Stephen Redenbaugh

9.3

One of those days when travel plans are destroyed by a rail strike… two hours late for meal. But this boisterous English sparkler brought huge smiles. Dry strawberry fizz in a weightless silken form. Worked with all eight courses of a tasting menu. Need to drink more English bubbly! — 3 years ago

Will Stanley

9.4

Copper in colour, the 2015 Blanc de Noirs from Rathfinny in Sussex is a magical expression of the style and another exceptional English sparkling wine.

The nose features rich aromas of bruised apple, strawberry, brioche and orange peel. The palate is broad, mouth-filling and adds peach and nectarine (Molly’s notes) to the call sheet.

A wine I’d love to pitch against a French equivalent. — 5 years ago

Will Stanley

9.2

The inaugural 2016 Classic Cuvée from Rathfinny is as accomplished a wine as I have encountered in its class, with a fantastic nose of fresh cut red apples, pink grapefruit and some toast-like aromas which lend a complexity absent from some of this wine’s contemporaries. The palate is rich, broad and dry, with keen acidity. Very good stuff, especially for vines which in 2016 were only four years of age. — 5 years ago