Have you tried a sparkling wine from England yet? If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. Expect crisp and refined bubbles, well-balanced minerality and a flavor profile ranging from fresh green apple, to citrus fruit and pear. With candied brioche and bread dough aromas on the nose, English sparkling wines are classic and complex expressions of the local terroir and it’s no wonder they’re taking Great Britain by storm these days.
The majority of producers are small single estates who offer vintage and non-vintage selections produced using the Champenoise method, and at the brut level (brut means dry). You can find crisp rosé here too and the best wines tend to be blends of the traditional grape varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
If you’re wondering why a country known for its ale and cider is suddenly in the wine business, it’s mainly due to climate change. Southern England has always had similar soils to some of the best wine regions in Europe, it’s just warmer now, so the grapes can ripen!
More on this wine region: The chalky ridge that runs through Champagne in France continues under the English Channel, over through Kent, Sussex and Hampshire, and down to the Isle of Wight.
Because it’s such a young industry, English wines can be a challenge to get a hold of in the US. Nonetheless, wholesalers and wine importers throughout America do carry them. You just have to look a little harder or request that your local fine wine shop order some in. They also tend to fall in the mid to upper price range compared to sparkling wines from the West Coast. For example, a typical English sparkling wine will start at $40+ whereas a bottle from California or Oregon might be $25+. However, they’re still a good value considering some of the more expensive French Champagnes on the market.
Plus, English bubbly offers you a chance to try something new! And, if you’re up for a plane ride across the pond, you can easily take day-trips from London to drink some wine and tour a vineyard (or two!) in Kent, Surrey, Sussex or Hampshire.
Why has the English sparkling wine industry suddenly grown so quickly?
Climate change is the main driver behind the rapid development you see in English sparkling wine. England has always had the right soil type. Chalk / limestone and clay soils are some of the best for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But in the past, temperatures simply weren’t high enough to grow grapes that would ripen with the right balance of sugars and acidity.
With global warming, it’s a different story. England is a little hotter and the grapes can stay on the vine longer, so they develop more complexity in their flavor profile and aromas. (At the same time, temperatures are also rising in France where they’re having to harvest anywhere from three to five weeks earlier!) In fact, the major Champagne houses of France are realizing the potential this region has for making sparkling wine and have been busy purchasing land in preparation for future production.
But there’s also climate type to consider. England has a maritime climate with milder winters and less fluctuation in average temperatures throughout the year. They also have higher rainfall and consequently, the vines need to be more spaced out to lower the risk of damage from fungus and mold. This results in lower production per acre.
Where in England does sparkling wine come from?
The areas to the south and southeast of London produce the majority of the country’s top wines. This is where the chalk limestone ridge passes through and influences soils along the North and South Downs. If you’ve heard of the White Cliffs of Dover then you know where the county of Kent is. At the bottom right corner of the country, it’s known as the Garden of England and sits just across the Channel from France. It’s home to two of the most popular and biggest wineries in England, Gusbourne and Chapel Down. Directly below London is Sussex. Divided into East and West Sussex, this is where you’ll find the Nyetimber estate. As you travel further west along England’s southern coast, you’ll pass through Hampshire and Dorset, and eventually get to Cornwall in the far southwest, and the Camel River Valley, home to Camel Valley Vineyard.
Top British sparkling wines to try
Nyetimber
If you ever find yourself at an English tennis event you will note the winners are given a bottle of wine with a blue and white ribbon around its neck (the Classic Cuvee uses green, and the rosé pink). This is Nyetimber, a delicious and dry brut wine from Sussex with an interesting backstory. Nyetimber was actually founded by an American couple who purchased a manor in the south of England in the late 1980s. They realized the soils on their estate were just right for growing sparkling wine grapes and planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, producing an award winning Blanc de Blanc in the early 90s, followed by a Classic Cuvee a year later. As pioneers of the industry, Nyetimber has the oldest Chardonnay grapes in England and today the estate has grown to over 800 acres.
Wine tip: What is a Blanc de Blanc? It’s a wine that’s made from 100% white grape varieties. It might be 100% Chardonnay, but it can also have some Pinot Blanc with the Chardonnay, depending on where it’s from and the local laws in the region.
Gusbourne
With vineyard sites in West Sussex and Kent, Gusbourne is one of the most well-known names in English sparkling wines. They were founded in 2004 by a retired orthopedic surgeon with dual English and South African nationality who decided to purchase a farm in order to make wine. Andrew Weeber had been a close observer of the local climate and felt the sunny countryside had plenty of potential for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. His early training in biochemistry at Stellenbosch University may also have served as an inspiration. Gusbourne farms sustainably and puts a lot of attention into careful pruning and care of their vines. From an original 12 acres to 130 acres in Kent and 65 in Sussex, they’ve expanded considerably over the years and have won English producer of the year three times.
