For the second time this year, I was privileged to be invited by Marasby to join them as part of an expert panel for an innovative tasting. Marasby is the brainchild of Simon Huntington and Talya Roberson and was founded to highlight the quality and taste revolution happening in the UK food and drink scene. Their mission is to discover British Deliciousness.
To understand exactly what they are all about, here is an extract from their latest publication. “The UK is the world’s most exciting cool climate wine region. Yet, 99% of the wine we drink is imported. Discover English and Welsh wine – Join the 1%.
Following the success of the 2020 Pinot Noir tasting earlier this year, this time I was invited to join the panel for White Pinot Pioneers. Marasby assembled the most comprehensive selection of English Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris ever at the same tasting. There were also a few examples of White Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier just to mix it up a little.
The panel was comprised of experts from across the wine world, including Doug Wregg (Les Caves de Pyrene), Chris Wilson (Founder and Winemaker of Gutter and Stars), Matt Tipping (Jereboams), English wine bloggers Allie Cope and John Hobbs, plus our venue host Grace Taylor (Tap & Bottle), wine enthusiast Brenda Ong, professional photographer and journalist Ed Dallimore plus Marasby’s two founders and myself. All wines were tasted blind with bottles covered so we really hadn’t a clue what we were tasting.
There is an excellent write up and tasting notes on Marasby’s website so I would urge you to head there but in the meantime, here is the list of wines we tasted …
Pinot Gris
Stopham Vineyard 2022
Yotes Court ‘Loose Rein’ 2021
Freedom of the Press, 2021
Oastbrook Estate 2022
Martin’s Lane ‘Pinot Grigio’, 2018
Martin’s Lane ‘Pinot Gris’, 2016
Artelium , 2021
Heppington 2021
Pinot Blanc
Oastbrook Estate 2022
Yotes Court ‘Hands and Heels’, 2021
BSixTwelve ‘Pinot Blanc’, 2012
BSixTwelve ‘Wild Orange Pinot Blanc’, 2020
Stopham Vineyard, 2022
Tillingham, NV
Missing Gate, 2020
White Pinot Meunier
Oastbrook, 2022
Simpsons’ Derringstone, 2022
White Pinot Noir
Freedom of the Press ‘Paradox’, 2021
Greyfriars ‘Guildown’, 2022
Martin’s Lane, 2018