Boutique English sparkling wine producer Sugrue South Downs has just launched their first ever rosé wine.
The new wine, Rosé Ex Machina, joins the hitherto all white line-up of Sugrue South Downs. Made from the fruit of a single vineyard, Jenkyn Place in Hampshire, the release is “extremely limited,” with just 4,500 bottles and 200 magnums produced.
Any English winegrower – and winegrowers in general – are familiar with dramatic weather events. Winemaker Dermot Sugrue named the wine according to the dramatic circumstances it was made in: Rosé Ex Machina. This refers to the wow-effect created by crane-like devices that allowed actors to play gods descending from the heavens in Greek drama and thereby save the day – they were deuses ex machina. Frost had severely limited yields in the 2016 vintage but the fruit from Jenkyn Place Vineyard was so ripe, this rosé cuvée could be conceived.
The wine is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier and 30% Chardonnay – all vinified in stainless steel. 20% of Pinot Noir vinified as red wine lends the unusually deep colour. “We love the intensity that can be achieved by this method, though getting the colour and balance right is never easy,” Sugrue said. “We chose this style in 2016 as we prefer profound colour to pale Rosé, depth of flavour to powderpuff pink in our wines.”
