Litmus Element 20 Chardonnay 2018 (6 Bottles) Dorking, Surrey, England

About Litmus English Wine

John Worontschak, an Australian-born winemaker, honed his craft in Australia, California, and France before bringing his expertise to England in the mid-1980s. In 1988, at Thames Valley Vineyard in Berkshire, he founded a pioneering contract winemaking company, crafting award-winning wines from grapes sourced nationwide. His bold, confident approach earned him accolades and stirred controversy in England’s nascent wine industry.

In the 2000s, John consulted for wineries worldwide, from Mexico to Moldova, gaining invaluable insights into wine and its diverse cultural contexts. Returning to the UK with renewed passion, he embraced the burgeoning sparkling wine scene but remained deeply committed to crafting premium English still wines. In 2010, the first Litmus Element 20 was born, showcasing his vision for robust, complex food wines with balanced acidity and long ageing potential, inspired by Northern European winemaking traditions.

John meticulously selects the finest fruit from the UK’s top vineyards, creating wines that redefine English winemaking. His approach moves beyond the typical floral and aromatic profiles of English wines—often described as hedgerow, gooseberry, or elderflower—to deliver wines of depth and distinction.

The Element 20 label features a star wheel design representing a coccolith, a microscopic sea creature whose calcium shells have formed the chalky soils of Dover’s cliffs and the South East. This chalk-rich terroir, tied to calcium, the 20th element of the periodic table, is integral to the grapes and character of Element 20 wines, embodying John’s dedication to excellence.