NEW BOUTIQUE SUSSEX WINE ESTATE CELEBRATES CREATIVE MAKERS & GROWERS
Artelium (www.artelium.com) is a new boutique Sussex wine estate with a forward-thinking vision for creative collaboration, championing an ever-evolving collective of makers, growers, artists and sculptors.
With the independent spirit of a creative salon, Artelium welcomes both winemakers and artists-in-residence to celebrate their unique crafts.
Artelium grows outstanding grapes in vineyards across the South Downs to create exceptional fine English wines, and launches with two vintage sparkling wines by celebrated winemaker, Dermot Sugrue.
These are available to purchase from the brand’s website or during a tasting tour of the vineyard:
- Award-winning Curators Cuvée 2014 (RRP: £32.00),
- Makers Rosé 2015 (RRP: £35.00)
The wines are made with grapes from a single vineyard and hand harvested. They are aged for over five years and four years respectively, to bring depth and complexity of flavour.
Artelium will follow the launch of their sparkling wines with the release of five still wines, in a creative residency by award-winning winemaker Owen Elias. Artists’ residencies will be announced in 2021.
Artelium wine is a celebration of contemporary vision, Sussex heritage and the craft of skilful British winemakers. It honours the art and creative process of the growers and the makers, inviting drinkers to take time to appreciate the complex craft in every bottle.
Curators Cuvée 2014
Artelium’s 2014 Cuvée is a careful curation of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier; hand-picked from a single vineyard and created by celebrated winemaker Dermot Sugrue.
Crisp and graceful, this traditional method wine has been aged for over 60 months on the lees, bringing depth and maturity. This wine has a beautiful rich character and core, balanced by a real precision and energy on the palate. Fresh and elegant citrus flavours impart a sophisticated acidity, with a backbone of minerality that bring the notes together.
A crisp wine, Artelium’s Curators Cuvee 2014 ideally complements the light flavours of dishes such as dover sole in a lemon butter sauce but is also robust enough to stand up against stronger flavours, such as goat’s cheese and beetroot salad or a crumbling aged cheddar.
Makers Rosé 2015
Artelium’s 2015 Rose is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier; hand-picked from a single vineyard and skilfully made by celebrated winemaker-in-residence Dermot Sugrue.
This traditional method wine has an intense English strawberry colour, is bold yet nuanced with a rich depth of red fruit flavours. The nose is clean, fresh and mineral, with wild strawberries, toast and cherry to the fore. This wine is characterised by its round and creamy mouth-watering acidity on the palate, evoking tart, summer fruits: cranberries, citrus and raspberries.
The 2015 Rose is fresh and bright, pairing beautifully with summer favourites of strawberries and cream. The full-bodied flavours also complement hearty dishes, such as an herb-crusted roast shoulder of lamb.
The Vineyard & Location:
Artelium is a 45-acre wine estate in a breathtakingly beautiful Sussex location. From the vineyard, edged with bluebell woods and planted with wildflowers to allow biodiversity between the vines, guests can enjoy the South Downs vista. The beautiful corn windmills, known locally as ‘Jack and Jill’, can be seen in the distance.
The creative and unconventional vineyard layout boasts a diagonal walk way through the vines to create vistas and views of the Sussex surroundings. It is reflected precisely in the design of the wine bottle with a distinctive slice through the label that makes up one side of the letter ‘A’ in Artelium.
The Sussex terroir, with the rich soil of the South Downs and favourable climate, ensures a long growing season and results in delicious wines that tell the story of their modern locale in every glass.
In addition to Artelium’s headquarters at the vineyard in Streat (Artelium West) planted in 2018 and 2019, there is a larger vineyard in Madehurst (Artelium East), planted in 2020.
The vineyard at Streat is on clay soil, typical of this area of Sussex and the Madehurst vineyard by contrast is on chalk, providing two very different terroirs but both benefitting from the temperate climate that Sussex is known for. The different soils will add complexity to the wines.
The seasonal changes and work on the vineyard form a continual creative process between nature and the art of the winemaker. From careful frost battling and pruning, to bud-break, flowering, fruit set and veraison, before the long-awaited harvest and the start of the vinification process.
The first wines are creative collaborations with longstanding vineyards that share similar values, styles, and varieties, while Artelium waits patiently for the vines to reach maturity. Both wines are proudly vegan friendly.
Curators Cuvée 2014 and Makers Rosé 2015 is available to purchase via the brand’s website (www.artelium.com/shop).
For the latest news and updates visit the website: www.artelium.com
Follow Artelium on Instagram and Twitter: @ArteliumWine