Litmus Wines: English Winemaking, Contract Production and Wine Distribution at Denbies
About Litmus Wines
Established in 2008, Litmus Wines Limited is a multifaceted wine business based at the renowned Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, Surrey. As the name suggests, Litmus is a catalyst for change: it converts grapes into wine, passion into business and strategic plans into sales success. The company is owned and operated by winemaker John Worontschak and Matthieu Elzinga, with John also serving as chief winemaker of Denbies.
The business brings together several distinct strands under one roof. Litmus Wines is a wine producer, a wine business consultancy, a contract winemaker, a wine importer and a distributor of wines and biotechnical products for the wine and cider industries. Through its agency arm it represents Radoux oak, IOC oenological products and the celebrated Chris Ringland Shiraz portfolio from Australia's Barossa Valley, while through Litmus English Wines it crafts small-lot still wines from cool-climate English sites, and through Ginking it created and markets the original English wine-and-gin cocktail.
The People Behind Litmus
Litmus Wines was born from the merger of two consultancies. John Worontschak, an Australian-trained oenologist with a BSc from Charles Sturt University, had been at the forefront of English winemaking since the late 1980s. He ran the highly successful Harvest Wine Consultancy at Stanlake Park (then Valley Vineyards) from 1990 through 2002, winning the Gore Brown Trophy in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998. After a decade as a flying winemaker consulting to producers across Europe, the Americas, Russia, India and South Africa through his Four Corners Consultancy, John teamed up with Master of Wine Sam Harrop in 2008 to create Litmus Wines. Mike Florence joined in 2009 to manage the business, and became a partner in 2014 alongside Matthieu Elzinga, who had first joined as a vintage winemaker at Denbies in 2013.
Tragically, on 16 April 2021 the company's third partner and dear friend Mike Florence passed away from Myeloma at the age of 46 after a six-year battle. An integral part of the small company, he is deeply missed and not a day goes by without the partners thinking of him.
Today John remains chief winemaker at Denbies and consults to clients globally, while Matthieu runs the day-to-day winery operations. Chris Daniels heads up sales through Litmus Wine Agencies, created in 2016 to look after the growing commercial side of the business.
Location and Contact
Litmus Wines is headquartered at the heart of one of England's largest and most respected vineyards, Denbies Wine Estate on London Road in Dorking, Surrey. The principal place of business is:
- Litmus Wines Ltd
- London Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6AA, United Kingdom
- Telephone: +44 (0)1306 898 488
The company is registered in England and Wales under company number 6587060, with its registered office at Ground Floor Offices, 39 Guildford Road, Lightwater, Surrey GU18 5SA. Litmus Wines can be reached online at litmuswines.com.
The Litmus English Wines Range
The Litmus English Wines range is the personal label of John Worontschak and the culmination of more than three decades of experience making still wine in cool climates. Sourcing from the most distinguished English sites, John crafts wines designed to highlight balance, complexity and length of flavour and to move away from traditional, often one-dimensional, fruity English wine styles. The current range consists of four wines: Element 20, White Pinot, Red Pinot and Orange.
Element 20
The first Litmus wine, Element 20 was created by John in 2010. Named after calcium, the 20th element of the periodic table and the chalky foundation of the North Downs, it is made solely from Chardonnay fermented and aged for 12 months in two- to five-year-old French oak barriques, then left on full lees prior to bottling. The current release is the 2018 Element 20, made from Crouch Valley, Essex Chardonnay picked on 6 October 2018 and bottled on 17 September 2020. At 12.97% ABV and pH 3.20, the wine is described as complex, mature, elegant and stylish, with a flintiness on the nose that carries through to a gracefully oaked full-bodied palate, balancing acidity and a fine, long, creamy and persistent finish. It pairs particularly well with seafood and vegetarian dishes. The 2018 Element 20 can be purchased online for £25.00.
2022 Orange (Bacchus)
Modern white wines are typically pressed from their skins before fermentation. Orange wine is the term given to white wines that have been fermented and aged on their skins. The 2022 Litmus Orange is produced from 100% hand-harvested Bacchus grown in Dorking, Surrey, picked on 8 October 2022. The fruit was fermented and remained for six weeks on skins without sulphur dioxide, then bottled on 3 April 2023. Pale gold in colour, the wine displays hazelnut, fennel and marzipan characters on the nose. The palate offers a touch of vanilla spice, is incredibly generous and complex, and boasts a long broad palate with a gripping astringency and a smooth, long finish. It is recommended with oily meats and spicy dishes. ABV is 12.1% and pH 3.23. The 2022 Orange can be purchased for £20.00.
