Inside Blanc de Blancs 2020

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Quietly confident, beautifully expressive, shaped by time – Ridgeview Blanc de Blancs 2020 is a wine of elegance, complexity, and intent. A milestone vintage released in our 30th year, it captures the essence of Ridgeview’s quality, maturity and ambition. A limited edition for those who value excellence worth waiting for. A lesson in delayed gratification – with reward in every glass.

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Reserved for Remarkable Vintage Years

Ridgeview’s Blanc de Blancs sits outside our signature range – made only in exceptional years, in small volumes, from the finest handpicked Chardonnay grapes from our heritage home vineyard in Sussex.

“I’ve spent nearly half my life at Ridgeview” says Vineyard Manager Matt Strugnell, “and that harvest really stands out as a cracking year for growing grapes. The juice was so flavoursome, I remember thinking I could just fill a glass and drink it there and then.”

Delicately aged, it has rested on lees for four years, building texture and depth. Even then, it waited – spending five months on cork to gain a final layer of finesse and composure. A collector’s release: reserved for standout vintages, aged with care, and offered only when it’s truly ready.

Generous enough to enjoy now yet structured enough to cellar. A wine to gift, to share, or to set aside for a future celebration – the kind you’ll always remember.

2020 gave us some of the best fruit we’ve ever seen. Tasting the first juice from the press, we knew, instinctively, this was a Blanc de Blancs year. It was such clean, expressive Chardonnay. I even took a little bottle home for my boys to try – it was that good!

Simon Roberts, Head Winemaker

A Purists Dream

One variety. One vineyard. One vintage. This is a rare, focused expression of Ridgeview’s terroir – crafted with care and intention.

The Chardonnay vines in our founding vineyard were planted in 1995, making them among the most established in England. With age, they’ve settled into the rhythm of the land – their deep roots drawing complexity from the soils, their balance producing fruit with purity, concentration, and poise.

Decades of considered viticulture – from hand pruning to gentle canopy care – have shaped these vines into something truly expressive. The result? Fruit of exceptional character, with the structure, finesse and mineral clarity to define a wine like this.

Expect a bright core of citrus and orchard fruit, layered with lifted florals, subtle brioche, and a long, linear finish. A sparkling wine defined by precision, not excess – where every nuance reflects time, place, and purpose.

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The sunshine made the season

The conditions really worked in our favour. Aside from one nervous moment with a May frost, there were no major challenges – everything developed beautifully. Flowering came around two weeks early, giving us well-developed bunches, consistent shoot growth and a homogenous crop. That early momentum carried right through, helping the fruit ripen evenly and build excellent complexity.

Matt Strugnell

A Wine That Marks the Moment

Time-honoured craft. Modern confidence. Ridgeview Blanc de Blancs 2020 is a bottle with meaning – not just for us, but for you.

“What’s really special about this vintage is how much it says about English wine and the quality that can be achieved,” says Simon Roberts. “It says so much about Ridgeview – a marker of our journey as grape growers and winemakers – and to be releasing it in our 30th year feels especially poignant. It’s a wine we’re really proud of, not just for what it represents, but for its quality and character – and it means a lot to finally release it and share it with others.”

Released in our 30th year, it marks a significant chapter in the English wine story – one that continues in the glasses of those who raise them.

Whether it’s shared at the table, opened for a milestone celebration, or tucked away to mark a future moment, this is a wine made for memorable moments.

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I think this might be my favourite vintage ever. It’s a great example of an English Blanc de Blancs. Full of flavour and complexity, refined and elegant, with lots of citrus and tropical fruit notes. It’s not showy – just super pure and well-balanced. A wine that really speaks for itself.

Simon Roberts