Whitewolfe Estates, `KC1` Chardonnay

Whitewolfe Estates is fast building a reputation for making remarkable English wines, with Matthew Jukes describing their inaugural vintage as having “a perfume and flavour that set my palate alight” and Tamlyn Currin praising their “thrilling capacity to age”. Made with Chardonnay sourced exclusively from their 10-hectare ‘Whitewolfe’ vineyard, Whitewolfe’s wines show why the Kit’s Coty area, in Kent’s North Downs, is now one of England’s most sought-after wine regions.

The project was founded by Clare Whitehead and Luke Wolfe, two friends who met while studying oenology and viticulture at Plumpton College. The duo planted the ’Whitewolfe’ vineyard in 2020 with seven Chardonnay clones to express different characteristics of the site. Clones 95 and 76, which originate from Burgundy, are often used for sparkling winemaking in the UK. However, with the right care and attention, these clones can be ripened to produce wines with fine, elegant aromas and a rich, balanced structure reminiscent of Saint-Aubin or 1er Cru Chablis. Clones such as 96 and 121 (also from Burgundy) provide more ‘typical’ Chardonnay characters with a lively freshness. Each block within the vineyard is managed according to the specifics of its clone.

The south-facing ‘Whitewolfe’ vineyard, at the base of Blue Bell Hill, has a micro-climate that helps protect against heavy rains. Weather fronts that approach from the River Medway (less than one kilometre southeast) split just before the vineyard and largely fall on land on either side, increasing the vineyard’s average temperature. Combined with chalk-rich soils that drain freely and retain heat, this results in a longer, more consistent ripening period during England’s unpredictable summers.

As the ‘Whitewolfe’ vineyard is still relatively new, Clare and Luke are experimenting in the cellar to discover the best techniques for the site, utilising different yeasts, press fractions and oak barrels. Currently, their cuvées are blended from barrel selections rather than different vineyard blocks. The resulting wines, named ‘KC’ after the Kit’s Coty area, offer distinctive and varied expressions of the vineyard while still conveying a sense of place. ‘KC2’ and ‘KC4’ were both aged in 228-litre second-fill Burgundian oak barrels with 10% in new oak for 11 months, as well as undergoing full malolactic fermentation, resulting in excellent balance and tension. ‘KC4’ has remarkable energy and minerality on the palate with complex notes of citrus, flint and struck match. It is layered and elegant. Meanwhile, ‘KC2’ is more powerful and intense. It is richly textured with taut acidity, fine structure, and a long, savoury finish.