2022 Red Pinot
The flagship of the Litmus range, the 2022 Red Pinot is a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Martins Lane vineyard in Essex. Picked on 19 October, the fruit was outstanding, with small flavour-packed berries, 13% natural alcohol and 12 grams of acidity. The wine was cold-soaked on skins and fermented with 10% of the stalks added back in a punch-down fermenter, then aged in French oak barriques (33% new, 33% one year old, 33% older) and bottled on 24 January 2024. At 13% ABV and pH 3.4, John describes it as the finest example of Pinot Noir he has ever seen. The wine is dedicated to Roy Martin of Martins Lane Vineyard, who worked with Litmus from 2013 and who passed away in June of the same year; the bottling stands as a tribute to a pioneer and a visionary. The 2022 Red Pinot is offered at £50.00 per bottle.
White Pinot
Alongside Element 20 and Red Pinot, White Pinot Noir completes the trio of still English wines in the Litmus portfolio and continues the brand's focus on cool-climate still winemaking of Northern European character.
Contract Winemaking Services
In addition to its own production, Litmus Wines offers a premium bespoke contract winemaking service for UK grape growers, based at the state-of-the-art facilities of Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey. The team has a passion for quality winemaking and offers a complete, transparent and flexible service for all wine styles. Transparency begins with pricing: Litmus has published two online cost calculators to help clients plan their vintages and understand exactly what they will be paying for.
Still Wine Production
The Still Wine Calculator provides indicative costs for the full package of services (with the exception of malolactic fermentation, oaking and storage). Sample unit costs are: fermentation fee £1.05 per bottle, malolactic fermentation £0.16 per bottle, oak in new barriques £1.60, one-year-old oak £0.80, two-year-old £0.40, three-years-or-older £0.25. Bottling fees, capsule application and labelling are itemised separately, and pre- and post-bottling analysis via Corkwise is £159.00. Storage costs £0.02 per bottle per calendar month, with 30 days offered free. Payments are split into two instalments, with the first due on 1 December and the balance due 30 days after bottling and packaging.
Sparkling Wine Production
The Sparkling Wine Calculator is similarly transparent. Indicative per-bottle costs include fermentation fee £1.05, bottling fee £0.56, bottle cost £0.50, crown cap £0.05, malolactic fermentation £0.16, oak in new barriques £1.60, one-year-old £0.80, two-year-old £0.40, three-years-or-older £0.25, and pre- and post-bottling analysis at £159.00. Stage two costs include a disgorging fee of £1.30 per bottle bottled, lees ageing at £0.02 per bottle per month, foil application £0.11 and labelling options from £0.23 (two labels) to £0.29 (three labels). Payment is split into three instalments, with the first due 1 December, the second 30 days after bottling and the final instalment on completion of disgorging and packaging.
The Team and Equipment
Chief Winemaker John Worontschak oversees all production. A Panel Chair at the International Wine Challenge with over 30 years' UK and international experience, John is uniquely placed to combine technical excellence with market understanding. Matthieu Elzinga supervises day-to-day winery operations. After running his family's 210-hectare vineyard in Muscadet for 11 years and studying extensively in Champagne, Matthieu brings meticulous attention to detail to every batch. The Denbies winery is equipped to receive whole-berry-pressed or crushed fruit, process arrivals before 7pm the same day, and accommodate 15 - 20 kg picking bins on pallets or 300 kg bins handled by forklift.
Clients are required to send a Commercial Accompanying Document (CAD) form with every delivery of fruit. The form is available as a PDF from the Food Standards Agency.
Wine Imports and Distribution
Beyond English winemaking, Litmus Wines runs a substantial import and distribution business, supplying some of the most respected names in the global wine trade.
