Production
This is a bright and lively English sparkling wine. Unlike the traditional method used for most English fizz, Col Fondo is a Sparkling wine made with a second fermentation at lower pressure and importantly, it is not disgorged. That means it is cloudy, yeasty and given Sharpham’s low intervention philosophy, the style in general is geared towards the natural wine audience. The juice is left to settle for 36 hours before racking into stainless steel for fermentation. Malolactic conversion occurs naturally, which helps tame the high acidity. Seven months of lees ageing in tank gives a little more texture and complexity. Before bottling the fine lees is agitated and a small addition of 8g/L added. A small secondary ferment occurs in bottle. giving a slight spritz and creamy mouthfeel. The resulting wine is dry, with fresh citrus and floral characters, bright and summery.
Tasting notes
This wine is light, spritz with sour pineapple, lemon rind, elderflower and yeasty characters. We recommend a gentle shake before serving to distribute the sediment.