litmus
premium english wine
Our Story
Seeking out the best parcels of fruit from the most distinguished sites in the UK, winemaker, John Worontschak is able to craft world class wines that are at the forefront of English winemaking.
Our Range
John Worontschak has been making English wine since 1988.
In 2010 John decided to create the first Litmus wine, Element 20. The concept was to move away from the traditional fruity and often one-dimensional English wine styles.
The Litmus range is the culmination of John's experience and are designed to highlight the very best of cool climate English still wines promoting balance, complexity and length of flavour.
The range consists of four wines - Element 20, White Pinot, Red Pinot and Orange.
The 2018 Element 20 is made solely from Chardonnay fermented, and aged in 2- to 5-year-old French oak barriques for 12 months and left on full lees prior to bottling in September 2019
Complex, mature, elegant, and stylish there is a flintiness on the nose that carries through to a gracefully oaked full-bodied wine with a balancing acidity and a fine long, creamy, and persistent finish that pairs well with seafood and vegetarian dishes.
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Grape location: Crouch Valley, Essex
Picked: 6 October 2018
Fermentation: Oak
Bottled: 17 September 2020
ABV: 12.97 %
pH: 3.20
Modern white wines are generally pressed from their skins prior to fermentation. Orange wine is a term given to white wines that have been fermented and aged on their skins.
2022 Litmus Orange is produced from from 100% hand harvested Bacchus. The Bacchus was fermented and remained for six weeks on skins without sulphur dioxide.
Pale gold in colour the wine displays hazelnut, fennel and marzipan characters on the nose. The palate has a touch of Vanilla spice, is incredibly generous and complex and boasts a long broad palate with a gripping astringency and smooth, long finish. Enjoy with oily meats and spicy dishes.
Grape: 100% Bacchus
Grape location: Dorking, Surrey
Picked: 8 October 2022
Fermentation: On skins, stainless steel
Bottled: 3 April 2023
ABV: 12.1 %
pH: 3.23
Picked on the 19th October the fruit from Martins Lane vineyard in Essex was outstanding. Small flavoursome berries with 13% natural alcohol and 12 grams of acidity it was perfect. The wine was cold soaked on skins and fermented with 10% of the stalks added back in a punchdown fermenter.
The 2022 Red Pinot was aged in french oak barriques (33% New, 33% One year old and 33% Older). Absolutely stunning in every way it is the finest example of Pinot Noir I have ever seen. No exaggeration!
This wine is dedicated to Roy Martin of Martins Lane Vineyard with who we have worked with since 2013 and suddenly passed away in June of this year
A pioneer and a visionary it is he who has made Litmus wines what they are and this wine what it will be:
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Grape location: Crouch Valley, Essex
Picked: 19 October 2022
Fermentation: Red Punch down fermenter
Bottled: 24 January 2024
ABV: 13 %
pH: 3.4
+44 (0)1306 898 488
London Road
Dorking
Surrey, RH5 6AA
United Kingdom
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