Artelium 'Curators Cuvée' 2018

Wow! This came out of the starting blocks at full speed... Bursting with lemon, pear and pastry notes, it's as bright on the palate as it is on the nose. Bright and refreshing, but with layers of ripe fruits, more pastry flavours and an umami like finish, the wine feels at once complex and completely smashable. Lovely rich texture is balanced by a clean line of acidity, making this a fantastic aperitif. But, if unlike me, you're being restrained and drinking this with dinner, it would be more than at home with shellfish.

Curators, collaborators and custodians of English wine making, art and nature, Artelium is a boutique estate in the heart of the East Sussex countryside crafting exceptional English still and sparkling wines.

Founded by Mark Collins and Julie Bretland in 2020, the name Artelium comes from a combination of ‘Art’ and ‘- ium’, a Latin suffix used to denote places where people congregate. In that sense, Artelium is the embodiment of a long-held vision to create a space for people to come together and enjoy wine and art in a beautiful natural setting. The area around their East Sussex home has a proud heritage of artisans, which Mark and Julie wanted to celebrate by being a hub for artistic expression and innovative winemaking. Artelium sees each vintage as an opportunity to create pioneering styles of wine that will shape the future of the industry, using both their own grapes and collaborating with other growers. Mark leads the wine team supported by Owen Elias (one of the UK’s most respected and renowned winemakers) and recent addition to the team, South African Solly Monyamane.