County Business Clubs’ Wine of the Month September 2022

For this month’s Wine of the Month, we have chosen a vineyard near Thakeham, West Sussex. The origin of ‘Kinsbrook’ comes from combining the word ‘kin’ (which is all about family and connection) and ‘brook’ (because flowing brooks cut through both the vineyard’s main sites). 

Joe Beckett and his partner Rebecca Dancer, grow a mixture of grapes for still and sparkling wines but have a real focus on bringing the very best local food producers to showcase their wines. Favouring minimal-interventionalist, regenerative practices, both in the vineyard and winemaking processes, Kinsbrook is continuing to promote sustainability through Kinsbrook Farmhouse, its brand new farm shop and eatery, which will open its doors later this month. Check the website for the new opening times. 

From the excellent range of wines on offer, we have chosen the recently launched “21” which was recently named Great British Wine’s ‘Wine of the Month’. 

Winemaker’s notes

Joe explains: “In 2021, despite suffering brutal frosts, heavy rain, high humidity, a summer of no sun, hungry birds and curious neighbours, at harvest time the yields were modest and not enough to make our usual single-variety wines, but full of flavour and juice. In this, we saw an opportunity to make a special, limited edition wine: 21, of which there were just 3,000 bottles produced. 

The award-winning 21

21 perfectly blends three still grape varieties – Bacchus, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Précoce. 

Tasting notes:

Ripe peach

Tropical Haribo

Honey blossom

Joe suggests pairing 21 with creamy dishes to cut through the richness with its high acidity followed with lots of stone fruit and tropical flavours with a long finish. 

Michael’s tasting notes

For me, 21 on the nose provides an instant hit of grapefruit. This reminds me of a French Sauvignon Blanc with floral notes followed by citrus. On the palate, it is fresh and delicate with rich acidity, which makes your mouth salvate, followed by lots of fruit. It’s a great wine for pairing with food. 

To sample Kinsbrook wines you will have to visit the vineyard as they sell most of their wines in-house due to limited production. “21” is available online but I would suggest you save the postage and visit so you can try their range of wine. It is a lovely place to visit, has alfresco dining with their small plate menu and will have their new restaurant opening soon with the deli and farm shop as well as live entertainment on Sundays. I am particularly fond of their rose. 

Michael Yeoman,
English Wine and International Wine Specialist

Michael Yeoman produces his own range of sustainable spirits with Spirit of the Downs (www.spiritofthedowns.co.uk) and works with small batch local vineyards with his Brighton and Hove Wine Club (www.brightonandhovewineclub.co.uk)