{"product_id":"an-exploration-of-english-sparkling-friday-25th-september","title":"An Exploration of English Sparkling - Friday 25th September","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e🕙 7:00PM\u003cbr\u003e📅 Friday 25th September\u003cbr\u003e📍 Vintage Conservatory, King Street W\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThis evening offers a rare opportunity to explore one of the wine world's most exciting emerging categories — English sparkling wine, which over the past two decades has established itself as a serious rival to Champagne, sharing the same seam of chalk that runs beneath the English Channel. Crafted using the traditional method, the finest English sparklings combine razor-sharp acidity, mineral precision, and an unmistakably English sense of restraint and poise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWe begin in Dorset with Langham's Culver Classic Extra Brut, a taut and expressive cuvée from one of England's most acclaimed young estates, before moving east to Kent for Balfour's 1503 Classic Cuvée and the eagerly awaited NV Domaine Evremond Classic Cuvée — the landmark Kentish venture from Champagne house Taittinger, a significant moment for English wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe evening then turns to terroir and vintage through three benchmark expressions. Chapel Down's 2019 Kit's Coty Blanc de Blancs, from a prized south-facing chalk vineyard on the North Downs, showcases the mineral finesse of English Chardonnay at its most refined. Alongside it, we pour Wiston Estate's 2018 Blanc de Blancs and 2018 Blanc de Noirs from the chalk slopes of the South Downs — a fascinating side-by-side that isolates the influence of grape variety, with site and vintage held constant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe wines will be enjoyed alongside a four-course dinner, with thoughtful pairings designed to highlight their elegance and complexity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eJoin us for what promises to be a captivating exploration of England's sparkling revolution, where chalk, cool climate, and quiet ambition converge in the glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Freddie Rae\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eFreddie cut his teeth in fine wine as a sommelier in Manchester, UK, before relocating to Prince Edward County to become Assistant Winemaker at Norman Hardie, where he completed five vintages. In 2025, he barreled his own wine, Skimming Bird — set for release in September 2026. A holder of the prestigious WSET Level 4 Diploma, Freddie has also completed a vintage in Central Otago, New Zealand, crafting world-class Pinot Noir. His approach to wine is informed by both dedicated study and hands-on experience across some of the world's most respected wine regions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"freddierae.com","offers":[{"title":"19 years or older","offer_id":54471837450573,"sku":null,"price":329.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0881\/3258\/3757\/files\/1.png?v=1785772630","url":"https:\/\/freddierae.com\/products\/an-exploration-of-english-sparkling-friday-25th-september","provider":"freddierae.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}