Lyme Bay Brut Rosé 2016 Sparkling Wine

Given finding them usually involves whacking a rock with a hammer, it's a miracle any fossils remain intact. Especially delicate ones, like the echinoderms and crinoids. Then they have to be carefully cleaned, too.

With this in mind, a group of paleontologists based near Devon's Jurassic coast developed a preparation that would help. It took years, but finally they had it. A liquid with just enough acidity to break down excess rock, and a playful little fizz to lift the particles, leaving the specimen perfectly exposed. Needless to say, a celebration ensued. Actually, with such aplomb things got a little fuzzy. It was only after the toast was offered and glasses drained they realised they'd drunk the special mixture. Happily, being grape-based, no ill effects were suffered. On the contrary, they use it less and less for cleaning fossils now...

Lyme Bay winery is based on the East Devon border and has been making award-winning wines for over 20 years. In 2007 they began their English wine project and released their first vintage in 2015, always working with the notion of 'quality first'. Working closely with a selection of growers across the South of England allows the winery to experiment with new grapes and styles to create a variety of wines that represent the diverse range of terroirs.

This sparkling Rosé is made using 100% Pinot Noir grapes using a method that involves blending a small portion of Pinot Noir red wine with their Blanc de Noirs cuvée base wine. The grapes used for the wine are Burgundy-clone Pinot Noir grown in their Soutcote Vineyard, East Devon. Blending a red wine with a white cuvée allows Lyme Bay to create a classy and fruit driven Sparkling Rosé. The palate is driven by redcurrant and wild strawberry flavours whilst honey, hints of brioche and almond add richness to the wine.