What English Wine Can Learn from Burgundy
Refining Our Approach to Oak
In February 2026, we travelled to Burgundy.
As a young English vineyard focused on still wines, we’re conscious that the decisions we make now will shape our house style for decades. Oak is one of those decisions.
Used well, it builds structure, texture and longevity. Used impulsively, it will dominate. As our 2025 wines continue to evolve in barrel, it felt the right time to review and refine our approach.
For Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Burgundy remains a reference point for balance and quality. So, we went to listen and we went to learn.
Understanding the Role of Oak
Based in Beaune, we spent several days visiting cooperages, discussing forest origin, seasoning time, grain selection, toast profiles and barrel format. We met with representatives from:
- - Tonnellerie François Frères
- Tonnellerie Seguin Moreau
- Tonnellerie de Mercurey
- Tonnellerie Cavin
These choices may seem subtle, but they influence tannin profile, oxygen transfer and aromatic development long after fermentation.
What interested us most was integration: how oak can provide structure without obscuring fruit. Sharing samples and receiving considered feedback from the coopers on the most appropriate fit for our style provided valuable perspective. These conversations will help refine our decisions in the winery for years to come.
Tasting with Perspective
While in Burgundy we couldn't miss the opportunity to taste with producers whose wines consistently demonstrate clarity and composure:
Across appellations and styles, there was a common thread: fruit definition, oak woven into texture rather than sitting on top. Even where oak was powerful, it was perfectly balanced.
It reinforced a direction we have been steadily moving toward at Abingworth — precision and elegance.
English Wine at a Burgundian Table
During our stay, we were invited by our hotel to taste our wines alongside comparable examples from the region, joined by the hotel manager and owner. It was a valuable exercise — tasting side by side in Burgundy widens our perspective. We were encouraged by how confidently our wines held their place among respected local producers.
On our final afternoon, we were invited to a small winemakers’ lunch in Gevrey-Chambertin. Each producer brought a bottle to share.
We brought our English Pinot Gris.
Pouring an English still wine in Burgundy — among producers whose families have been making wine for generations — felt unique and momentous. It is unlikely this exchange would have happened even a decade ago.
The response was respectful and encouraging. There was genuine interest in our growing conditions, our natural acidity and the clarity of our fruit. The freshness and energy of English wine stood out — not as a novelty, but as a distinct identity.
For us, it was both affirming and motivating. English still wine is now part of serious technical conversation.
What This Means for Abingworth
This Burgundy visit was not about imitation. It was about refinement of our wines.
From 2026 onwards, our barrel programme will become more focused — fewer coopers, clearer allocation by parcel and variety, and a more deliberate approach to barrel life cycles.
- Our objective remains consistent:
- Clarity of fruit
- Balanced structure
- Oak for framework.
English wine’s strength lies in its freshness, precision and purity of fruit. Our role is to protect those qualities while building texture and longevity — creating wines that have identity, elegance and are unmistakably English.- Perhaps most importantly, the trip marked the beginning of relationships in one of the world’s great wine regions. Shared experience and open exchange strengthen the work we do at home.
Burgundy has not changed our style, it will sharpen it for the better. And the wines resting in barrel will carry that intent forward.
Our Four Fables Chardonnay and Tumbledown Hill Pinot Noir showcase this evolving style — discover them here:
