It's no secret that the English have every ambition of producing sparkling wines that can rival their globally renowned neighbours down south, and for centuries and even as recently as decades, this was thought to be impossible - the UK, further up north, was simply too cold and damp to have grapes sufficiently ripen. Lap on top of that the lack of generational accumulated expertise, and also surely nothing could rival the centuries old heritage and romantic conviviality that Champagne has painstaking cultivated and entrenched - and so for long it felt like the French had little to worry themselves about!

Yet, it seems that all of that might be about to change. 

Roebuck Estate's Roman Villa vineyards in West Sussex.

Into the 1970's and 80's, several vintners - and one American couple who simply couldn't be told no - began to notice that temperatures to the south of the UK were beginning to warm up sufficiently enough that Champenoise varietals (of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, which were ideal in particular because of its ability to achieve high natural acidity and develop enough sugars) could now be farmed to a high quality. In fact, it is said that the climate experienced in south UK today matches that of the Champagne region itself in the 1960's to 1990's, which has been recognised as some of the best decades for the French bubbly. And so using the methode traditionelle that is what defines how Champagne are made, the UK would begin to put out its own sparkling wines. Skeptics were of course abound, and yet from vintage to the next, and gradually with one pop of a bottle a time, these naysayers found themselves surprised - the UK was now producing sparkling wines that were not just punching above its weight, but that were in fact world class!

Through that momentous breakthrough, the UK sparkling wine scene would thus burst with excitement, drawing to it the necessary financial resources and expertise needed to truly sustain the industry. The prospect of making a mark in an emerging new wine region was simply too strong an allure. Consequently the past three decades has seen the tremendous growth of the UK sparkling wine scene, with even several French houses themselves taking to their neighbours up north to get in on the action, if not at the least to hedge their bets as climate conditions continue to shift.

One such breakout producer is Roebuck Estates.

Founded in 2013 by two Sussex raised entrepreneurs, Michael Smith and John Ball, who were drawn to the burgeoning region, the English sparkling wine producer finds itself in west Sussex, just under a 2-hour drive out from central London and midway between Portsmouth and Crawley. Having spent several years in search of the right vineyards, the pair would over the years accumulate six plots that span east and west Sussex, as well as Kent, with their home base set at Petworth Park, a serene vista that once served as the hunting grounds for King Henry VIII.

As you might guess from its emblem, the sparkling winemaker was named after the Roe Deer which roams Sussex, and doubles as an homage to the estate's commitment to sustainability and the protection of its natural environment. Its parcels of vines offers the estate the ability to produce quite the variety of wines from its various microclimates and soils, ranging from chalk to greensand and clay, with some parcels planted by the winemaker, whilst a few have been acquired from the likes of pioneering English sparkling winemaker Nyetimber. In total, Roebuck Estates counts 150 acres under vine, which are predominantly planted with the three flagship Champenoise varietals of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, with just five rows of Pinot Precoce. In a bid to better understand and explore their terroir, a variety of Champenoise and Burgundian clones, as well as varied rootstocks are used, which are each then vinified separately, further segmenting by the different soils and microclimates, which in total creates 60 to 80 different wines that then serves as an extensive palette from which the Roebuck's team can draw from to create its cuvees.

Each parcel is managed in a highly meticulous manner - block-by-block, row-by-row - tailored to the specific needs of every unique topography. This also extends from farming all the way to the winemaking process, where they've partnered with two winery partners to assist in the vinification process. Harvest is done by hand, with fermentation (using Champagne yeasts) conducted in both stainless steel for freshness and about 5% of wines in 3-4 year old Burgundian oak barrels to allow for greater textural richness, where about half of its wines are put through malolactic fermentation to soften its acidity. Blending is then done the following Spring, with the team not sticking with hard and fast proportions, but rather simply working intuitively based on taste. Proving that the differentiation doesn't just stop at the vineyards, Roebuck's wines are aged on the lees for a significant length of time to create great complexity, with all of its wines aged for a minimum of 36 months in bottle and a further 6 months on cork.

As mentioned, sustainability is big with Roebuck. In the vineyards, Roebuck uses no herbicides whilst well on its way to being completely chemical free, and have increasingly employed the use of sustainable practices such as having herds of sheep mow and fertilise their vineyards to keep the under-vine area clean, establishing beehives and hibernaculums for wildlife to take root and spur biodiversity, as well employing the use of weather technology to help minimise its environmental footprint. To that end, Roebuck Estates is rather proud to be a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) certification scheme, which it carries through even to its final packaging, with its bottles made of recycled green glass, foils made of sugar cane derived plant-based polyethylene and water-based inks on its labels with also of course fully recyclable wine boxes.

