Saffron Grange introduce their newest addition, the 2019 Blanc de Noirs

Drive 15-miles south from Cambridge and discover one of East Anglia’s best kept secrets. A family-run vineyard, Saffron Grange, nestled on the gentle sloping chalk hills just outside of the beautiful market town of Saffron Walden, on the borders of Cambridgeshire and Essex.

The 2019 Blanc de Noirs is their newest release. This Blanc de Noirs (white wine made from black grapes) sparkling wine from Saffron Grange is made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier grapes. The grapes are carefully picked by hand before being gently pressed and aged on their lees for 40+ months to create a delicious and complex English Sparkling Wine with a lovely, long finish. With only 2,200 bottles of this wine produced in total, we are delighted to be able to pour this wine exclusively for our valued guests at Parker’s Tavern and University Arms, for a limited time.

Tasting Notes

This Brut “dry” Sparkling Wine has aromas of red cherries, apricot and almonds followed by baked pear and crème anglaise on the palate and a lovely, long finish.

2019 Vintage

The summer of 2019 was heralded in Cambridge as a “record-breaking” year where temperatures soared and on 25th July 2019 at the Cambridge Botanic Gardens, Britain’s hottest ever day to date was recorded with a high of 38.7 degrees Celsius. Saffron Grange just 15 miles away reached temperatures just shy of this and it was this hot summer spell, combined with very little rainfall and minimal spring frosts which produced such exceptional grapes for a truly outstanding vintage.

Saffron Grange Vineyard

Planting of the vineyard first began in 2008 on top of a deep chalk seam which, combined with the dry climate of East Anglia and gentle South Easterly facing slopes create the ideal growing conditions to produce Premium Quality Sparkling Wines. Saffron Grange has been selling award-winning sparkling wines since their launch almost five years ago. With minimal intervention vineyard practices, the team and family are passionate about sustainable viticulture and promoting biodiversity wherever possible to allow the local wildlife to thrive.