Jacob Leadley + Zoë Driver have slam-dunked it yet again
- Black Chalk Wine
- Dec 17, 2025
- 3 min read
Henry Jeffreys summed it up perfectly in his recent Substack article, “English sparkling wines from small producers”:
“Black Chalk are another producer you can’t ignore. Partly this is down to the irrepressible personalities of its winemaking team of Jacob Leadley and Zoe Driver but also because of the quality of the wines.” Henry Jeffreys
And he seems to be right. Our new Classic and Wild Rosé from the warm 2022 vintage (or V.3, as we refer to it) are already turning heads. Critics have been quick to celebrate their depth, vibrancy, and sheer drinkability, awarding standout scores that reflect the care and creativity poured into every bottle.
Here’s a snapshot of the acclaim these wines have been attracting since their release.
COCO CLASSIC 2022... Overall, 2022 proved to be a successful growing year at Black Chalk, though the period of extreme heat did result in a small amount of sunburn on the grapes — a first for us. Notably, this vintage also marked the first time our Classic blend was not led by Chardonnay; instead, Pinot Noir became the dominant component, reflecting the exceptional quality and expressive character the variety showed in this warm, ripe year.
Reviews
"Proper lemon-curd and cream-curd richness, the indolence sharpening the cutting contrast of the tiny bubbles and their seemingly salty hiss and spit and thrilling energy. Pink grapefruit and white chocolate, Turkish delight and blanched almonds – sweetness and charm tucked into practical, comfortable, silhouette-striking, strikingly elegant structure. The Black Chalk Classic is, to me, the Coco Chanel jacket of the sparkling-wine world 17/20." Tamyln Currin, JancisRobinson.com
"So inviting, great concentration of flavour. The best Black Chalk Classic I've tried... absolutely brilliant." Jamie Goode
HEAD-TOSSING WILD ROSE 2022...
The 2022 harvest began earlier than usual and wrapped up in an impressive 12 days — one of the quickest we’ve ever experienced. Despite the warm conditions, acidity levels held beautifully, staying right where we want them for high-quality sparkling wine. This balance allowed Wild Rose V.3 to maintain its refined, vibrant fruit profile, preserving the freshness and delicacy that define the style while still capturing the generosity of the vintage.
Reviews
"Pale pink but there is nothing pale about the nose! It smells remarkably intense, of guava and membrillo. And it tastes just as gorgeously ripe and intense, silky, succulent with flavour. Jacob Leadley + Zoë Driver have slam-dunked it yet again with another glorious, head-tossing, racy yet rich and iridescently colourful wine. It’s a wine that manages to be unapologetically bold while retaining innate elegance. As with previous vintages, the dosage is pitch-perfect. I was so impressed at how well this went with a Korean pork-belly kimchi jjigae – a dish ferociously loaded with all the kinds of fiery and intense ingredients that wine tends to be terrible with: anchovies, gochugaru chilli spice, gochujang chilli paste, green onions, kimchi … Wild Rose simply leaned in, laughed and danced. It is also one of my favourite pink sparkling wines for roast beef or lean venison fillet. You can play fast and loose and daring with food pairings here 17.5/20." Tamyln Currin, JancisRobinson.com
"An off-the-charts good sparkling rosé." Victoria Moore, Telegraph Luxury
Fancy a taste of us for yourself and curious to see what the fuss is about? You can order our Classic and Wild Rose 2022 straight from our online shop and have a bottle (or two) delivered right to your door!