Walgate 2022 Pinot Meunier, East Sussex, ENGLAND

Walgate Wines is Ben Walgate’s focused pursuit of terroir-driven, low-intervention English wine. Working from his organically farmed Peasmarsh vineyard in East Sussex, his aim is to craft wines that express site, soil, and season with clarity and restraint. The 2022 Walgate Pinot Meunier from East Sussex is a thrilling argument for English still wine. Pinot Meunier (now the darling varietal of Champagne) reveals its true character here: bright, expressive, and wonderfully food-friendly. East Sussex's cool-climate chalk and greensand soils mirror the terroir of northern France, coaxing out vivid red fruit — think strawberry, raspberry, and red cherry — with a subtle earthiness and lifted florals that feel distinctly of place. The 2022 vintage delivered exceptional ripeness in southern England, giving this wine a rare warmth and roundness while retaining the crisp acidity that makes English reds so refreshing and elegant. It's a wine that surprises: silky yet structured, approachable yet complex and a genuine milestone for Sussex winemaking. For anyone curious about the new wave of English red wine, this bottle is an unmissable conversation starter.