English wine: Status report and top wines to try

Selected from the ‘heart of the first pressing’, which releases the best juice for traditional method sparkling wines, the 100% Chardonnay undergoes a wild first fermentation and is matured in old oak for seven months. Once in the bottle in spends four years on its lees to add intrigue. Aromas are of peaches, cream, honey, hazelnuts, magnolia blossom, green apple and spring hedgerow. The palate is plush, with a yeasty cinnamon-cream feel, along with nougat and some lemon syllabub zinginess that combines silky texture with vertical deportment. The concentration of flavour is harmonious and integrated with a persistent, finely atomised mousse that holds its shape throughout the palate.

This all-Chardonnay bubbly is from one of the UK’s biggest vineyard owners. The base wine spends seven months on its lees before bottling for the second fermentation, and then spends a further four years on its lees. Aromas of apple, pear, magnolia, lemon and baguette lead into a plush, creamy, lemon-peach attack that's rich in silky fruit, with a finely-attuned, delicate and persistent mousse. Honey, toasted brioche and hazelnut notes add depth to the concentrated flavours. A complex example, run through with crystalline, icy acidity.

<p>Hampshire&rsquo;s Black Chalk was only launched in 2018, and yet they are already set for expansion. Lees ageing of the base wine in oak barrels has lent added complexity to the aromas of honeysuckle floral notes combined with lemon, honey and vanilla ice-cream. This is replicated on the palate with added creaminess, and white peach fruit sits alongside lemon flesh and zest in a big flavour hit. The crisp raciness of crystal shard-like acidity balances well with the melt in the mouth pillow of frothy mousse and flavour concentration.</p>

<p>The 90 hectares of vineyards of this Kent-based producer include 30 hectares in West Sussex. This is their best-selling bubbly: just over half of the blend is Pinot Noir, with 40% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, aged on lees for at least 36 months. The complex nose releases aromas of apple blossom, part-baked peaches and the faintest hint of hazelnut skins. The tingly acid attack is fleshed out by richness of baked-lemon creaminess and gently toasted flavours, among a fine, delicate mousse that persists on the palate.</p>

Another wine from the fold of emerging small-production Hampshire producers, this time on the South Downs. Hawthorn, vanilla ice-cream, honeysuckle and lemon sorbet aromas emerge on the nose. Shimmeringly bright acidity precisely focuses clean flavours of lemon tart, baked lemons and lemon curd on the palate, given complexity by nuances of nougat and dry-roasted almond flakes from nearly three years on its lees. There is big flavour concentration here, displaying purity, focus and depth, wrapped around a crisp, tight, persistent mousse.

<p>This 6.5-hectare vineyard in the South Downs of West Sussex was planted in 2006. The base wine of this hugely complex bubbly was kept on its lees for nine months, then kept on bottle lees for five years. Aromas are of cinnamon-infused lemon cream, with honey-almond praline and strawberry-field fragrance. The palate is rich, honeyed and creamy, yet freshly cut through with laser-sharp spines of acidity. Peaches, strawberries and cream, nutmeg and lemon syllabub flavours emerge, full, robust, concentrated and refreshing, framed around a finely-textured mousse.</p>

<p>Tillington is a 37-hectare vineyard planted in 2006 and 2007. A specific Pinot Noir parcel within the vineyard was soon identified as producing something special. In exceptional vintages, it is blended with Chardonnay from elsewhere in the vineyard to produce a single-vineyard bottling. This is a blend of three-quarters Pinot Noir and one-quarter Chardonnay, and has spent over three years on its lees. The nose is floral and peachy, with cinnamon-cream notes. These build on the palate, bringing in richly concentrated flavours of tropical fruits with nougat, roasted almonds, shortbread and cranberry, all wrapped around a vertical spine of razor-acidity and a finely-textured mousse.</p>

<p>Jenkyn Place is a five-hectare ex-hop field in Hampshire. This is its first blanc de blancs - made entirely from Chardonnay - using old oak for the first ferment followed by four years of lees ageing once in bottle. Spring flower aromatics and honeyed lemon toast lead to a palate with a cinnamon-sprinkled lemon slice attack and shimmering, lucid acidity reminiscent of icicles tingling in the winter sunshine. The steely, briar core is fleshed out with granary toast and savoury pastry lined with sweet lemon curd, all with good concentration and a fresh finish.</p>

Immediately creamy and richly oaky with some tertiary mushroom notes. Palate is full of lively, tangy acidity and vibrant fruit.

Brits Ruth and Charles Simpson are part of the UK new wave, though they have 17 years of ‘vigneron-ing’ at their Languedoc estate, Domaine de Sainte Rose. This blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay has aromas of lemon toast and honeysuckle. The attack is steely-tight with a fine-beaded mousse, followed by lemon curd, a smoky strawberry sensation and hints of crystallised pineapple, all in a fine structure and fresh frame. Sweet pastry notes from 20 months on its lees linger in the background.

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 and now has more than 80 hectares of vines. The enticing, complex nose of this long-lees-aged (over 46 months) wine is redolent with toasting granary bread and roasted hazelnuts, as well as honeyed apples and white peaches. The sweet and savoury palate of pastries and croissants has rich concentration and depth, permeated by a fine, delicate mousse.

