{"product_id":"danbury-ridge-chardonnay-octagon-block-2023","title":"Danbury Ridge Chardonnay 'Octagon Block' 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe fourth release of this awesome Chardonnay, only released in the best vintages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe fruit was whole-bunch pressed into barrel. After 18 months, a selection was made of the finest lots which were then aged for an additional \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003esix\u003cspan\u003e months. The lees were stirred once prior to assemblage, and the wine was left to clarify naturally before being bottled unfined an unfiltered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe wine shocked many at an incredibly prestigious blind tasting event in May 2026.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrinks Business reported the following.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Called The Greatest Chardonnay Showdown, the blind-tasting event was hosted by LWF and featured 30 wines – including two sparklings – all of which were selected by wine marketing consultant Sarah Abbott MW and Ronan Sayburn MS, CEO of The Court of Master Sommeliers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBilled as a “celebration of Chardonnay”, the results were announced yesterday on the show’s Centre Stage, on the eve of International Chardonnay Day, which is today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaking first and second place were wines from Australia – with Tolpuddle Vineyard’s 2023 Chardonnay from Tasmania gaining the top spot, followed by Heytesbury Chardonnay from 2020, made by Vasse Felix in Margaret River.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccess for Essex\u003cbr\u003eIn third place, however, was a wine from Essex in the UK, with Danbury Ridge’s Octagon Block Chardonnay from 2023 beating a raft of famous names, from California’s Kistler to Burgundy’s Coche-Dury.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs db has written about in the past, Danbury Ridge is made from grapes grown in the Crouch Valley, which is considered the best source of Chardonnay (and Pinot Noir) in the country – mainly due to its climate: this is one of the driest and sunniest parts of the UK.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe The Greatest Chardonnay Showdown is the third ‘icon tasting’ held by LWF, with the two previous called Battle of the Bubbles (2025) and the Judgement of London in 2024.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe top 10 can be seen below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTop 10 Chardonnays\u003cbr\u003eTolpuddle Vineyard 2023 Chardonnay, Coal River Valley, Tasmania, Australia\u003cbr\u003eVasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2020, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia\u003cbr\u003eDanbury Ridge Octagon Block Chardonnay 2023, Essex, England\u003cbr\u003eDom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2013, Champagne, France\u003cbr\u003eBâtard-Montrachet 2022, Domaine Henri Boillot, Burgundy, France\u003cbr\u003eBell Hill 2020, Limeworks, North Canterbury, New Zealand\u003cbr\u003eShaw Smith M3 2021, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia\u003cbr\u003eFelton Road, Chardonnay Bannockburn 2021, Central Otago, New Zealand\u003cbr\u003eCervaro della Sala 2023, Castello della Sala, Antinori, Umbria, Italy\u003cbr\u003eDomaine Donatsch, Unique Chardonnay Malans 2024, Graubünden, Switzerland\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eFruit was hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed. With full solids and minimal settling, the juice was transferred to 228-litre burgundian oak barrels for fermentation. The wine was then left on gross lees for 19 months, where malolactic fermentation took place without bâtonnage. The wine received another 12 months’ élevage before release without any fining or filtration. TA 7.4 g\/l, pH 3.03.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGold-green colour. Lime-cordial note on the nose, plus tropical fruit, coffee, cinnamon and coconut. Peach and pineapple on the palate plus bitter-orange peel. Creamy, almost buttery with coconut on the finish. Blimey, this could be California. Impressive. \u003cem\u003eHenry Jeffreys 17.5 jancisrobinson.com\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NYWines","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55913351086459,"sku":"DRCO-bt","price":67.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0731\/8388\/7652\/files\/ChardonnayOctagonBlockJPEG.webp?v=1763557530","url":"https:\/\/nywines.co.uk\/products\/danbury-ridge-chardonnay-octagon-block-2023","provider":"NYWines","version":"1.0","type":"link"}