David and Chris purchased the Hidden Spring vineyard in 2015 after being inspired by the passion and skill of winemakers in New Zealand, who showed them what could be achieved. Leaving the southern hemisphere, they enrolled at Plumpton College before embarking on their vineyard journey and are now producing their first vintages of home-grown wine. We have selected the Bacchus Fumé 2019, a real stunner and a wine which recently won a gold medal at the WineGB awards. There is the connotation that the wine is related to Pouilly Fumé but ‘Fumé’ relates to the light use of oak in the wine making process (the term was first coined by Mondavi in California to describe his Sauvignon Blanc which had been aged in oak vessels). The wine has a beautiful aromatic character delivering lime, green apple and honeysuckle whilst the palate offers more jasmine and some tropical fruit notes. In addition, the palate is dry, fresh and also rounded and textured. There is a fine harmony of oak spice and creaminess through lees work. The oak is well integrated and allows the fruit to come through. This wine shows well with salads but will work with a variety of salmon or sea trout dishes. It can definitely be drunk now but this has a potential to age over the next 3 to 5 years, developing complexity and greater integration.