Could this be the best still English wine I have tasted? It’s from a 15 acre vineyard in Sussex, that’s on a much larger estate owned by Christen Monge. In a former life Chris was a global director of an advertising agency based in Hong Kong. he bought the property in 1999, and since returning to the UK with his family in 2010 he’s made the decision to develop his idyllic spot as a tourism destination with wine as one of the focal points.

It’s clear that he’s got a good understanding of brand building: this is the most beautifully packed English wine you can imagine, complete with a lovely wax capsule. Winemaking is in the hands of the very experienced Owen Elias. Vines were planted at Kingscote in 2012 (first vintage off them was in 2014) so presumably this wine was made with bought-in grapes.

Kingscote The Bacchus 2013 Sussex, England
11.5% alcohol. Made by Owen Elias. Beautifully aromatic with lovely tropical peach, pear and passionfruit richness with some citrus notes and subtle elderflower perfume. The palate is concentrated, fruity and full flavoured with rounded, expressive fruit. Impressive stuff: not the most complex wine ever, but with beautiful, alluring fruit quality. Probably the most impressive English table wine I’ve yet tasted. 90/100

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