Westwell Chardonnay

Westwell is located just beneath the Pilgrims Way on the North Downs in Kent; a route used for centuries by Pilgrims travelling to Canterbury.

The estate boasts an ideal mix of climate, aspect and soil. There are six classified soil geologies here; and the varieties have been planted with these in mind. Chardonnay is situated on shallower, chalky soils. The Pinots are on mixed sand / chalk soil, and the Ortega is planted in the sandiest, most sheltered spot of all to fully develop its fruit-forward, aromatic style.

The vineyards philosophy is simple: plant well, respect the soil and make great, honest wines from brilliant fruit.

The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown all over the world, from England to New Zealand. The Chardonnay grape itself is neutral, with many of the flavours commonly associated with the wine being derived from influences such as terrior and oak.

In cool climates like northern France or England you would expect flavours of orchard fruits like apples, pears and green plums but in the warmer climbs of California in the USA or Adelaide in Australia you may see tropical fruits, sometimes even banana. 

Chardonnay is well adapted to taking on flavours from its surroundings, for example fermenting or ageing in oak gives the wine flavours of vanilla, smoke and toast. It is most often used as a single variety in still wines but is equally successful blended into some of the best sparkling wines in the world, incuding Champagne and English sparkling wine.