The joy of Blanc de Blancs vintage sparkling wine

The Squerryes vineyard began thanks to a visit from a French champagne house back in 2004 - those of you who have visited us on one of our tours will know this well.In 2004 other than knowing how delicious champagne was - and central to a good party! - John Warde and his son Henry had never given Champagne a second thought, let alone thinking it was a product they might emulate . After many conversations and an offer to purchase the land, The Warde family were invited to visit the Côte des Blancs and to see the home of high quality Champagne. Whilst there, Henry tried a bottle of Blanc de Blancs, and a lifelong love affair began.Upon their return, the Wardes decided to go it alone and plant vines themselves. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier were to be cultivated and a traditional method sparkling wine was the aim. In the back of Henry Warde’s mind was the thought of a crisp, elegant, sophisticated Blanc de Blancs - could the chalk slopes in Westerham on the Squerryes Estate really be Champagne quality?

In 2004 other than knowing how delicious champagne was - and central to a good party! - John Warde and his son Henry had never given Champagne a second thought, let alone thinking it was a product they might emulate . After many conversations and an offer to purchase the land, The Warde family were invited to visit the Côte des Blancs and to see the home of high quality Champagne. Whilst there, Henry tried a bottle of Blanc de Blancs, and a lifelong love affair began.

Upon their return, the Wardes decided to go it alone and plant vines themselves. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier were to be cultivated and a traditional method sparkling wine was the aim. In the back of Henry Warde’s mind was the thought of a crisp, elegant, sophisticated Blanc de Blancs - could the chalk slopes in Westerham on the Squerryes Estate really be Champagne quality?
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The terroir of the Côte des Blancs owes much of its geological complexity to Cretaceous chalk, the remnants of a sea floor laid down over 70 million years ago. This ancient sea left behind a mosaic of soils rich in limestone, chalk, and marl. These geological deposits are the bedrock of the Côte des Blancs' terroir and contribute to the unique minerality and character found in Blanc de Blancs - and as luck would have it, the North Downs in Westerham are made of the very same chalk.
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Blanc de blancs means “White from white”, and refers to a Champagne made exclusively from white grapes - in our case, 100% Chardonnay (as opposed to a Blanc de Noirs, a white wine made from red grapes). This varietal choice imparts a distinct character to the wine. Chardonnay, known for its crisp acidity, citrusy notes, and subtle minerality, produces Blanc de Blancs with a lively, refreshing, and refined profile - and when grown on chalk soils can be a real reflection of the vineyard’s terroir. Combine with extended lees ageing in the wine making process and you can create a wine with fantastic complexity.
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For a food and wine lover like me, Blanc de Blancs is a dream - especially when it has the ageing ours has - 8 years of ageing on both the lees and on the cork has given our brilliantly dynamic wine some breadth and complexity which means when it comes to food pairing it is perfection. Think Oysters: The briny sweetness of oysters complements the bright acidity and minerality of Blanc de Blancs. Sushi: fresh clean flavours matching with the citrus notes. Creamy cheese creates a luxurious contrast for the wine to cut through, and matches the wine’s richness, poultry in creamy sauces, seafood pasta dishes, scallops - the list goes on, and every dish is one I look forward to!

Enough of my gluttonous ways, and back to the experts - According to Henry Warde -
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“Following planting in 2006 we've found ripening chardonnay at 150 metres in Kent requires nerves of steel - our current 2015 BdB vintage was picked on 7th November. Our blanc de blanc though is all the better and more interesting for this slow (desperately slow at times) ripening as it retains a precision and lovely fruit characteristic which is still evident after 7- 8 years of ageing on lees. After this time the acidity (whilst still vibrant) has softened and complex notes of yeast complement the balance perfectly. It's certainly worth the wait.”

We currently have 2 vintages of Blanc de Blancs available, the 2014 in Magnum, and 2015 in single bottle, and you’ll find the Bdb a rarity in our line up. We don’t always make one - the chardonnay comes from a specific parcel of Burgundian Chardonnay clones that we treat separately in the winery and keep in mind for a Blanc de Blancs - if the fruit isn’t deemed perfect to stand up on it’s own and after years of ageing, it is used in other blends that year and a Blanc de Blancs is skipped.