The Roberts are one of the trailblazing families of UK sparkling wine. They make only traditional-method styles, and Cavendish is a Pinot Noir-dominant blend supported by Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. The nose is delicately floral, with hints of rock rose and honeysuckle, and aromatically smoky. The palate is steely, with good concentration of crisp red cherry, cracked peppercorn, shortbread and complexing roasted almond flavours, among a finely granular mousse that holds it shape well in the mouth, as though offering further structure.

<p>This estate is where English sparkling wine began. From a few vines in the late 1980s, Nyetimber now has more than 250 hectares of vineyards, in several counties. This wine spends at least four and a half years on its lees. The nose is of honey, lemon tart, buttercups and sweet pastry. The attack is plush and silkily textured, with ripe, sweet peachy fruit and a fine, creamy mousse melding as though one. Hints of toast and hazelnuts add dimension to this lengthy and concentrated bubbly.</p>

Big bang for your buck here from pioneering Cornwall family estate Camel Valley. A cool first ferment and up to two years on its lees for this blend of 50% Seyval Blanc with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir has given this wine aromas of dried white flowers such as honeysuckle and daisies. The soft, pillowy mousse liberates lemon-cream flavours, sweetly spiced with cinnamon and star-anise on a fine, silky palate of good concentration. Complexity is added by the silhouette of savoury creamed cobnuts.

<p>The spring bloom of the local woods provide the moniker for this former pig farm in Sussex. This 100% Chardonnay spends at least 19 months on its lees and has aromas of lemon cream, green apples, pear, hawthorn and peach, followed up by bright flavour and plushness on the palate, with its creamy-soft, finely atomised mousse. The focus here is on volume, depth and length of primary fruit in the company of subtle secondary yeasty, toasted characters.</p>

It's exuberant on the nose, with honeyed red apple fruit and yeasty autolytic character. Harmonious, with no sharp edges, this has focussed fruit and mellow depth. It's a single-vineyard wine from the original block that was planted by the founders in the late 1990s – among the oldest Chardonnay vines in the country. The long track record shows also in the complexity of this forward and fruit-driven fizz.

This 24-hectare estate in Hampshire's South Downs national park supplied its fruit elsewhere before launching under its own auspices in 2015. This cuvee is made entirely from Pinot Noir and has aromas of lemon and pear sherbets joined by green apple, with delicate nuances of bread dough and a light, white bread toastiness. The creamily textured palate has good fruit density with a silky yet perky mousse, which brings an energising immediacy of appeal and refreshment. The finish reminds of spring hedgerow florality.

This traditional-method bubbly is exceptional value. It's made by one of England’s longest established vineyards, and packs plenty of flavour and palate volume for a very modest price. A blend of Seyval Blanc and Pinot Noir, its flowery nose is reminiscent of meadow buttercups and daisies, while the attractively prickly mousse helps deliver plenty of tart green apple, soft pear and citrus fruit flavours, layered with some hints of toasted nuts from spending 16 months in bottle on the lees.

More good value here, this one from another of the UK’s long-established wine properties, located on the North Downs. This blend of two-thirds Chardonnay with Seyval Blanc and Reichensteiner offers aromas of lime sherbet, dog rose and hawthorn flowers. The main focus of the palate is fruit, including soft-poached sweet pears balanced by zesty green apples. Hints of light toast loiter in the background from its time in bottle on its lees.

A small proportion of the base wine for this Hampshire-based producer’s cuvee was fermented in old barrels to add nuance to the blend of half Chardonnay with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and 1% of Pinot Gris in the mix too. The fresh aromas include lemon tart and hints of baguette and white toast from at least 18 months of ageing on its lees in bottle. The creamy, gently frothy mousse carries attractive volumes of lemon meringue and savoury pastry flavour, leaving a fresh finish.

At this family-owned estate in Sussex, this semi-sparkling tank-method wine is made by adding a low-sugar and yeast mix for the second ferment, to produce fewer bubbles than a fully-sparkling wine. The aromas are floral, reminiscent of daisies and dogwood. The palate is fresh with a soft, frothy lime-sherbet mousse underlining a good volume of zesty green apple, tangy melon, and a sort of white-fruit salad feel. All with Bacchus’ signature steely, lemongrass backbone, and plenty of immediate flavour intensity.

Energetic and engaging, tangy, full, lemony and long. A lovely example of what Bacchus can achieve.

This family-run estate in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds has three south-facing vineyards that are no more than three miles from the winery. This premium cuvee is a vineyard selection of fruit picked later in the season for extra ripeness, made reductively to express varietal flavour. White peach and lemon zest aromas lead into a plush, sweet peachy attack, both rich and fresh at the same time. The fruit volume has good density, with tense, primary, focused purity. All the best bits linger on the finish.

Another value hit, this is a proper fruit salad blend of predominantly Chardonnay, with ‘traditional’ varieties including Bacchus, Reichensteiner, Schonburger, Siegerrebe and Madeleine Angevine. The Chardonnay comes from juice that’s not used for sparkling wine, which adds a tiny bit more body and breadth to the traditional aromatic varieties. White floral aromas give way to apple, melon and citrus on a fresh, creamy, smooth palate of nicely ripe flavours.

This hits all the value/flavour buttons. It’s made from a blend of traditional aromatic varieties Siegerrebe and Reichensteiner, along with newer varieties Solaris and Orion, which have been bred for cooler climates and are proving to do well in the UK. It has been fermented in stainless-steel to preserve the primary flavours, and while the aromas are of white floral perfumes, the palate is fresh, with lemon and white peach juiciness which shows the ripeness of the vintage.