Black Chalk Paragon (Blanc de Blancs) 2022

Get to know: Black Chalk Paragon Blanc de Blancs 2022

A refined and complex English sparkling wine crafted from 100% Chardonnay grown on Hampshire's famous chalk soils in the heart of the Test Valley.

Tasting Note

Black Chalk Paragon Blanc de Blancs is a premium English sparkling wine that showcases the purity and precision of Chardonnay at its very best. Pale gold in colour with a fine, persistent fizz, it opens with aromas of crisp apple, ripe pear, white peach and crystalline citrus fruit, alongside subtle hints of brioche and toasted nuts from extended lees ageing. On the palate, it's concentrated yet beautifully linear, delivering layers of orchard fruit, lemon zest and a distinctive saline minerality. The combination of freshness, texture and complexity creates a wine that feels both powerful and elegant, finishing long, focused and wonderfully refined. A serious Blanc de Blancs with the structure to reward cellaring, but equally impressive enjoyed now.

Top food pairings:

• Lobster with lemon butter
• Roast chicken with wild mushrooms
• Fresh oysters or dressed crab

Kate Says

"If your idea of a special bottle usually starts with Champagne, this is the wine that might change your mind. It's the sort of fizz that makes everyone around the table pause after the first sip, look at the label and ask where it's from. Perfect for celebrations, but equally brilliant when the occasion is simply having something exceptional to share."

Producer Info

Black Chalk is one of the most exciting producers in modern English wine. Founded by winemaker Jacob Leadley in Hampshire's picturesque Test Valley, the winery has quickly established a reputation for producing exceptional vintage-only sparkling wines. Working with carefully selected vineyard sites planted on ancient chalk soils, Black Chalk focuses on minimal intervention winemaking, allowing each wine to express its vineyard, vintage and variety with clarity and precision.

How it's made:

• Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
• Fruit selected from the Upper Levels vineyard and harvested to balance ripeness, concentration and freshness
• Gentle whole-bunch pressing preserves purity and finesse
• 50% fermented in stainless steel and 50% in oak foudre using carefully selected yeasts to enhance elegance and complexity
• Aged for a minimum of 32 months on lees, with no malolactic fermentation and no fining, preserving the wine's freshness, texture and varietal character

Good to know:

• Region: Hampshire, England
• Style: Sparkling White Wine, Blanc de Blancs
• Closure: Natural Cork
• Vegan: Yes
• ABV: 12%
• Vintage: 2022

Why we love it:

This outstanding English sparkling wine combines the freshness and precision that have made Hampshire one of the world's most exciting sparkling wine regions with the depth and complexity of extended lees ageing. For lovers of Chardonnay and Blanc de Blancs styles, it's a brilliant example of just how impressive modern English wine can be.