Hundred Hills

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I’m so grateful to everyone who opens our newsletter each week. Thank you. I also hear that some people look forward to it, and if that is you, I hope you will enjoy my new blog on our website with some musings on life at Pied à Terre.

Here goes – five thousand is the new ten thousand, as in steps; I just heard that on the news today. So, you can ease off the pedal a little and give yourself a break. English sparkling is the new Champagne, which isn’t news anymore. It is a solid fact; sparkling from pioneers such as Nyetimber and Gusbourne to winemaker exceptional Dermot Sugrue and his “The Trouble with Dreams” cuvèe, to our new Pied à Terre favourite, Hundred Hills, 2019 Hillside No. 3. 

Although Junction 5 of the M40 is not as romantic as the French countryside and a visit to Reims, the sparkling in this country is every bit as good, and indeed, in this case, better, so check it out on our wine list.

I first tasted Hundred Hills in 2022 on a vineyard visit (https://hundredhills.wine/).We loved it – so much so that the team decided to jump in and help with the harvest. Pied à Terre being closed on Sunday and Monday gave us two full days of backbreaking picking, and 2023 saw us once again on the slopes of Stonor Valley; the tradition is now set, and we look forward to our yearly pilgrimage.

Hundred Hills thinks Hillside No. 3 2019 will be their best work to date, and these are the tasting notes: It is a late-harvest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, a soft and creamy-textured sparkling wine. On the palate, you will find mandarin, lemon curd, cherry, and subtle pineapple notes. It’s also a favourite of Jancis Robinson; she knows a thing or two.

I love a good back label with tasting notes. I often wonder curiously what the aromas are, sometimes just too hauntingly distant to pin down – mandarin, lemon curd, cherry and pineapple, what’s not to love? The Hillside No. 3 is a perfect all-rounder, great as an aperitif or to accompany your meal at Pied àTerre. Limited stocks, though, so why not pre-order when booking.

Tip Top.

David Moore, Founder and Owner of Pied à Terre.