Chris Ringland Barossa Shiraz
Litmus Wines is the UK agent for the iconic Chris Ringland portfolio from the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Chris Ringland is one of Australia's most decorated and individual winemakers, whose Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz averages around £525 per bottle, placing it among the most expensive Shiraz wines in the country. The wines are produced in tiny quantities from ancient vines and matured extensively in French oak. Current UK stock includes:
- 2007 Chris Ringland Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz - £280.00
- 2008 Chris Ringland Hoffmann Vineyard - £280.00
- 2009 Chris Ringland Dimchurch - £150.00
- 2010 Chris Ringland Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz - £290.00
- 2012 Chris Ringland Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz - £300.00
- 2013 Chris Ringland Dimchurch Shiraz - £150.00
- 2013 Chris Ringland Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz - £290.00
- 2013 Chris Ringland Randall's Hill Shiraz - £160.00
- 2013 Chris Ringland CR Shiraz - £12.50 (Sale)
- 2014 Chris Ringland Dimchurch Shiraz - £150.00
- 2017 Chris Ringland Limit Lodge Cabernet Mataro - £80.00
The Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz is the tête de cuvée of the Barossa portfolio, made from vines between 60 and 100+ years old, picked at different stages of ripeness and finally blended from the best four barrels of twenty. The Dimchurch Shiraz is described as more archetypal Barossa, monumental and opulent, showcasing the power, richness and concentration for which Chris Ringland is renowned. Randall's Hill is the second label from the Stone Chimney Creek vineyard purchased by Chris in 1994. The Limit Lodge Cabernet Mataro is a newer blend matured in aged French oak, rich in dark, plummy fruit with savoury notes of bittersweet chocolate, coffee and anise.
2016 Stepp Scheurebe
Alongside the Australian portfolio Litmus Wines also imports a small parcel of German wine: the 2016 Stepp Scheurebe 75cl, available for £10.00 (Sale). Clean and vibrant, with aromas of musk, pink grapefruit and pineapple and a touch of residual sugar, this is a fresh and zesty off-dry white with lively grapefruit, apple and lime flavours.
Radoux Oak UK Distribution
Radoux have been making oak casks since 1947 and joined the François Frère group in 2012. Litmus Wines both uses Radoux barrels in its own English winemaking and is the official UK sales and distribution representative for the company. Producers interested in oak barrel types and pricing can contact Litmus Wines directly for the full list and current offers.
IOC UK Sales and Distribution
IOC (Institut Œnologique de Champagne) is a consulting company providing laboratory analysis and a broad selection of oenological and winemaking services from cold stabilisation to sparkling wine bottling. Litmus has worked closely with IOC for many years and, since February 2017, has been the official UK agent and representative providing IOC goods and services to the UK wine industry. Products available through Litmus include:
- Tirage and clarification: Clarifiant S, Clarifiant XL
- Stabilisation: Inogum 300, Inostab, Crème de Tartre Micronisée, Mes
- Sulphur products: Bisulfite Ammonium
- Tannins: Solution ST, Tanin SR, Exgrape Pel, Volutan
- Vinification: Bentostab Poudre, QI NO [OX], Polyoxyl Powder
- Capsules: Capsules Scel++, Caps Inoxal Saturne, Caps Inoxal Plus, Bidule
- Shutters: Cartouche Obturateur DAP
- Specific inactive yeasts: Glutarom Ultima Soft, Ultima Fresh, Sphère Blanc, Sphère Rouge, Sphère Express
- Wine ADYs: Levure IOC 18-2007, Levure IOC Primrouge R9001, Levure IOC B 2000, Levure Revelation Terroir, Levure Velluto BMV58, Levure IOC Be Thiols, Levure IOC Gaia
- Wine bacteria: Inoflore Dose, Inobacter Dose
- Bacteria nutrients: Nutriflore FML
- Wine enzymes: Inozyme
- Yeast nutrients: Activit, Activit O, Actiprotec Hydra PC
For contract sparkling wine bottling and the full range of products and services, producers can contact Litmus Wines directly.
Ginking, The Original English Wine and Gin Cocktail
Ginking is Litmus Wines' consumer brand and is widely credited with creating the wine-and-gin ready-to-drink category. The drink was born one evening when John Worontschak's wife was contemplating both a gin and tonic and a glass of English sparkling wine, and wondered out loud what a combination of the two would taste like. The answer became Ginking, a lower-alcohol, sparkling blend of English white wine, London Dry Gin from the Langley Distillery and mineral water, infused with natural botanicals and packaged in a traditional sparkling wine bottle with cork and wire.
