Structure
Drinking window
Critic scores
No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.
In the glass
Palate: salt, oak, cream
Sugrue's unique take on English still Chardonnay, using oak fermentation, ageing under flor and controlled oxidation as well as vintage blending. The second version is a purer, more elegant and salty expression with the same patina of oak and creamy texture.
What it pairs with
-
Manchego and marcona almonds
Flor ageing pushes the wine towards sherry territory, where nuts and hard cheese belong. -
Grilled sardines
Salinity and oxidative depth handle an oily fish off the grill. -
Roast chicken with lemon
Oak and creamy texture wrap around roast bird and pan juices.
Facts
- Producer
- Sugrue South Downs · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Oak
- Fermented in oak, aged under flor with controlled oxidation, and blended across the 2022, 2023 and 2024 vintages
- ABV
- 12.0%
- Price
- GBP 29 at the winery
- Drinking window
- 0-8 from release
Frequently asked about Bonkers
What is flor and why does Bonkers use it?
Flor is a film of yeast that grows on the surface of wine in a partly filled barrel, protecting it while adding savoury, nutty character. It is best known from sherry. Sugrue uses it here as one of several experimental techniques on English Chardonnay.
Is Bonkers a single vintage?
No. Bonkers V2 blends the 2022, 2023 and 2024 vintages, one of the traditional and experimental techniques the wine employs.
What does Bonkers taste like?
Sugrue describes V2 as a purer, more elegant and salty expression of Chardonnay, carrying a patina of oak and a deliciously creamy texture.