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If the last year-and-a-bit has seen us all get better at one thing then that thing has probably been learning how to adjust to the slower pace of life that has been imposed upon us.
Some of us have missed the pace of racing around town to this meeting and that event, even if it meant hours in the car or being crushed up in public transport. For others, this slowing down has given us the opportunity to remind ourselves that we are human ‘beings’ rather than human ‘doings’, and try out new things that bring us pleasure.
“While COVID-19 has forced millions of us to stay at home and indoors, that hasn’t stopped us from being collaborative, imaginative, creative and productive”, says Dan Raven-Ellison, founder of Slow Ways, a project to create a network of walking routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns, cities and villages using existing footpaths, ways, trails and roads.
During lockdown 700 volunteers from across the nation collaborated to produce a map of 7,000 routes that collectively stretch for over 100,000km, which Dan says will make it easier for people to “imagine, plan and go on walking journeys”. If you fancy a leisurely amble, or even a bike ride or run, you can plot your own Slow Ways route here: https://beta.slowways.org/Allroutes
Slow and steady
Here at Lyme Bay Winery, we are also fans of taking some things slow, especially when the result is a quality product like our English Sparkling Wines.
A true labour of love, there are over 15 separate processes involved in making our award-winning English Sparkling Wines using the ‘Traditional Method’ – the same process used for Champagne – which take three years before they are ready for drinking. What’s more, we only make our premium sparkling wines when the vintage is right, which means they are not even available every year.
If you’ve got a special occasion coming up that deserves to be accompanied by some superior fizz, then we’ve got just the thing…
For a long-awaited wedding…
Our Brut Reserve Sparkling is made from only the finest press cuts of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Meunier, Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, and Reichensteiner grapes. After an extended cold settle, the base wine is fermented at cool temperatures to maintain the grapes’ freshness, with careful attention during blending to retain the refreshing and zesty lemon and green apple notes.
This fruity sparkler ends with a vibrant and creamy mousse finish, making it an ideal easy drinking choice for any special occasion.
For a lazy seaside picnic…
We’ve just released a new vintage of our Classic Cuvée from 2016, made from a blend of the noble Champagne varieties Pinot Noir (81%) and Chardonnay (19%), carefully hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed, with only the best press cuttings going into the wine. After a slow, cold, natural settle the juice is inoculated for primary fermentation, with a portion going into barrel to add complexity and mouth feel. The wine is then bottled for secondary fermentation the following spring, and remains on-lees for a minimum of 24 months to develop the secondary yeast flavours, before being disgorged and given time under cork before release.
The result is an elegant sparkling wine with citrus and stone fruit flavours alongside the aroma of cooked apples, breadcrumbs, honey and almond. A perfect pick to pack up in your picnic and serve with savoury cheese dishes, seafood canapés or simply as an aperitif…
For a summer garden party…
The red wine in our Sparkling Rosé is made from a small parcel of exceptionally ripe Burgundy clone Pinot Noir, hand-harvested and sorted before being processed by gravity and given a five-day cold maceration. After fermentation, it is then blended with our Classic Cuvée to create a classy fruit-driven Sparkling Rosé.
Winner and finalist at two People’s Choice Wine Awards, this sparkler also achieved Gold in the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. A rich honeyed palate with hints of brioche and almond, it makes a perfect party treat or accompaniment to roast rare lamb or lighter game meat such as pigeon.
For a mini sparkling treat…
If you’re after a more discreet sparkling tipple, we’ve added a ‘Charmat’ Brut Reserve in 375ml half-bottle size to our sparkling range.
Charmat is the technique of secondary fermentation in tank rather than in bottle which creates a light, crisp flavour designed for easy drinking. Fresh, fruity and quaffable, this little bottle of delight is the perfect portable sparkling choice.
Speedy delivery for sparkling orders
Here at Lyme Bay, we source the best grapes from the best vineyards across the UK to make the best English wines, so why not check out our award-winning selection online? If you’d like to stock up on some of our award-winning English Sparkling Wines then our wonderful Winery shop is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am-4.30pm, Sundays 11am-3pm, so do pop by if you are in the area. You can also order drinks from us online or get in touch with our friendly team here at the Winery via email at [email protected] or on 01297 551355 if you’d like to order by phone. If we receive your order before 2pm we aim to despatch the next working day – with free delivery for all orders over £45.
As ever, we’d love to see what you are celebrating this summer, so keep sharing your topical tipple pics with us on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages.
