Sugrue Bonkers Chardonnay MV

Sugrue South Downs is a boutique producer of English still and sparkling wines founded by Dermot and Ana Sugrue, with vineyards across East and West Sussex. Bonkers is sourced from chalk-based South Downs vineyards, where Chardonnay benefits from cool conditions and naturally high acidity. The vineyards are farmed organically at soil level, with mechanical cultivation used for weed control and a focus on respecting soil health. The wine is a deliberately unconventional expression of English Chardonnay, developed from the exceptionally ripe 2022 vintage and continued through a solera style blending of vintages, retaining a reserve component from earlier releases.

Made from 100% Chardonnay, Bonkers begins with whole bunch pressing before fermentation and ageing in a mixture of French and American oak barrels of different sizes and ages. The 2022 component spent 18 months in new and old barriques, including barrels deliberately left partially filled to encourage carefully controlled oxidation, while the 2023 component spent six months in large, older barrels. A proportion of the barrels also developed flor, adding another layer of complexity. The result is richly textured yet fresh, with ripe peach, baked apple, almond, grilled nuts, brioche and a subtle flinty, saline character, balanced by pronounced acidity. Excellent with scallops, roast chicken, grilled fish, creamy mushroom dishes or Comté, and capable of developing further in bottle.