Five UK sparkling wines for summer
The weather is hotting up and so is the reputation of UK sparkling wine. Our expert panel found plenty to recommend at a recent tasting - here's five of the best to try...
Top UK sparkling wines now offer quality comparable to their vaunted French rivals, while exhibiting a style and structure all of their own, as Christelle Guibert reports.
Scroll down to see the top five UK sparkling summer wines
Two decades ago, who would have thought that English sparkling wines would be on restaurant and bar lists, and Champagne houses planting vineyards in the UK? In a short period of time, England has moved from being just a wine-consuming nation to a respectable wine-producing country.
Richard Hemming MW felt that the Champagne argument is now well-worn: ‘Most people would agree that the best of English sparkling wine, and we had some good examples today, can easily compete with Champagne and England is poised to be the only competitor to Champagne in terms of quality.’
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Stephen Skelton MW agreed: ‘I think UK sparkling wines have a fighting chance between £25-£50 and I wouldn’t be surprised if we are selling as much English sparkling wine as Champagne in a few years’ time.’ Hemming felt the best wines ‘tasted’ English: ‘They were structurally different, mostly because of the acid, but that’s a good thing because it’s a distinctive characteristic.’
Our experts were impressed with the overall quality. Justin Howard-Sneyd MW found ‘wines that combined real fruit charm and floral fragrance with complexity from lees, from secondary contact with the lees and from bottle ageing’. Skelton echoed his view: ‘The quality is getting better. As the competition hots up and the volume of good wine is increasing, producers are thinking about the sites and how they grow grapes, and how to compete with the major brands, who are getting bigger and bigger.’
Editing for Decanter.com by Laura Seal.
Five UK sparkling wines for summer
Mayfield, Essence Brut, Sussex, England, United Kingdom, 2011
<p>Planted in 2004 and 2005 with both Burgundy and Champagne clones. Despite (or because of) the clay and sandstone soil – without a hint of...
2011
MayfieldSussex
Sugrue Pierre, The Trouble with Dreams, England, United Kingdom, 2011
<p>From a small 1ha vineyard at Storrington Priory at the foot of the South Downs, some on chalk and some on sandy greensand, this wine...
2011
Sugrue Pierre
Wiston Estate, Blanc de Blancs, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom, 2010
94
<p>Appealing and generous toasty, buttery nose. A refreshing acidity enlivens some rich and delicious flavours of baked apple and buttered tea cakes. Full and broad mouthfeel leading to a charming dry note on the lengthy finish. A beautiful example of English sparkling.</p>
2010
Wiston EstateWest Sussex
Breaky Bottom, Cuvée Gerard Hoffnung, Sussex, England, United Kingdom, 2009
Very perfumed with white flowers and creamy notes. The palate is nicely balanced with some crunchy apples to crisp up the buttery character. A rich...
2009
Breaky BottomSussex
Furleigh Estate, Classic Cuvée, England, United Kingdom, 2011
Wonderful and complex bouquet with open, fleshy fruit aromas. Excellent balance on the palate boasting delicious and concentrated citrus flavours and a refreshing acidity. The...
2011
Furleigh Estate
