"A luminous, flaxen-gold hue leads to a heady nose of ripe papaya and creamy lemon balm, a re!ned beading of white peach and fennel pollen with a silken, yuzu zest finish"
Rathfinny Estate in East Sussex was founded in 2010 by husband and wife, Mark and Sarah Driver. Once a working arable farm, the first vines were planted in 2012 and today Rathfinny comprises over 200 acres of predominantly Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.The estate occupies the main part of Cradle Valley, on a south-facing slope close to the iconic Cuckmere Valley, just three miles from the sea and the famous Seven Sisters cliffs, about a half a mile south of Alfriston village. The light, thin, clay loam soils over chalk are free draining and very similar to the Champagne region of France.
2017 was an exceptional vintage but is in relatively short supply in the UK because of difficult growing conditions that affeccted most of northern Europe; a late spring frost badly affected many vineyards from Champagne to Rioja in northern Spain. Fortunately, the south facing aspect and proximity to the coast of Rathfinny’s vineyards, protected them from this frost event. After an early budburst the grapes benefitted from a long ripening period and a phenomenal ‘Indian summer’, with unseasonably warm September weather producing fantastic ripe fruit, with great flavours and balanced acidity and sugar levels.
