Burn Valley Vineyard Schönburger

The Allure

Exotic, masterfully textured, and unashamedly bold. While mainstream white wine drinkers automatically reach for predictable, mass produced Pinot Grigio or standard aromatic blends, the experimental boutique collector looks to the innovative styling of rare cool climate grapes. Schönburger a heavy perfumed German cross of Pinot Noir, Chasselas, and Muscat, is a true rarity in English viticulture. Cultivated on the sun trapped coastal slopes of North Norfolk by the fiercely independent Robinson family, this bottling flips the script by throwing out the rulebook on clean white winemaking. It is an aromatic, texture driven powerhouse crafted for those who want real character over commercial complacency.

Why It’s Exceptional

The Taste: A beautiful, intense straw gold pour that immediately flags its advanced maceration technique. The nose is a mesmerizing, highly expressive sensory trip bursting with voluptuous aromas of ripe lychee, fresh rose petals, Turkish delight, and a warming, sophisticated hint of fresh ginger. On the palate, it delivers a thrillingly soft and multi dimensional volume; rich tropical fruits shine across a broad, heavily textured frame that finishes completely dry with an appetizing, subtle phenolic grip.

The Pedigree: 100% estate grown Schönburger meticulously hand harvested from a 12-acre block in North Creake. Rooted just four miles from the sea in free draining flint soils anchored directly into a thick, ancient chalk stream bedrock, the fruit benefits from immense natural concentration. For the 2023 vintage, head winemaker Mathew Abbey introduced a brilliant, high-society twist infusing a portion of whole grape skins directly into the tank during fermentation to extract structural depth, color, and unparalleled flavor intensity before securing a Bronze Medal at the WineGB East awards.

The Ritual: A highly dramatic, deeply aromatic showpiece that acts as an elite culinary weapon. Serve it lightly cellar cooled (around 10–12°C) in a standard white wine bowl rather than ice cold, giving its skin contact texture and exotic perfumes the perfect room to unfurl. While it drinks beautifully on its own as a conversation starter, its structural weight and spice notes make it a sensational match for lightly spiced Asian street food, Thai green curries, aromatic smoked meats, or pungent washed rind cheeses.

The Details

The Maker: Laura Robinson & Mathew Abbey / Burn Valley Vineyard

The Origin: North Norfolk, East Anglia, England

The Grape: 100% Schönburger

The Strength: 11.5% ABV

The Exclusivity: Award Winning Aromatic Skin Contact Twist, Micro Scale Family Estate, Rare Varietal Expression