All things considered, the estate remains fairly young, with its first wines only making its debut appearance in 2019, although said wine was pretty well aged, having come from the 2014 vintage. Nevertheless Roebuck Estates has done a remarkable job of flying out the gates, with even its few vintages thus far having already established a great reputation for the Sussex sparkling winemaker. Thus far the estate has made clear its focus on delivering a release for each vintage for its flagship Classic Cuvee (with all of its wines vintage marked), allowing for each release to serve as a timestamp of the season, as it begins to rack up the chapters of its youth. Its still early days and the estate makes no pretences about its ongoing work to defining the signature character and profile of its wines, whilst also balancing the ability to achieve consistency from vintage to vintage in the otherwise fickle English weather, yet what it's put out so far has most definitely made it one to keep a tab on.

In the most recent Champagniac festival, the largest sparkling wine festival to be held in Singapore, I was able to get to try all three of Roebuck's cuvees, from the Classic Cuvee to the Rose de Noirs and Blanc de Noirs, all of which from the 2018 vintage that was released in 2024. This was courtesy of Fermented.sg (or also FatsoSomm) who is the importer for Roebuck Estates and had represented the English sparkling producer at the festival.

Let's go!

Wine Review: Roebuck Estates Classic Cuvee

We start with Roebuck Estate's flagship Classic Cuvee! This is 47% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir and 11% Pinot Meunier that's harvested from the Roebuck, Little Brockhurst and Roman Villa vineyards, representing a variety of soils from greensand to clay and loam. The wines were partially fermented in old Burgundian oak barrels with then extended bottle ageing for a minimum of 4 years (48 months in bottle), with 7 g/l dosage.

This is the 2018 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw

Aroma: Vibrantly aromatic! It's ridiculously buttery and doughy with such precision and detail, it feels like a bakery at work in here! Firm, rich and really plush, it's giving salted butter with a honeyed bready quality. There's also scoops of baked pears here. Yet it's really that plucky dough that's just delivering that beautiful depth here!

Taste: Medium-bodied, rounded and plush, with this honeyed quality, it's filled in with fresh pears and green apples with just a touch of doughiness and salted butter here. It's really supple and almost chewy in richness, with a delicate green orchard fruit acidity. Completely seamless.

Finish: More of those green pears and apples, still with that doughiness and a gentle drizzle of honey. It carries through all of that richness, still chewy, seamlessly through the finish. Light spread of salted butter lingers with some bruised apple savouriness.

My Thoughts

This was wildly impressive! It has the absolute, most beautiful aromas here with that doughiness that just transcends with such realism and depth you'd almost think you were a baker! It's then cohesively melded with those fresh orchard fruits, backed up by a soft yet rich, almost chewy honeyed breadiness and doughiness, almost reminiscent of sourdough. There's also this crystalline bright air of cold salted butter that permeates the aromas and gently on the palate as well, balanced really nicely on the warmth of the body's richness. It's rounded and plush yet without overripeness or heaviness, very much allowing for that bright yet softened acidity to come through. The finish is long and richly textural, all the way supplied by soft yet firm bubbles, with finally a tip of bruised apple savouriness that holds up against that richness.

This was an incredible sparkling wine that I absolutely adored and for me is total perfection. It demonstrated remarkable depth and balance, and is of course retailed at great value. It does still feel alittle youthful in a sense - it feels exactly like a young wine with really well executed long lees ageing - which if the winery had more years under its belt to develop its reserve wines, it could most certainly pad the Classic Cuvee with that much more soulfulness which would really push it right to the top.

Whilst it feels more broadly more clean and precise, with also a more pronounced richness than the typical Champagne (as if there was even a archetypal Champagne), I'd say this leans into grower Champagne territory in terms of style - certainly with that long lees ageing - and in my opinion would rank in the upper tiers if it were to go head to head with Champagne. This would be on pour daily if it were up to me! For where Roebuck Estates is at currently, this was really stunning!

Wine Review: Roebuck Estates Blanc de Noirs

Next we come to Roebuck's Blanc de Noirs. This is made with 100% Pinot Noir that primarily comes from the estate's Roman Villa vineyard (which was acquired from Nyetimber). This was hand harvested and then whole bunch pressed and partially fermented in stainless steel and old Burgundian oak barrels, after which it's then aged on the lees in bottle for a minimum of 3 years! Additionally about 58% of the wine was put through malolactic fermentation to round out the acidity. It's given a dosage of 7.9 g/l.

