100% sparkling Seyval Blanc from one of Sussex's oldest vineyards. Breaky Bottom have been growing this stalwart grape for over 30 years, and although more modern vineyards growing the champagne varietals have stolen the limelight over the last 10 years, I always sense a real soft spot for Breaky Bottom amongst English wine fans. It has been quite fashionable to knock Seyval recently, and it tends not to do too well in blind tastings next to the pinots and chardonnay (in this year's annual tasting of over 90 English wines organised by Stephen Skelton MW, Breaky Bottom's 2006 came in a respectable 21st as the highest-placed non-champagne varietal wine). My feeling about Seyval as a base wine is that it is never going to reach the heights that the champagne varietals can in a top vineyard and a good year, but it can be approachable younger and more reliable in poor vintages. Perhaps most importantly, I like it - it's not blowsy or pungent, it tastes of apples and herbs, and it doesn't tend to have the searing acidity that a young English chardonnay can have in a year like 2008. I hope that a few hardy souls will keep making Seyval wines.
This pours a very pale, green-tinted straw. It reminds me of a fine Blanc de Blancs at first with its lovely sense of icing sugar and macaroon, but moves on to reveal quite deep and vinous bramley apple and as well as hints of white pepper, vanilla and thyme, all under a gentle whiff of apple blossom. Very elegant style on the palate, as the patisserie flavours surround the core of tangy, clean ripe apple and fine acidity. It's not the most persistent in flavour or aroma, and in fact the effervescence was not the longest lasting in this bottle, but it is very attractive and certainly up there with the Camel Valley Brut (although made in a much more vinous, Loire-like style). 2008 was a pretty tricky vintage in the UK and this is much readier to drink than a raft of 2008s from Chardonnay in particular, even if they end up overtaking it in a few years.
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