Ginking Range
Ginking Original retails in the UK at £13 - £15 per bottle and is available at Fortnum & Mason, Vinoteca and Fenwick. It is a lower-alcohol drink at just 8.5% ABV - around 1.1 units per serving - making it a refreshing, easy-drink alternative to heavier cocktails.
Following its phenomenal success in 2018, Ginking introduced GinKing Original Rosé on 22 April 2019, launched exclusively in Marks & Spencer. Combining aromatic English Rosé wine and London Dry Gin with rose petals and cardamom, the result is a pale salmon-pink drink with abundant herbal and fresh rose petal notes, a fresh, fruity, bright and zingy palate and great balance and length.
2019 also saw the launch of Ginking Botanica Italia, available exclusively in Morrisons at £10 per bottle. Infused with the botanicals commonly used in vermouth - angostura bark and gentian root - it is described as Italy's most famous Aperitivo in a glass. Ginking Mediterranean, meanwhile, launched exclusively in Tesco stores in May 2019, offering citrus freshness and aromas of rosemary, thyme and pine.
International Distribution
In October 2017, Ginking appointed Bataillard AG of Switzerland as its sole importer to Switzerland. Bataillard is the largest wholesaler and third largest importer of alcoholic drinks in Switzerland. For consumers, the brand can also be ordered online from Marks & Spencer at £78 per case of six.
News and Press Coverage
Litmus Wines and its brands receive regular coverage in the UK and international wine press. Selected highlights include:
- February 2021: Matthew Jukes featured the 2018 Pinot Noir from Chartham Vineyard in Vineyard Magazine, calling it a stand-out red that ticked all the Pinot boxes and was well under twenty pounds.
- August 2019: Phoebe French of The Drinks Business spoke to John Worontschak about the evolution of English still wine.
- July 2019: Denbies' Taste the Difference English Dry Rosé, produced by the Litmus team, received 10/10 from the Mirror, praised as "crisp, fresh and perfect for drinking al fresco" with appealing strawberry and elderflower character.
- June 2018: GinKing was launched in Marks & Spencer, with a price tag of £13 per bottle or £78 for a case of six.
- May 2018: Jane MacQuitty's Times column featured the 2014 Litmus Red Pinot (£30 at selected M&S stores) as a cold-soaked, French oak barrique-aged gem with "oodles of rich, velvety, mocha, clove and red berry charm".
- May 2018: Chris Ringland wines were hosted by Adrian Hoffmann at a tasting at Hedonism Wines, Mayfair.
- October 2017: Ginking appointed Bataillard AG as its Swiss importer.
- September 2017: Litmus Wines teamed up with Bibendum Wine to distribute the full range of Litmus branded English wines across the UK on-trade.
Associates and Partners
Litmus Wines works closely with a number of leading UK vineyards and wine industry partners, including:
- Denbies Wine Estate, Surrey production home
- Albury Vineyard
- Ambriel Sparkling
- Chartham Vineyard
- Martins Lane Vineyard
- Maud Heath Vineyard
- The Mount Vineyard
- The Uncommon
- Madero
John Worontschak is also a Panel Chair at the International Wine Challenge, and Litmus Wines is a longstanding associate of the competition.
Buying Litmus Wines
The Litmus English Wine range (Element 20, Orange, Red Pinot and White Pinot) is sold through the dedicated Litmus English Wines online shop with UK delivery only. The Chris Ringland Australian portfolio and the German Stepp Scheurebe are sold through the main Litmus Wines online shop. Customers can register an account, browse by country (Australia, Germany) and check out securely via PayPal. For trade enquiries and bulk orders, the team can be contacted on +44 (0)1306 898 488.
Why Litmus Wines Matters
Few English wine businesses combine so many different facets of the trade under one roof. Litmus Wines is simultaneously a producer of world-class cool-climate still wines, a contract winemaker trusted by growers across the UK, the UK distributor for two of the most respected names in global wine inputs (Radoux oak and IOC oenological products), the UK agent for one of Australia's most iconic winemakers (Chris Ringland), and the home of a consumer brand that has defined a whole new category of low-alcohol wine cocktails. Anchored at Denbies in Dorking, Surrey, and led by two experienced and internationally respected partners, Litmus remains a small but influential force at the centre of English and global wine.