I've lost count of the number of times I've read a headline about how the gin bubble has burst. It's undeniable that there's been a slowdown in growth since the heady days of craft gin's meteoric rise that started in 2013. Yet, despite a decline in revenue, particularly among mainstream brands, it's not all doom and gloom and some figures suggest that consumers may be turning towards higher priced, premium alternatives instead. So now's a good time to feature a gin again as 'Tipple of the Month' on The Write Taste and it's one with a difference - it's Precognition Pinot Meunier Gin by Sugrue South Downs.
Award-winning winemaker, Dermot Sugrue, will already be a familiar name to many fans of English fizz. Responsible for some of the country's most critically acclaimed sparkling wines, his 20 years of contract winemaking are now behind him as he concentrates on his latest and similarly successful project, Sugrue South Downs. With vineyards in East and West Sussex, Dermot and his winemaker wife, Ana, are busy crafting the epitome of a boutique, world-class English winery.
However, it's not all about wine, as they have also tried their hands at gin.
Ana describes their first foray into the world of juniper joy. "We're a sparkling wine producer and we'll continue to focus on bubbles. Gin was a side project in 2020 when the harvest was great, yield was high and the grapes were very ripe. When we pressed Pinot Meunier, the first juice was used for making our Trouble With Dreams signature wine and the later pressing was separated and fermented into wine that was sent off to Silent Pool for distillation."
Pinot Meunier is an unusual choice as a base for gin, but the fruit quality it can achieve on English terroir is increasingly being noticed. The less heralded of the three main grape varieties used for Champagne and English sparkling wine - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir being the others - it's been touted as England's 'secret weapon' grape. It tends to ripen earlier than Pinot Noir, a useful benefit in the UK climate. "In the past, we were selling Pinot Meunier to pay for our winemaking costs", adds Ana. "Then in 2020, as the quality was exceptional, we used a small percentage of it for our 'The Trouble With Dreams' blend" [named after the planned inaugural release in 2008 that was thwarted by birds eating the grapes].
Approximately 9% of English vineyards - 343 hectares - are planted with Pinot Meunier in England and Wales. Out of this, 231 hectares are in the South-East counties, encompassing East and West Susses, Kent, London and Surrey.
The grapes used in Precognition Pinot Meunier Gin come from Sugrue South Downs' Mount Harry vineyard in Lewes, East Sussex, planted in May 2006. This 2.15 hectare south-east facing site, 70 metres above sea level and about 8 miles from the sea, has a clay loam soil over a bedrock of pure Sussex chalk. Its location and chalk-rich soil are ideal for growing high quality grapes, including the Pinot Meunier used for this gin.
Why the name Precognition?
"Dermot and I were always dreaming of making gin from our grapes", says Ana, "and finally in 2020 the dream came true. This time it wasn't a 'trouble with dreams', as our friends in Silent Pool made it happen" … and what an amazing result they've achieved!
Having drunk, written about, presented or judged a fair amount of gins over the last ten years, I can honestly say this is one of the best I've tried 👏.
Precognition Pinot Meunier Gin was made using a double pot distillation and 12 botanicals. Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, liquorice root, clove and black cardamom are macerated from the start, while Lapsang Souchong tea, wild forest pepper, rosemary, jasmine and lavender are infused using a vapour basket. ABV is 43%.
Dermot, Ana and Jason Hall, distiller at Silent Pool, have managed to successfully balance the mix of botanicals to create a complex and delicious gin 😋.
Smoky and aromatic notes of Lapsang Souchong, black cardamom and delicate jasmine combine beautifully with hints of sweet and salty liquorice plus a savoury, herbal edge 🌿, while a mild touch of floral lavender gives an extra lift on the finish. There's a graceful fruity tone all the way through, slightly reminiscent of red cherry 🍒.
While it makes for a classy sipping gin, if mixing in a G&T 🍸, a neutral tonic works best, as flavoured tonics are … well … just too flavoured! My choice would be Franklin & Sons Premium Light Tonic Water, served with a simple garnish of a lemon wedge 🍋. This allows the complex flavours of the gin to shine with a refreshing citrus zing, while a light quinine bitterness complements the fruity, herbal and delicate spice core.
You can buy Precognition Pinot Meunier Gin online from Sugrue South Downs, but it's also available at selected retailers, including Brunswick Fine Wines & Spirits in Brighton. RRP is £49. However, don't wait too long, as only 2000 bottles were produced and Ana says that they're not sure when they are going to make it again!
