Blanc de Blancs
Guide price: £35
Recorded vintages: 2022
A sparkling blanc de blancs aged for 32 months on its lees.
2013
London
Cliff Roberson opened London Cru in a former Fulham gin distillery in 2013, creating London’s first urban winery. The early wines used grapes from continental Europe, but production has focused entirely on English fruit since 2017.
London Cru bought the 7.5-hectare Foxhole Vineyard near Bolney in 2023. The winery also buys selected parcels from other English vineyards and makes the wines in Fulham.
Foxhole Vineyard has more than 24,000 vines across 7.5 hectares in West Sussex. Established Pinot Noir, Bacchus and Pinot Gris are joined by Chardonnay planted in 2023. London Cru also selects fruit from other English vineyards when it needs a particular variety or site.
WINEMAKER
Alex Hurley studied oenology and viticulture in Montpellier and Turin after working as an exploration geologist. He later made wine at Gusbourne before joining London Cru. Depending on the wine, he uses stainless steel, French oak, concrete tanks or egg-shaped vessels for fermentation and ageing.