Flint Vineyard Bacchus 2019 Norfolk, England 75cl

Flint Vineyard lies in the sheltered Waveney Valley on the Norfolk and Suffolk border, in one of the driest and sunniest corners of England. Founded by Ben and Hannah Witchell, it has quickly built a name for precise, modern English whites, with Ben, a trained winemaker, handling the cellar himself. In a short time the estate has become one of East Anglia’s most talked-about young producers.

Bacchus is England’s signature white grape, an aromatic German cross that is now the country’s most widely planted white variety and is often compared to Sauvignon Blanc. It is the wine that made Flint’s reputation. This is pure Bacchus, picked to catch its zesty, herb-scented character and made in a clean, unoaked style that lets the fruit lead without any distraction from oak, and it sits alongside the winery’s still and sparkling range.

The 2019 was the first vintage Flint produced from its own estate fruit, a real milestone for a young producer. The cool East Anglian season gave the grapes a long, slow ripening that locked in bright natural acidity and kept the aromatics fresh and lifted.

Expect a vibrant, aromatic glass of gooseberry, elderflower and cut herbs, with a crisp, dry, mouth-watering finish that mirrors the cool English climate. Serve it well chilled with fresh oysters, goat’s cheese, asparagus or lighter seafood.

Rated 92 points, it is a confident showcase of what England does best with Bacchus. If you enjoy a zippy Marlborough Sauvignon or a dry Loire white such as Sancerre, this is a home-grown wine well worth reaching for.