To introduce our exciting new 2021 wines, and the wonderful people behind them here at New Hall Wine Estate, we’ve asked some of the team to say hello, choose one of the new wines, and tell us why.
Next up…
1. Name:
Steve Gillham
2. Job title:
Head Winemaker
3. What you actually do:
Admin and delegation mostly. Oh, and winemaking.
4. What’s your favourite spot on the NH estate?
Church Hill. It’s very much a hill with a church on it, and it’s a stunning spot.
5. Be honest, do you talk to the vines?
Vines not so much, but I do talk to yeast cultures and ferments at harvest for sure. I’ve also been known to place charged quartz crystals under favourite ferments. Not sure I should be telling you this…
6. Which of the new 2021 releases have you chosen?
I’ve gone for the Signature, our blended premium white.
7. Nice choice. What made you go for this wine?
The short answer? It’s soft and easy going, with classic germanic aromatics, so fresh and vibrant, and that mouthfeel. And with its peppery spice on the finish, it’s really food friendly.
Adding to that a little, the Signature blend is always a pleasure to work with, and includes between four and seven different varieties, depending on the vintage. We’ve been experimenting with barrel fermentations and ageing certain components to add an extra dimension to the wine, and more layers of complexity. We use various styles of expressive yeast to suit individual batches of the different varieties, which are then assessed before deciding on a final blend.
There is a lot going on flavour wise, and to me it's a wine to slowly savour, enjoy and analyse while it takes you on a journey of discovery…
8. Food friendly you say - so what would you pair with it?
Thai food, I’ll say Ramen. Is that Thai? You get my meaning.
9. And what music would you pair with it?
Holst - Jupiter.
10. Finally, what is your favourite local place off-site to have a glass of your wine?
The Purleigh Bell. But I fancy a Peroni today, thanks very much.
Fancy a bottle of Signature?
