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If you were at a pub quiz and one of the questions was ‘what do woolly mammoths, algae and shellfish have in common’ – would your answer be English sparkling wine?  Nope?  Me neither.  But that is, in fact, the correct answer!    

We’ll get back to the woolly mammoths in a mo but first, let’s get acquainted.  I have the pleasure of being a moderator for the Cambridge Foodies group and I was delighted to be able to represent the group and attend Saffron Grange’s tasting event, celebrating the launch of their latest release sparkling wine – Blanc de Noirs.  

Now back to the mammoths.  Prior to going along to the tasting, I did a bit of research on Saffron Grange, and I found out about the fascinating history of the land upon which they plant their vineyards.  Roamed on by woolly mammoths over 40,000 years ago, the soil was formed in the Cretaceous period, when the entire region was covered by seawater.  The chalky land on which the vineyard now sits was formed from billions of miniscule sea creatures settling and compressing on the seabed over millions of years.  Fun facts you can charm your friends with; you can thank me later.    

The wine tasting event was held in the luxuriously cosy, mahogany-panelled Library in the University Arms Hotel (Cambridge’s oldest hotel, don’t you know?).  The Library really was the perfect setting for a sparkling wine tasting event; the dark-panelled walls lined with bookshelves, leather-padded chesterfields, and vibrant velvet armchairs all added to the charm and ambience.  My partner, Chris, came along with me and we initially felt we may have been better attired in a cocktail dress and smoking jacket.   

Chris and I are not sparkling wine experts (I am a full bodied red wine kinda girl and Chris loves real ales), so were unsure what to expect, not just in terms of how the event would go but also how well our ‘usually overloaded with spice and full bodied flavours’ palates would be able to appreciate the delicacy of a fine wine.   

When we arrived, people were mingling and chatting and the atmosphere felt pleasantly relaxed and informal (the cocktail dress and smoking jacket were not required after all).  We were warmly welcomed by Nick Edwards, Sales Manager for Saffron Grange.  Whilst others were still arriving, Nick kindly gave us a brief history of Saffron Grange, explaining that it is a family-run vineyard on the outskirts of Saffron Walden.  We learnt that the gentle, South-facing slopes, chalky soil and warmer summers we now experience in the UK, all create the perfect conditions for growing grapes that produce their sparkling wine.  

Now on to the tasting.  A lovely member of staff from the hotel popped open the bottles (what a glorious sound that is!) and went around the room pouring each of us a glass of Blanc de Noirs.  There were also some delicious canapés to complement the wine – mushroom arancini, beef carpaccio and gherkins, and a vegan option of smashed avocado on cucumber.  This was a great way of demonstrating the versatility of the wine and how it can be paired with different ingredients, flavours and textures.    

Whilst we all sampled the wine and canapés, Nick stood at the front and told us the story about the wine, firstly confirming what Blanc de Noirs actually translates to – ‘white from black’ – but in winemaking terms, it means a white wine made from dark grapes; Saffron Grange’s Blanc de Noirs is made from red grapes. 

The 2019 Blanc de Noirs is made from a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier grapes from the record breaking 2019 vintage where we saw exceptional heat in the summer months which continued into a warm, long Indian Summer.

All of these grapes are handpicked, followed by a very delicate peeling process to ensure that only the white juice from the red grape is used, and not any of the skin.  If the juice is left in contact with the red grape skins, pigments leach out of the skins and colour the wine.  During his talk, Nick mentioned that 300 volunteers picked the grapes last year and said he’d welcome any volunteers for this year’s harvest!

So what was our verdict?  Now, I’m no Jilly Goolden (the younger readers amongst you may need to Google who she is – she was the expert on wine in the 80s, co-presenting on the Food and Drink television series).  She is known for her elaborate descriptions of wine and I remember her once describing a wine as tasting of petrol.  I often wondered how she knew what petrol tasted like… 

If you go to Saffron Grange’s website, you will find their description of the wine; ‘this sparkling wine has been aged for 40 months on its lees, (our longest lees-aged wine to date) adding greater complexity and a rounder finish with aromas of apricot, almond and a hint of vanilla followed by baked orchard fruits and crème anglaise on the palate. This latest release would hold up well to a more indulgent feast but could equally be enjoyed with some buttery vol-au-vents or smoked fish canapés in the lead up to your main meal!’

I purposefully didn’t read the description of the wine prior to attending the event.  Given our general preferences for a fuller bodied taste in food, wine and ale, Chris and I were pleasantly surprised at how full and dry the wine tasted, particularly when one might assume a sparkling wine would taste more delicate and sweeter.  We both agreed there was a definite baked pears and biscuity taste which left a lovely, creamy texture in the mouth.  We tried all of the canapés with the wine, and everything seemed to just blend in the mouth perfectly.  As mentioned earlier, the range of canapés was a great way of demonstrating the versatility of the wine.    

Nick informed us all that they are only producing 2000 bottles of Blanc de Noirs so if you want to try this delicious sparkling wine, you best be quick!  You can taste it for yourself at Parker’s Tavern – Saffron Grange are partnering with the University Arms Hotel’s quintessentially English brasserie restaurant to sell Blanc de Noirs by the glass.  I would highly recommend giving this lovely wine a go!