Bonkers Chardonnay

Bonkers Chardonnay

Dermot and Ana are thrilled to announce the release of their first still white wine: Bonkers Zombie Robot Alien Monsters from the Future Ate My Brain (Sur Lie).

Bonkers begins as an embryo of an idea during the near-perfect 2022 vintage, which sees England benefit from one of the warmest summers on record. While experimenting with some new American oak, Dermot and Ana half-fill a barrel with exceptional South Downs Chardonnay and, in their words, “stick a bung in the top and forget about it.”

After six months, the carefully controlled oxidation process transforms it into an extraordinarily complex wine that combines ripe fruit with wild and nutty, yet pristine flavours. They use this to top up several other barrels, which abruptly stop fermenting as the winery cools at the onset of winter.

Dermot and Ana proudly show their creation to members of the wine trade, who love it, and the project earns its playful name, Bonkers.

Building on this initial success, they introduce a solera system the following year, blending the precious reserve wine from 2022 with their excellent 2023 Chardonnay, this time using large, old French barrels.

The result is a beautifully creamy, yet refreshing Chardonnay, multi-dimensional and structured with oak – perfect for food pairing and mid-term cellaring.

“Despite the faintly ludicrous name, Bonkers remains a serious wine – and a methodically crafted one at that,” says Dermot. “It represents our unique take on English still Chardonnay, employing a range of traditional winemaking techniques, as well as a drop of Irish humour.”

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