Ridgeview, Blanc de Blancs, Sussex, England, 2014

It's exuberant on the nose, with honeyed red apple fruit and yeasty autolytic character. Harmonious, with no sharp edges, this has focussed fruit and mellow depth. It's a single-vineyard wine from the original block that was planted by the founders in the late 1990s – among the oldest Chardonnay vines in the country. The long track record shows also in the complexity of this forward and fruit-driven fizz.

The first Ridgeview vineyards were planted in 1995, in the foothills of the Sussex South Downs, and the fruit for this all-Chardonnay wine comes from the original estate vineyard. The lemon-cream nose is fragranced with dog rose blossom. The palate is sweetly spiced with star-anise notes among a lemon drizzle cake character. It's round and fruity, with the strict acid backbone discreetly held by the plush palate feel of a creamy mousse and soft peach and lemon fruits.