Artelium, Curators Cuvée, East Sussex, England, 2018

Producer Profile

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.

Viticulture

From East and West Sussex vineyards situated on clay, greensand and chalk. Vines are pruned double guyot.

Winemaking

Pressed to extract only the finest portion of juice. Vinified entirely in stainless steel tanks. The Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier were fermented and aged separately, with malolactic fermentation carried out only partially to retain structure and give extra ability for extended lees ageing. 5 Years in bottle prior to release.

Oak Ageing

No oak ageing

Tasting Note

An elegant, classic nose. Inviting aromas of lemon peel and green orchard fruits with subtle fresh pastry. The palate is bright and multi-layered; clean acidity refreshes, the well-ripe fruit gives a richness of texture. Crisp pear, subtle tropical fruit notes. Long, tense toasted-brioche finish.

Food Matching

A fantastic aperitif this also pairs beautifully with shellfish, seafood and fresh, clean vegetable dishes as well as fried dishes like Panko-crumbed chicken or filo pastry bites.

Awards

Decanter 95 Points
Plush orchard fruit, lemon tart and toasted bread aromas intersperse flawlessly with mouth-filling bubbles, zingy acidity and deliciously creamy texture. Very long with umami finish. 95 Points, 2024.