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CUVÉE DR BRENDAN O’REGAN MV

CUVÉE DR BRENDAN O’REGAN MV

2017 marked the centenary of the birth of Dermot’s great uncle, so we released Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan to celebrate his life – an entirely fitting tribute to an eminent man. Brendan not only established a school for hoteliers in Ireland, but is also renowned for inventing the world’s first duty-free shop, which he set up at Shannon Airport in 1951.

Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan is our prestige cuvée – our Grand Cru, if you will – comprising 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, aged in oak barrels. All the fruit was sourced from two exceptional and meticulously managed vineyards on the South Downs. It possesses outstanding ageing potential, combining both power and structure with subtlety and finesse. Beautiful to enjoy now, it will grow in elegance and complexity if cellared for a decade or more.

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TECHNICAL INFORMATION

CEPAGE: 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir

VINEYARDS: Mount Harry Vineyard, East Sussex, planted 2006 on clay loam over chalk, approx. 70m above sea level.

Storrington Priory Vineyard, West Sussex, planted 2006 on sandy loam over chalk and greensand, 50m above sea level.

YIELD: 7,500kg/ha; 5,200 bottles produced

VINIFICATION: Vinified in large 500L old Burgundian barrels

MATURATION: Bottled in 2019 with 3.5 years on the lees; first batch disgorged in January 2023

ANALYSIS: Residual sugar: 6g/L. 12% abv

THE STORY BEHIND ‘CUVÉE DR BRENDAN O’REGAN MV’

Dermot’s great uncle Dr Brendan O’Regan was born in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, in 1917. An astute businessman, he was responsible for developing Shannon airport (where he launched the world's first duty-free shop), which transformed the Shannon Region of Ireland.

As well as his commercial endeavours, Brendan was involved in promoting peace in Northern Ireland, and worked tirelessly to promote cooperation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In 1984, Brendan was voted ‘Clareman of the Year’; then, in 1993, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to peace. He was awarded the Freedom of the City of Limerick in 1995 and received several honorary doctorates.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

“Spectacular. Honestly England’s best.” Hugh Johnson OBE

“I tasted this wine in a line-up of over 100 bottles, unlabelled, and with no knowledge of what was inside – I can declare that it is the most profound, complex and rewarding English sparkling wine I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. I cannot wait to see it again, to put a name to its heavenly flavour.” Matthew Jukes

“Most of the room said this was their all-time favourite English Sparkling Wine. It’s hard to argue otherwise.” Robbie Priddle, greatbritishwine.com

WINEMAKER'S NOTES

I knew the 2013 vintage was ideal to produce something very special, hence Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan was created. Having kept back the last remaining reserves from the 2009 vintage, I created this multi-vintage cuvée, which possesses outstanding ageing potential, combining both power and structure with subtlety and finesse. Beautiful to enjoy now, it will grow in elegance and complexity if cellared for up to a decade.

A 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot assemblage from Mount Harry and Storrington Priory vineyards. The Mount Harry fruit delivers a driving sense of purity, which gives impeccable poise and definition, a sense of volume and weight that somehow retains an aerial component, a finesse atop the solidity of fruit that was immediately obvious.