Lyme Bay Winery – Chardonnay 2022 review
- Lewis MacDonald
- Sep 8
- 2 min read
Appearance
Pale gold in colour with a distinctly thick texture, long lasting legs that stick to the side of the wine glass. I suggest this wine be chilled decently before drinking, thus a glass of this golden Chardonnay with a touch of condensation is a wonderfully inviting sight.
Aroma
Not quite Chablis and not quite Stellenbosch. This English chardonnay invites with fresh aromas of Bramley, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples mixed in with a touch of orange citrus and a touch of honeysuckle.
Flavour
This is a very rich chardonnay with a complex and transformative flavour profile that retains a decent balance between its mix of flavours. First up is a touch of sour green apple that races alone the tongue, before quickly giving way to more fruity citrus notes of zingy pineapple and candied lime. Rounding out this palate is a long-lasting creamy finish, rich with baking spices and vanilla bean.
Food Pairing
This rich chardonnay is a great match for any white meats. Think of pairing this wine with pork roulade. Those fruity yet zingy citrus notes will stand up well to the nutty stuffing whilst the lightly oaked, creamy body of this wine will compliment the rich roasted pork.
Alternatively, you could consider pairing it with grilled seabass marinated in olive oil and dressed with herbs. The citrus notes help complete any fish dish, similar when you pop a squeeze of lemon juice to finish the meal.
Wine Smeller thoughts
This is no Chablis or Stellenbosch… its Essex!
Chablis is famous for its strong mineral backbone, filled with notes of flint, chalk and wet stone. Meanwhile chardonnay for south Africa or Australia is more famous for its tropical flavours of juicy mango, passionfruit and grapefruit. Trying to compare Lyme Bay’s chardonnay with anything around the world is like trying to compare apples and oranges, or in this case apples and Hawaiian stone beaches. This means that I can’t really rate this wine against its foreign cousins and give you a decent and authentic answer, so instead let me summarise it on its own merits as an English wine.
I was very much impressed and surprised by this English chardonnay. It’s a rich, complex and refreshing white wine that’s well worth a try, especially for anyone interested in supporting England’s flourishing wine industry. The warm, dry summer of 2022 gave the grapes plenty ripe, fruity flavours whilst our cooler nights help retain a good balancing acidity. Lyme Bay’s gentle, yet considered fermentation, in both stainless steel and French oak, has led to a wine with a creamy mouthfeel and light vanilla favours, whilst avoiding that overly oaked aspect made famous by Australian chardonnays of the 1980’s.
Overall Lyme Bay’s chardonnay is a wine that benefits from a great vintage and managed experienced input from the winery, and proves that English wine not only has a great future, but a pretty amazing present.
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