Exton Park claims a first from 2013 vintage with latest release

By Andrew Catchpole

Published: 15 June, 2026

Hampshire estate Exton Park has released its Blanc de Blancs 2013, claiming a first for the longest lees ageing from that vintage in the English sparkling wine firmament.

Bottled in 2014 and spending 11 years on the lees before disgorgement in 2025, the 100% Chardonnay cuvée benefitted from a long, favourable ripening period, with an extended, warm summer allowing for full maturation of the grapes on the vine.

The decision to hold on to the vintage for extended ageing and late disgorgement was taken when the concentration and balance of the subsequent wines was realised.

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Consultant winemaker Corinne Seely explained: "I’ve always found Chardonnay the most rewarding grape to work with at Exton Park. With 2013, the extended ripening gave us the chance to build real depth while retaining freshness, and that balance is something I particularly enjoy exploring when making these wines.”

She added: “I decided to hold this vintage back as I could tell it had fantastic ageing potential. The extended ripening gave us more concentration and structure, which meant it would really benefit from additional time on lees.”

Nyetimber arguably did much to help establish the English Blanc de Blancs category with the release of its 1992 vintage in 1996. Since the, the style has grown in stature and popularity, including late disgorged styles, with notable examples of the latter having been released by the likes of Wiston Estate, Gusbourne, Chapel Down and others.

Exton Park’s latest release marks a further advance for English sparkling wine in terms of perception of the quality and ageing potential possible from the UK’s best vineyard sites and producers.

The winery, which has seen much investment and development over the past couple of decades, joined the Mentzendorff portfolio in 2025, in what was then described as “a strong alignment in values, vision and approach”.

Exton Park has developed a reputation for pushing the boundaries, including its 2025 release of ‘60 Below’ Blanc de Blancs 2014, touted as the first ever sea-aged English sparkling, matured for 12 months at a depth of 60 metres below the English Channel.

The estate also released a Cuvee M. Isaac Blanc de Blanc 2011 – named after founder Malcolm Isaac – which it described as “a super-premium, late-disgorged vintage”, and which was aged for seven years on lees and three years under cork.

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