Chalkdown Dry Sparkling Cider (75cl) 2015

Next time you want to add a bit of sparkle to an occasion or there’s reason for celebration, reach for a bottle of this fine cider. It’s the creation of Piotr Nahajski. He had just completed an extensive tour of Champagne when he came across a bottle-fermented cider. Putting the concept of both together, he envisaged producing a fine cider that resembled Champagne more closely than normal cider. Just like Champagne, Chalkdown cider goes through a secondary fermentation in bottle and is left there to develop complexity. Indeed, it takes 24 months from the hand picking of Will Dobson’s premium Hampshire apples before the cider is ready for release. Piotr only makes 9,000 bottles each year, so make sure you reserve some and chill it down.