Age of Anxiety Ortega, Gutter & Stars 2025 75cl
Age of Anxiety is Gutter & Stars' Ortega — another small-batch English white from Chris Wilson's urban winery in a Cambridge windmill, this time from fruit grown in Oxfordshire. Like all his wines it takes its name from a song, and it's made in tiny quantities with a light, hands-off touch.
Ortega is an early-ripening aromatic grape that suits England's cool climate well: it reaches ripeness when others struggle, giving a rounder, riper style of white while keeping that crucial native freshness. Think of it as the softer, peachier cousin to the racy Bacchus.
The nose leads with ripe peach and apricot, honeysuckle and a lift of elderflower. The palate is gently textured and a touch riper than you'd expect from English wine, with orchard fruit and a squeeze of citrus keeping it lively, before a clean, dry finish. There's charm here rather than austerity — an easy wine to like.
Pour it as an aperitif or bring it to the table for lighter dishes. At £27 it's a lovely way to see what English Ortega can do, and it's made for drinking now while the fruit is fresh and expressive.
How to Serve
Serve at 8-10°C in a white-wine glass. Give it a few minutes out of the fridge and the aromatics open up.
Where to Drink It
Noble Rot for the curious wine crowd. Dandy on Maltby Street for its ingredient-led plates. Planque in Haggerston for something relaxed.
Food Pairings
Lovely with a summer salad of peach and burrata, or with lightly spiced Thai-style chicken where its gentle roundness shines.
