex Shot Orange & Vanilla liqueurs and Wild Stork Gin

Locally based Spirit of the Downs Distillery are the only Brandy Distillery in the UK that uses local grapes to create it’s brandies and liqueurs. Since 2017 Spirit of the Downs has been using the finest local grapes to craft a range of award-winning Sussex Brandy, Grape Vodka, and Liqueurs at their distillery in Bolney just of the A23 just after Hickstead Showground. They are a small distillery but have won 13 international awards for their range of grape based spirits.

There spirits are made with sustainability in mind, typically using pressed grapes from the finest small-batch sparkling wine producers such as Bolney, Sugrue South Downs, Plumpton and Breaky Bottom. The result are spirits that are fruity, smooth, and complex,  perfect additions to any Christmas Celebrations

Last year, the distillery launched the exceptional coffee Boosy Barista which won Silver at the World Liqueur Awards. In September they launched two new liqueurs in a category which is very much on trend for Christmas;

Sussex Shot – 35% Vol – Orange and Vanilla Liqueur – 70cl – £32

Is a sweetened English brandy with fresh oranges and tangerines, it uses our English and French oak aged brandy as it’s base and is ideal on its own as a shooter or digestive. It creation was inspired by drinking sweetened Italian brandy Tuaca in the 00’s as a shot in Brighton. Sussex Shot is great as a chaser or long refreshing tall drink with ginger ale and ice. It also works well for orange based cocktails such as Margarita or as part of a sangria.

Moreish Morello – 20% Vol – Cherry Brandy Liqueur – 70cl – £28

Is a cherry brandy liqueur made from our house grape spirit to create an intense cherry liqueur using local Sussex and Kent Morello cherries for a smooth and fruity aperitif or digestive. This works well on its own as an alternative to Chambord for addition of fruit with a sparkling English sparkling wine or prosecco.

Wild Stork Gin – 43% vol – Sussex Botanical Gin – 70cl – £36

This special Gin was created using forageable local botanicals from the South Downs National Park to celebrate Storrington and Knepp Estate becoming the UK’s first Stork village. Each bottle sold provides a contribution to the South Downs National Park Trust is wonderfully rounded and can be drunk on its own or with a tonic. 

Where to find them;

Spirit of the Down’s Distillery is available in over 150 locations, including some of the South East’s finest bars and restaurants, as well as many local farm shops, garden centres, heritage sites and also at The Ivy and online via Master of Malt.

Spirit of the Downs Distillery is open from 12 till 5pm most of the week including tours on Saturday’s at 1pm and 3pm www.spiritofthedowns.co.uk
Instagram/facebook @spiritofthedowns