Harrow & Hope Brut Reserve, Buckinghamshire, England

This latest release of Harrow & Hope’s signature blend has been created from all three classic grape varieties, led by the pure fruit and texture of Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier and well supported by the finesse of Chardonnay. No 8 is based on the wonderful Pinot year that is 2019. It was a cooler and longer ripening season than 2018 and gives this wine a more elegant and focussed structure. The pronounced Pinot character is already giving lovely toasty complexity which will continue to build over the next few years. Combining this with 24% reserve wines you really start to see the complexity of the different soil types and how they show up in all the wines. With the previous No 6 picking up trophies for best English NV sparkling at Wine GB awards 2022 and Best Value English Sparkling Wine in Tom Hewson’s definitive English Wine Report 2022, this wine has a fantastic pedigree. Always fresh and vibrant on release it will reward extra cellaring with increased toasty complexity.

Harrow & Hope’s single-vineyard sits on an ancient Thames gravel terrace. Being quite central and away from the coast the vineyard experiences high summer day temperatures with cooler nights that preserve precious acidity.