Blanc de Blancs
£50
White peach and lemon zest open into jasmine, fresh brioche and a cool chalky line. Forty-two months on lees bring quiet depth without muting the fruit, leaving this estate Chardonnay precise, mineral and impressively long.
2017
New Alresford
Louis Pommery’s English story began in 2014, when the Champagne house looked across the Channel and recognised familiar possibilities in Hampshire’s cool climate and chalk. Pinglestone Estate followed in 2017, making Pommery the first Champagne name to plant its own vineyard in England. The first estate harvest arrived in 2020. Today, 29 vineyard blocks curl across 35 hectares near Old Alresford, their aspects turning through a full compass of exposures. Chardonnay leads a classic quartet with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris, while the winery sits just 200 metres away. That short journey lets the team keep each parcel separate, taste the character of the season and build the final blends with precision. There is another 15-hectare story between the rows. Wildflower margins, hedges, grazing sheep, beehives and a ten-year wildlife plan reserve almost a third of the estate for habitats beyond wine. On selected summer dates, visitors can see both sides of Pinglestone before tasting the finished wines in its extraordinary seventeenth-century barn.
Pinglestone Estate occupies 50 hectares of rolling Hampshire chalk, with 35 hectares of vines and 15 hectares dedicated to biodiversity. Twenty-nine blocks range from about 65 to 93 metres above sea level, their varied aspects giving the team a broad palette at blending time. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris sink their roots into Seaford and Newhaven Chalk, with the winery close enough for freshly picked fruit to be pressed within minutes.
WINEMAKER
Will Perkins grew up only a few miles from Pinglestone, then took the long route home through cellars and vineyards in South Africa, Spain, California, New Zealand and Australia. Five years at Hattingley Valley sharpened his feel for English sparkling wine before he joined Louis Pommery in 2022. At Pinglestone he works block by block, preserving the brightness of Hampshire fruit while using blending and time on lees to bring Pommery’s polished house instincts into a distinctly English register.
The Collection
£50
White peach and lemon zest open into jasmine, fresh brioche and a cool chalky line. Forty-two months on lees bring quiet depth without muting the fruit, leaving this estate Chardonnay precise, mineral and impressively long.
£30
Pear, peach and green apple meet yellow citrus, a dusting of dough and a clean chalk-and-salt finish. Fine bubbles and brisk acidity give this four-grape Brut an easy elegance, with enough savoury shape for the table.
£36
Wild strawberry and redcurrant lead this salmon-pink rosé, with citrus freshness, a softly rounded middle and a fine, persistent mousse. Estate Pinot Noir red wine brings colour and berry definition without weighing down the finish.
Tours and tastings
Tours and tastings: Selected tour dates, generally July to September, and private appointments — advance booking required. Routes cross uneven working-vineyard and winery ground; guests with mobility requirements should contact the team before booking.