Flint Vineyard, Silex 2023

Get to know: Flint Vineyard, Silex Blanc

Tasting Note

Flint Vineyards once again producing a superb wine from their Silex project. The latest  2023 vintage was a mild year is reflected in the wine’s linear, mineral style. An elegant nose of toasted almonds and lemon peel leads to a bright, beautifully balanced texture with waxy grip and acidity.

Try this with slightly richer seafood dishes like garlic butter cod.

Kate Says

"Flint Vineyard are becoming one of the most exciting English wineries around. For me this white wine is on par with a good, characterful Burgundy, albeit with plenty of English charm. I'd enjoy this with scallops and langoustines."

Producer Info

The Silex Blanc demonstrates Ben’s desire to produce a wine that is different to the typical English style. Using Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, these classic grape varieties were previously considered difficult to grow and ripen in the UK’s climate. But modern approaches and knowledge have shown that excellent high quality wines can be made and the Silex has garnered a reputation for being one of these.

Silex 2023 is the latest expression of our most complex and uncompromising wine style.

Silex is an evolving wine and in 2023 Chardonnay was their standout variety, producing expressive fruit of the highest quality, so they chose to make it the focus of this year’s blend. Alongside Chardonnay, whole-bunch pressed Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, are fermented and matured in a mixture of new and neutral oak barrels for 12 months.
 
The winemaking was deliberately hands off, allowing the grapes to shine and help make the decisions. The result is boldly fruit-forward, subtly nuanced, textured, and overall an elegant continuation of the Silex line.
 
As Ben explains: “We listened to the vintage. Silex tells a story, which is just getting richer every year.”

This year’s blend is 39% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Blanc, 17% Pinot Gris and 16% Pinot Noir, all hand harvested from their own parcels and two special vineyards; Whitewolfe in Kent and Martin’s Lane in the Crouch Valley, Essex.

Residual sugar: <0.5 g/l