This is the 2018 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw

Aroma: Opens with bouquets of white florals and a soft doughy presence, it's filled in with red apples and pears, along with a drizzle of honey. Underscored by a vein of chalky minerality. This is certainly more fruit forward and also feels more compact, with also more precision and definition.

Taste: Medium-bodied here, rounded and honeyed, it continues to deliver those red apples and pears, a mix of red and green orchard fruits. It's lifted and elegant with an almost crystalline quality, really compact yet at the same time velvety. It immediately feels really energetic and with quite the drive and tension. Little dabs of dough towards the back, with then some malic savouriness of bruised apples. The acidity here is high and almost muscular, yet at the same time chiselled and broad, which has the effect of making it feel pointed without being sharp.

Finish: Honeyed into the finish, more doughy here from the lees, with apples and white florals once again. It progresses on to a light savouriness of bruised apples, a dash of salt, with also alittle bit of mineral spring water. It's rich and seamless through the finish, again really compact, with a lingering touch of bruised apples.

My Thoughts

In contrast to the easygoing Classic Cuvee, the Roebuck Estate's Blanc de Noirs feels markedly more bold and energetic, with a more compact body that brings with it alot of drive and a fast paced cadence. It's an exciting wine that feels like its bursting forward with anticipation! Whilst I enjoyed the Classic Cuvee a whole lot, the Blanc de Noirs feels more appropriate for an occasion of celebration with an energy that matches, whereas the Classic Cuvee feels more like a daily pour that you'd have for lunch or if you're hosting a dinner of sorts. So really it's just a matter of selecting the right pace.

But back to the Blanc de Noirs, it's elegant and sexy, with also more fruit forwardness, whilst you still do find some that lees ageing doughiness at the back. It's rich yet really compact and crisp, with a well developed acidity that's very present and defined yet at the same time broad and not angular. It holds this honeyed quality throughout that seamlessly brings you from freshly harvested orchard fruits into a slightly more oxidative savouriness of bruised apples. Perhaps what I liked most here was those lovely bouquets of white florals that perfumed its nose, with also that underline of minerality that allows the single vineyard terroir to peek out.

Wine Review: Roebuck Estates Rose de Noirs

Now we have the Rose de Noirs, this one is rather unique because not only is it not made every vintage (it's made only when the team is able to achieve riper fruits that deliver a more red berry forward character), it's also made using that tiny lot of 5 rows of Pinot Precoce fruit (the estate says is comparable in profile to Gamay). Rather than use the saignee method (where some juice is let out from the fermentation tank which then becomes the rose), here the Pinot Precoce is handpicked and fermented separately in a stainless steel tank with pumpovers used to extract as much colour from the skin whilst also minimising tannins. This separately vinified Precoce wine is then added to the Blanc de Noir at disgorgement to produce this Rose de Noirs.

And so Roebuck's Rose de Noirs is 78% Pinot Noir, 17% Pinot Meunier and 5% Pinot Precoce, harvested from the Roebuck, Roman Villa and Little Brockhurst vineyards in West Sussex. Aside from the Pinot Precoce, the other wines are partially fermented in old Burgundian oak barrels, with then the cuvee undergoing a minimum of 53 months of bottle ageing on the lees. It carries a dosage of 6 g/l.

This is the 2018 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Salmon

Aroma: It opens with a rich doughiness and that of cold butter, really fragrant with this veil of lactic mustiness which is giving this incredible depth and aromatic texture. This is then backed by a more grassy and lightly tart spread of wild strawberries and cherries.

Taste: Medium-bodied here, really plush and firm, with the same tones of fresh strawberries and lightly tart wild strawberries, still alittle grassy here, yet with more of a richness of the fruit with a core of strawberry compote. It's showing good richness here and yet still delivers this almost opposing compact crispness.

Finish: A more confectionary tone of vanilla cream, still some of that doughiness persists, with also those strawberry preserves and compote paving the way through the finish. That doughiness and cold butter lingers on.

My Thoughts

A really lovely Rose that comes delivered with this really beautiful body of lactic richness that marries those lightly tart red berry fruitiness with that doughiness. That in turn creates this almost rustic balance of brightness and broad richness, almost reminiscent of strawberry confectionaries like a strawberry daifuku or a strawberry cobbler yet to be baked. It's got such depth and a powerfully alluring sensibility that draws you in and mesmerises!

Its body also demonstrates a wonderful textural balance where it's at once rich yet at the same time compact and crisp, which makes for a really satisfying texture. Roebuck Estates' Rose de Noirs feels rustic and pure, like a strawberry cobbler in a countryside cottage. Wonderful!

Kanpai!

@111hotpot