CELEBRATE English Wine Week with English Sparkling Wine!
English Wine Week - Celebrate with these Amazing English Sparkling Wines
This week marks English Wine Week, and what better way to celebrate with the best Sparkling English wines!
This year our wineries have been unable to welcome the usual number of visitors for tours, tastings and more, which has impacted their business drastically. But now is the perfect time to support them, by getting to know the vineyards and the beautiful array of wines they produce.
Many of the wines listed below are available to buy online straight from the winery, or from popular retailers too.
Wiston Estate vineyard
So let’s celebrate with my favourite English Sparkling Wines:
Louis Pommery England
Pommery were one of the first Champagne Houses to produce an English Sparkling Wine, and it is delicious!
Produced in the distinctive terroir of southern England, this is where chalk is the dominant element of the soil and this impacts the flavour of the wine beautifully. Made using a classic and traditional method, it builds on the internationally renowned grape varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.
Louis Pommery England has a balance and rich harmony to it, that doesn’t end is a sudden sweet sensation and is perfect for luxurious celebrations!
Lyme Bay
The Lyme Bay Winery in Axe Valley, Devon, is home to a dedicated drinks company passionate about producing delicious and award-winning English wine, fruit wine, cider, mead and more.
Using traditional craft and recipes focused on quality and not quantity, the wine produced here is of a premium quality. Each of their fabulous products are fermented, blended and aged, as appropriate at the winery under the supervision of the experienced winery team.
I tried the Lyme Bay Brut Reserve, a deliciously fruity wine with notes of crisp apple and lemon, perfect for a lazy Summer evening!
Bolney Wine Estate
The Bolney Wine Estate is located on the edge of the South Downs, only 14 miles from the UK’s south coast. This winery has been in the family for the last five decades and are one of the pioneers in the industry. In 2017 they were awarded the prestigious Winery of the Year at the UK Wine Awards.
Their beautiful Cuvée Rosé is also an award-winning sparkling wine made with traditional methods. With notes of strawberry and raspberry, this is a lovely wine to pair with berry desserts and cheese boards, as it really compliments the creamy richness of cheese. The Cuvée Rosé Magnum also won Gold for the best English Sparkling Wine at the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships!
For English Wine Week Bolney Wine Estate will be holding free live virtual tastings throughout the week, each one focusing on one of their amazing award-winning wines. There are limited spaces so make sure you register your spot today!
Sample from this delicious Rosé from Bolney Wine Estate and join their free virtual tastings!
Coates & Seely
Coates & Seely produce beautiful English Sparkling Wine in Hampshire. With over a decades worth of experience, their first wine, the Blanc de Blanc 2009 Vintage ‘La Perfide’ won numerous awards including a gold medal at the 2019 International Wine & Spirit Competition for the best Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine.
Their wines are now revered by sommeliers and served at some of the restaurants in England including The Dorchester Hotel, The Ivy and The Fat Duck. I particularly love their Rosé NV, which has gorgeous scents of summer fruits especially strawberries!
Rathfinny
Rathfinny Wine Estate is a family-owned wine grower and producer, established in 2010 in Sussex. Located on a wonderful south-facing slope in England’s South Downs, the climate, chalk soil and aspect make it the perfect site for growing grapes for world-class sparkling wine.
The Classic Cuvée 2016 is the first vintage of their classic Sussex Sparkling, made using the traditional method from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes. The wine has prominent notes of fresh red orchard apples alongside toasty notes of almond, and a honeydew melon finish. This is the perfect wine to pair with onion tarts, truffle oil and a creamy fish pie!
Sixteen Ridges
Sixteen Ridges is based in the historic town of Ledbury where they operate a farm alongside the winery too. The winery was planted in 2007 on an ancient ridge and furrow field, hence the apt name Sixteen Ridges.
I tried their Signature Cuvée and Sparkling Rosé, which were both delicious. The Signature Cuvée is perfect paired with fish such as smoked trout; salmon or oysters and the Rosé is both crisp and fresh enough to enjoy chilled on a warm evening.
Gusbourne
Gusbourne specialises in producing a luxurious range of sparkling wines. All the grapes used in their winemaking process are sourced solely from Gusbourne vineyards, focusing on just the classic grape varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Using a combination of the best age-old traditions and modern technology, Gusborne brings exacting quality standards to the process.
I tried Blanc de blancs, a classic sparkling wine, with a bright golden colour and classic Chardonnay aromas of green apple, citrus and mineral notes. This is a luxurious sparkling wine ideal for special celebrations.
Wiston Estate
Wiston Estate in Sussex has been farmed by the Goring family for over 275 years! Its 6,000 acres straddle the chalky slopes of the South Downs and the flat clay soils of the Weald.
I tried their Wiston Brut NV, which has often been described as a perfectly balanced wine. It is made up of equal parts of the three classic varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The result is a refreshing and elegant Sparkling Wine which is also a perfect introductory wine to Wiston’s wine collection.
Wiston Estate are running a series of events for English Wine Week, including a virtual vineyard tour and cellar digging too!
View Wiston Estate’s limited case deal for English Wine Week!
Three Choirs
Three Choirs is one of England's oldest vineyards, as well as one of the largest in Gloucestershire.
The first vines were planted here in 1973 and now they grow across over 75 acres! Named after England’s oldest choral festival which sees the joining together of local cathedrals from Hereford, Gloucestershire and Worcester.
I tried their award-winning Classic Cuvee which is a traditionally-made sparkling wine with elements of the English hedgerow including fragrant elderflower and beautiful blossoms.
Camel Valley
Camel Valley have been producing award-winning, world-class wines in Cornwall since 1989. Their wine has been consistently winning medals at a national and international level, including the Waitrose Drinks Producer of the Year Award in 2002.
I tried the 2017 Camel Valley 'Cornwall' Brut, which is also served in Rick Stein's world-famous Seafood Restaurant as well as Nathan Outlaw's iconic two Michelin Star Restaurants! The wine is stunningly fresh with a fruity fizz that is perfect for all parties!
Woodchester Valley
Woodchester Valley is a family-owned boutique vineyard located in the South Cotswolds. They have three vineyard sites in the Stroud valleys which produce a range of white, rose and sparkling wines making up a total of 45 acres.
I sampled their Rosé Brut 2017, a deliciously well-balanced Rosé with flavours of raspberry, without being overly sweet to taste. This wine is perfect to enjoy on it’s own as an apéritif, with South East Asian cuisine or with cured meats.
Jascots Wine Suppliers
Jascots are wine suppliers to the best restaurants, hotels and homes too. They specialise in supplying premium wines and are a great place to find a wide variety of wine, especially English Sparkling Wine!
I tried Harrow & Hope’s Sparkling Rose from Jascots, a delicious salmon-pink rose full of aromas of ripe cherry, vanilla and raspberry sorbet. As Jascots supplies wine from all across the world, I also stocked up on some Dericbourg 'Cuvee de Reserve' Champagne and Prosecco Spumante Brut 'Adalina' from Italy too!
English Wine Week runs from the 20th – 28th June this year. What better time to drink local?
What are your favourite English wines? Let me know in the comments below!
Her Favourite Food & Travel x
