A note on two Digbys.

Digby English sparkling wine is revelatory on several levels. It is an extremely good sparkler, made in the traditional manner from 40% pinot noir, 35% chardonnay and 25% pinot meunier   it is a legitimate rival to storied champagnes while displaying a distinct English style; crisp, bright, not toasty like Veuve Clicquot but hardly lacking depth. At south of $60 a bottle it is superb value for money, better value than its French and California rivals of comparable quality. As a playful bonus its proprietors have noses for culinary history as well as wine.

‘Digby’ refers, as its label indicates, to “the extraordinary Sir Kenelm Digby, a 17th century philosopher, pirate, scientist and cook who invented the modern wine bottle.” It would be more accurate to describe him as privateer than pirate, but the elision is forgivable enough for the label of a wine bottle. Sir Kenelm also was a courtier, onetime member of the Privy Council, diplomat, founder of the Royal Society, astrologer, alchemist and culinary researcher.

The tempestuous courtship and marriage of Sir Kenelm and his love Venetia stands among the most intimate and moving in history, upended only by her untimely death. Well-connected at Westminster, favored by the crown but respected by Cromwell--the two enjoyed each other’s company and conversed about weighty matters--fabulously wealthy and famous, Sir Kenelm threw the trappings away to wander western Europe for years after her death cloaked in mourning black and inconsolable sorrow.

Extensive notes on cooking that Sir Kenelm kept throughout his eventful life led to the compilation and publication by his loyal valet George Hartmann of The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelm Digby Kt. Opened. The enduring cookbook appeared in 1669, several years after his death, and became something of a sensation. Good facsimiles expertly edited remain available from the estimable Prospect Books.