Exton Park RB|23 Rose

Exton Park RB|23 Rosé brings together delicate red fruit, a creamy texture and a savoury complexity that makes it particularly rewarding with food. Its pale salmon colour hints at a lighter style, but there is plenty going on beneath the surface. Blended from 23 individual reserve wines, this English sparkling rosé balances generosity with the freshness that makes Hampshire fizz so appealing.

Exton Park’s 60-acre vineyard sits on chalky slopes in Hampshire’s South Downs National Park. Established in 2009 by Malcolm Isaac MBE, the estate has developed a distinctive approach to English sparkling wine under winemaker Corinne Seely. Having joined in 2011, Corinne began building an extensive library of reserve wines, giving her a broad selection of flavours and textures to draw upon when blending.

The estate’s nine vineyard plots are harvested and vinified separately, allowing their individual characters to shine before blending. Rather than depending on a single season, the Reserve Blend range brings together wines from different years to create depth, consistency and a recognisable house style. All the grapes are estate-grown, with production taking place on site.

RB|23 combines 70% Pinot Noir with 30% Pinot Meunier. Gentle direct pressing draws a little colour from the grape skins, creating its delicate pink hue without adding finished red wine to the blend. Following secondary fermentation in bottle, at least three years on the lees brings a rounded texture and subtle pastry notes, giving the bright fruit a more substantial, savoury backdrop.

Strawberry, redcurrant and ripe cherry lead the aromas, followed by white peach, rose petal and an intriguing strawberry-liquorice character. On the palate, juicy berries and soft stone fruit meet hints of baked apple and fresh pastry. The bubbles are fine, the texture creamy, and a lively thread of acidity keeps everything beautifully balanced. A mineral edge and gently savoury finish give it enough character to hold your attention beyond the first celebratory glass. With 10g/L residual sugar, there is a little generosity to soften the freshness while keeping the overall impression bright and dry.

Exton Park RB|23 Rosé Food Pairing Suggestion:

Try seared scallops with crispy pancetta, pea purée and lemon butter. The wine’s acidity cuts through the butter, its ripe fruit complements the scallops’ sweetness, and its savoury notes pick up the salty pancetta. It would also be delicious with smoked salmon blinis topped with crème fraîche, or a crab and avocado salad with a citrus dressing.