Louis Pommery Brut NV England (3 x 750ml)

(RRP - $99 per bottle  Offer price - $69 per bottle in a straight three-pack)

Blend of 55% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 8% Pinot Meunier, 12% ABV. Natural cork closure.

"This is the first English sparkling wine from a Champagne house to hit the market - although it's the result of a collaboration with Hattingley Valley, using their facilities to make the wine from grapes purchased from Hampshire, Essex and Sussex. Pommery expect to be making wine from their own recently planted 40ha vineyard in Hampshire in the next 6-8 years. This has a fresh nose of green apple, chalk and dough, while the palate has a juicy lemon, lime and apple character, with subtle honeyed stone fruits in the background. The bubbles are well integrated, and there's a delightful saline finish. Well balanced. "
James Button, Decanter Magazine

"Pricey or not, this Louis Pommery England Brut NV is entirely drinkable wine. The acidity has that distinct English green apple tang, contrasted by a creamy lees character. Admittedly that lees is somewhat disjointed from the rampant acidity but adds another layer. Fresher than most NV Champagne, long and vital fizz.

More importantly is the promise of a wine like this. Balance the acidity to more lees ageing and you'll likely have a crisp and sophisticated Champagne alternative. The only problem? Geez it's expensive. Like crazy dollars, weighing in at nearly $100 a bottle. That's Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve (which I love) territory, and I know what I'd be spending my dollars on.

Still, this is yet another thirst-quenching UK fizz and another welcome English sparkling to land here in Australia. Best drinking: it's a NV so it should be now, though with no disgorgement date that's hard to tell. Drink now."
17.5/20, Andrew Graham - ozwinereview

"Produced by Vranken-Pommery, which makes Pommery Champagne, using the classic grapes chardonnay and pinot noir and nearly four years on lees. Light colour, vigorous mousse, and a very fresh, bright, youthful style with bracing acidity. Meringue, vanilla and citrus nuances. A fine aperitif style."
Huon Hooke

"This blend of 55% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 8% Pinot Meunier, has a dosage of 8 g/l. It is a really impressive youthful English sparkler with a healthy whack of dosage. It's bright and lemony with fruit purity and keen acidity balanced by some pear and sweet apple richness, as well as a twist of cherry. There's certainly some sweetness from the dosage which works perfectly to provide balance. Very pure and seductive, and such accomplished winemaking.".
92/100, Jamie Goode - wineanorak.com