THINGS LOOKING UP FOR STANLAKE

English wine is no longer shy and boring. It’s evolving, pleasing to the nose and palate. Although it’s still got some way to go, it won’t be long before we’ll all be drinking it by the bucketful and enjoying the aromas of local honeysuckle, elderflowers, apples, raspberries and strawberries alike.

I recently popped into the Stanlake Park Wine Estate in Twyford (Berkshire, UK) formerly known as Thames Valley Vineyards, then Valley Vineyards, to see if any progress had been made since my last visit ten years ago. On that occasion, I bought a couple of very disappointing bottles of wine. What a difference a decade makes. You can now choose from sparkling, white, rosé and red, including a Pinot Noir made a few times in the last 20 years which is available in their shop at a price (£19.49).

The Stanlake Park Estate is full of history, with tales of kings, traitors and heroes. But for the last 27 years the focus has been on wine. The vineyards cover 25 acres with over 30,000 vines planted. Their wines have received awards from the UK Vineyards Association and from the International Wine Challenge. Apparently, the King’s Fumé is now served at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

I tasted five different wines: three whites, one red and one rosé. These are the two I liked:

2005 Pinot Blush, (Dry Rosé Wine) English Regional Wine, Stanlake Park Wine Estate, Twyford, 11.5% alcohol - £6.99 in the Stanlake Park shop and some local supermarkets

Made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Ehrenfelser and Scheurebe, it’s rosy pink and raspberry on the nose. There was a slight problem for the first 5-8 minutes when the wine seemed to be flat on the palate (possibly, due to too low a level of carbon dioxide) only to reveal a very pleasant raspberry and some savoury flavours with lively acidity a few minutes later. It was well structured with a good body and went well with light chicken pasta sprinkled with parmesan cheese and salads, including beetroot. It’s a very satisfying wine and can be happily drunk as an aperitif. Would I choose it before a French or Spanish rose? Definitely maybe!

1999 Kings Fumé, (oak aged) English Regional Wine, Stanlake Park Wine Estate, Twyford, 11.5% alcohol - £9.99 in the Stanlake Park shop

Named in honour of King Charles I who is thought to have donated a special window dated 1626 and signed “Dieu et mon Droit” to Stanlake Park Estate. The wine is made from “roughly equal proportions of Ortega, Regner, Scheurebe and Bacchus grapes”, aged in French Oak casks and matured in the bottle for a few years.

With smoke and soft elderflower on the nose, the wine seemed to have passed its best. The colour of a matured sauternes, it looked a tad odd next to a creamy chicken pasta, although surprisingly, they did go well together. The wine was smooth, creamy and smoky on the palate. A bit insipid but very drinkable and still pleasant, I wish I could have had it two-three years ago. It can be drunk as an aperitif, but is also good with cheeses: dolcevita, cheddar and Dutch Gouda. Disappointingly, just before the bottle was finished the wine developed a stale, old wine smell.

Next summer, I’ll definitely buy more of their rosé and probably drink some of their other wines. With the climate steadily improving temperature-wise, along with experience and expertise, the future of English wine looks rosy. Roll on English wine!