2014 1086 Prestige Cuvée, Nyetimber

• Style: English Sparkling, Champagne Blend
• Taste: Stone fruit, brioche, mineral backbone with bracing acidity
• Food: Oysters, scallops, smoked salmon, hard cheese, sushi
• Occasion: Celebration, aperitif, cellar worthy, gifting
• Serve: Chilled, 12% ABV, nine years on lees

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Pale gold with aromas of confit apple and poached pear, underpinned by brioche and butter from nine years maturing on its lees. Warm quince and ripe apricot unfold across the palate, supported by a bracing spine of acidity that keeps everything in balance. At 12% ABV and just 9.5g/L residual sugar, it drinks with real refinement — the length is long and graceful, exactly what you want from a wine this age and character.

The Winery — Nyetimber

For three decades, Nyetimber has pursued a single vision: to craft English sparkling wine rivalling the world's very best. The pioneering house was the first to make such wines exclusively from Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay, planting its first vines in 1988 when few believed the climate could succeed. Today, under owner and Chief Executive Eric Heerema and winemaker Cherie Spriggs, Nyetimber is regarded as one of England's finest producers. The 2014 1086 Prestige Cuvée — a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — was hand-harvested and pressed in shallow Champagne-style equipment, then fermented in stainless steel to preserve fruit purity. Second fermentation occurred in bottle using the traditional méthode champenoise, followed by eight years on the lees before disgorgement and a further year of rest. Every bottle is crafted from one hundred percent estate-grown grapes sourced from Sussex's well-drained sandy soils.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This serious sparkling deserves the finest accompaniments. Serve it with oysters, scallops, or smoked salmon — the acidity and stone fruit will sing against briny sweetness and delicate fish. It's equally superb with hard and aged cheeses, sushi, and light salads. Beyond the table, it excels as an aperitif or the final celebratory toast of an evening. Both vegan and vegetarian, it suits any gathering. If you've explored our Chardonnay selection or other England sparkling wines, you know the depth of character these cool-climate regions now command. This is one of the finest we've found — worth exploring alongside the rest of what we've curated.