How does English sparkling wine compare to Champagne? The non-vintages
How do some of England and France's best non-vintage fizzes compare? John Stimpfig found out recently...
In late November I attended a blind tasting at 67 Pall Mall in London to compare and contrast a range of English sparkling wines against some of the big guns of Champagne. In the first part of this series, I look at non-vintage fizz.
See also:
How does English sparkling wine compare to Champagne? The vintage category
How does English sparkling wine compare to Champagne? Rosés
In all, 24 wines were poured in three categories: NV, Vintage and Rosé.
This was a genuinely intriguing and enjoyable tasting, which confirmed just how far the UK sparkling wine sector has progressed in recent years. Champagne did defeat its UK opposition when taking an average of scores from the attending experts, but not in every case – something that my own scores back up.
Gone are the days when it was easy to pick an English fizz from Champagne. However, I did find it easier to spot the differences in the NV lineup – perhaps because the English producers have had less opportunity to blend in reserve wines. Despite that, the English wines put in a strong showing.
English sparkling wine vs Champagne: Non-vintage
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Krug, Grande Cuvée, Champagne, France
Beguiling complex colour of twinkling green/gold lights. Inimitably Krug, masterly blending. The Chardonnay scents are at once refined yet dripping in the aroma of crunchy...
Krug
Egly-Ouriet, Tradition Grand Cru Brut, Champagne, France
Very classical aromas of toast, nuts and patisserie lead to a palate that's round and savoury with very attractive richness and complexity. Flavours of nuts,...
Egly-Ouriet
Sugrue Pierre, Cuvée Dr Brendan O'Regan, South Downs, England, United Kingdom
Rich and toasty aromas are accompanied by some serious depth, weight and texture on the palate. It has attractive brioche and mineral notes, the ripeness...
Sugrue PierreSouth Downs
Hambledon Vineyard, Première Cuvée Brut, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom
Hambledon village in Hampshire is both the birthplace of cricket and home to England’s oldest commercial vineyard. Hambledon Vineyard began its rebirth 20 years ago...
Hambledon VineyardHampshire
Cottonworth, Classic Cuvée, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom
Classic and refined on the nose, with bread, red apple and brioche. The residual sugar is on the higher end of the brut spectrum, giving...
CottonworthHampshire
Exton Park, Brut Reserve, England, United Kingdom
Searing lime acidity seems a little out of kilter with the toasty richness that develops on the mid-palate, giving a disjointed impression. It has good...
Exton Park
