Over a decade ago, legendary hop-turned-grape grower Chris Nichols and I planted a field in Kent with Pinot Meunier. The fruit from this vineyard has always been sensational, but in 2025 – a once-in-a-generation, 'unicorn' vintage for England – it was so outrageously ripe that I knew it could only be destined for life as a still red wine. While it fermented as whole bunches, we garnished it with Gamay (a variety rarely seen in the UK) from Alpaca Block, our vineyard planted by Robin Hutson at The PIG-in the South Downs in 2020, before ageing it all in French and American oak barrels, large and small. It was so aromatic and so immediately delicious that we bottled it after just four months. Twenty years ago, I'd never have believed we could make wines like this in England: lip smacking and generously fruity, I'm reminded of those juicy, medium-bodied Loire Valley and Cru Beaujolais reds served with a light chill that slip down all too easily as the dog days of summer roll into autumn. Never Mind The Gamay. Here's The Pinot Meunier. Anarchy in the South Downs.
