Ham Street's Carbonic Chardonnay!

 

We are very excited to have just received Lucie & Jules at Ham Street Wines new CARBONNAY! 

It's a wine we've been eagerly anticipating since we first saw the fruit arriving at Nicola & Daniel Ham's Offbeat winery where the wine was produced.

The 2022 vintage was a brilliant year for Lucie & Jules, with plenty of sun through ripening leading to fruit with wonderful phenolic complexity, and good yields - they wanted to try and push the possibilities of their Chardonnay, to see what alternative expressions they could tease out of the variety. Photos of the Carbonnay process are below.

Grown organically and regeneratively, they decided to give the Chardonnay a 23 day whole bunch carbonic maceration in stainless steel before being basket pressed to a single amphora and aged for 10 months, with a further 12 months in bottle. 

Spontaneous fermentation, no additions, all movements by gravity and to the biodynamic calendar.

It's a brilliantly unique wine, a proper orange with texture and grip and we only have 252 bottles - get some whilst you can! 

AVAILABLE NOW

SPARKLING

2023 - Pet Nat - Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Bacchus

WHITE/SKINS

2022 - Bacchus - Bacchus

NEW 2022 - Carbonnay - Chardonnay

RED

2022 - Field Blend - Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Bacchus, Pinot Gris

FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM

Ham Street Carbonnay 2022

Carbonnay In The Making

Jules picking Chardonnay at their Ham Street vineyard- him and Lucie have four hectares of mixed varieties, farmed organically, regeneratively and (certified since 2023) biodynamically.

A late-night Chardonnay drop in October to 2022: Lucie & Jules (Ham Street) driving their fruit up to the Salisbury winery of Nic & Dan Ham at Offbeat Wines to help make the 2022 releases.

Whole-bunch Chardonnay before its 23 day carbonic maceration...

... and whole-bunch Chardonnay after its 23 day carbonic maceration.

Nicola Ham (Offbeat Wines) inspects the just-opened tank of Carbonic Chardonnay.

Daniel Ham (Offbeat Wines) giving the Chardonnay a little battonage before pressing.

Nicola getting the Ham Street carbonic Chardonnay through the basket press before it is aged in amphora for the next 10 months - the final day of vintage 2022. 

 

Ham Street 2023 Pet Nat Arrives!

 

We are so pleased to release the 2023 vintage of Lucie & Jules' pet-nat!

It marks the first year in which they have reached biodynamic certification. From a cool, wet vintage in 2023, this year's pet nat is light on its feet, an energetic and bright expression of the spoils of a British summer.

A five-day carbonic maceration of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Bacchus, pressed to fibreglass, bottled shortly after to continue fermentation as a pet nat. No additions, and all movements according to the biodynamic calendar.

Their Pet Nat 23 is available now!

FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM

 

A British Wine Fair: 03/03/24 - Ham Street

 

We're very excited to be heading to Stockport in less than two weeks for a British Wine Fair on March 3: a collaboration with Isca, Where The Light Gets In along with ourselves and Bedrock .

They'll be opening the doors at WTLGI to over 10 of the most forward-thinking, committed winemakers and growers working in the country at the moment. Nearly all of the growers we work with will be joining, including Lucie from Ham Street who we'll soon be releasing new wines from!

Portrait of Lucie at Bedrock 2023, in her own vineyard by Bryan McComb.

Ham Street Wines is the project of husband & wife team Lucie & Jules, who planted four hectares of vines in 2019 on the edge of the Romney Marsh.

Certified organic, working according to biodynamic principles and following regenerative agricultural practices, the pair have a keen understanding that improving soil health and not upsetting the natural balance is the key to healthy fruit, and happy wines. Their first zero-sulphur releases were made in collaboration with Dan & Nic at Offbeat, and the build of their winery on the farm was completed in time to welcome the 2023 harvest.

 

An Evening with Ham Street at Isca

 

We're thrilled to announce that on July 1st, Lucie from Ham Street will be travelling up North for an evening with our friends Isca as we pour wines from Ham Street and our other UK growers.

The team at Isca have been putting a wonderful amount of energy and effort into championing English winemaking and viticulture, a huge vote of confidence for a budding scene from a team whose opinion we hold in high regard. They've been following the work of Lucie & Jules for quite a while, and we're delighted that they can finally welcome Lucie to Manchester for an evening of wine, food and conversation.

Reservations are recommended, walk-ins are welcomed. You can book now here, via Isca.