OFFER

“The best winemaker in England” Stephen Spurrier on Dermot Sugrue

“Spectacular… honestly England’s best”
Hugh Johnson on Cuvee Dr Brendan O’Regan

“There are many treasures to be found among Sugrue South Downs”
Neal Martin

Dermot Sugrue is the man behind some of the very best – and most exciting – English sparkling wines. Formerly head winemaker at Nyetimber, he now makes wine at highly acclaimed Wiston Estate, as well as working on his own label Sugrue South Downs which released its first wine in 2013. Despite the tiny production of only 5,000 bottles per year, the wines have had rave reviews from the critics. We are big fans at Cuchet&co, and rate these wines very highly indeed.

Sugrue’s aim is to make top quality sparkling wines that combine freshness and acidity with palate texture. He began his career with a stint at Ch L’Eglise Clinet, and appropriately for an accolyte of Durantou, his winemaking starts in the vineyard. Man-made chemicals are avoided at Sugrue‘s sites in Sussex and Hampshire: an approach not without risks in the damp UK climate.

In the winery, the same uncompromising search for quality continues. The grapes are very gently pressed, then undergo a slow fermentation in a mix of stainless steel and old oak. Sugrue avoids malolactic fermentation wherever possible, which is not easy with high acid English fruit. The final technical challenge is to avoid filtration – which is rarely possible in sparkling winemaking but gives extra vibrancy to the wines.