Chapel Down
Not far from Hastings, is the beautiful Chapel Down estate. If you happen to be visiting London, it’s worth a trip out to see their tasting rooms, gardens and shop, and have a wander around the estate. They offer self-guided and guided vineyard tours and local events too – you might even catch some outdoor theater! Chapel Down produces award-winning English sparkling wines. Their flagship blend is a mix of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, all traditional grape varieties, and they sometimes use Pinot Blanc for the more floral notes it lends the wine. All of the vines are hand-picked and you can expect crisp and fresh fruit including red apple and strawberry, alongside lemongrass notes and baked bread aromas. From the Royal Ascot, to the Oxford and Cambridge boat race, and even William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, Chapel Down is one of the most popular producers with locals. Their non-vintage wine is aged for two years on its lees, with 18 months in the bottle before release, and their Grand Reserve is 100% Chardonnay.
Fun wine fact: The first vines at the main estate were actually planted long before the winery was founded. They were put there by Stephen Skelton, known as the godfather of English wines, who planted them in the late 1970s!
More English sparkling wine producers to look for
- Roebuck Estates. Roebuck is the dream-child of two friends who first purchased land to start a vineyard back in 2013. The name of the estate itself comes from the deer and wildlife who frequently pass through it. Today Roebuck produces high-end English vintage sparkling wines from six separate sites in Sussex and Kent. They grow mostly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and are one of the more recent additions to the industry, releasing their first vintage only five years ago in 2019.
- Camel Valley Vineyard. A former sheep and cattle farm in the far southwest of the country, Camel Valley was the first vineyard in England to receive a royal warrant. This means they supply the royal family with wine, in particular the former Prince Charles’ royal household! The winery is family-run and located in the Camel River Valley in Cornwall (that’s not too far from Poldark territory if the name sounds familiar). They’ve won numerous awards, including taking home Best International Traditional Method Sparkling Wine in Verona in 2010 where they beat out Bollinger and Roederer for the prize. If it’s good enough for the king, it’s worth trying a bottle!
- Hattingley Valley. Another vineyard that originally started as farmland, Hattingley Valley produces top quality Classic Reserve, rosé and Kings Cuvee sparkling wines made from a blend of their own grapes as well as hand-picked grapes purchased from different growing regions around southern England. Their Blanc de Blanc, which is 100% Chardonnay, is aged on its lees for 6-8 years and is a clean and mineral driven wine with doughy brioche and apple notes. You can expect some flavors of the local hedgerows in the Classic Reserve which has notes of lemon, oak and biscuit. Some of Hattingley Valley’s wines are aged in old Burgundy barrels (in addition to stainless steel), which gives them a softness and more rounded texture.
- Balfour. Balfour is a 400-acre winery famous for its rosé wines, also known as “pink fizz.” The first vineyards were planted in 2002, a mere 5 acres in which the owners were attempting to produce a rosé in the image of Billecart Salmon Rosé. The trial was a success and Balfour’s brut rosé was the first English wine to win a gold medal at the International Wine Competition. Their wines were also the only English sparkling wines to be served at the London 2012 Olympics! Expect a robust and full-flavored sparkling rosé with hints of strawberry and cranberry notes.
- Digby Fine English. With vineyards in Sussex and Hampshire, Digby sparkling wines take their name from the seventeenth-century Sir Kenelm Digby, an alchemist, astronomer and philosopher who helped invent the modern wine bottle! They come from several sites and can be vintage or non-vintage. The founders were originally working in corporate jobs in London before switching careers. Their wines are elegant and balanced – and if you happen to be visiting the House of Commons, you can pick some up from the gift shop! Their non-vintage tends to be focused on Pinot Noir and their Vintage Reserve is more Chardonnay.
All about bubbly
How do they make sparkling wine?
All sparkling wines start out life as still wines and get their carbonation during production. There are three different ways of making a carbonated wine but the highest quality comes from the Methode Champenoise, which is where still wines are combined into a specific blend and then bottled. Next, sugars and yeast are added and the bottle is capped. As the sugars are converted into alcohol by the yeast, the by-product is carbon dioxide which is trapped in the bottle and creates the bubbles. Most English wines are made using this approach.
Champagne vs sparkling wine, what’s in a name?
Some people get confused over what to call a wine with bubbles. Only sparkling wines that come from the Champagne region in France can be called Champagne. Any other wine with bubbles is a sparkling wine. That being said, there are specific regions in other countries that also have famous names for their bubbly, think Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy.
What are the main grapes used?
You can make sparkling wine out of any grape, but the traditional varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are associated with some of the best sparkling wines from around the world.
Decoding the label, from ultra brut to extra-dry and demi-sec
How dry a wine is refers to its residual sugar content. Ultra brut is the driest level of a wine. Next, you have brut, which is what you’ll predominantly find for English wines. A brut wine will be less austere than ultra brut and have a bit more fruit and roundness to its flavors, but it won’t be sweet. Extra-dry is not as dry as brut. It’s not sweet but does have a higher sugar content. Demi-sec wines have a touch of sweetness to them.
Wine tip: We’ve talked about Blanc de Blanc before which means the wine was made from 100% white grapes, usually Chardonnay, but, you may also run into a Blanc de Noir. If you see this on the label it means the wine was made from red varieties like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Even though a Blanc de Noir is made from red grapes, the wine usually has no color.
5 Top tips for enjoying English sparkling wine
- Start with a known producer. They’ll be a little bit easier to find in the US and a good jumping off point if you’re just getting started with English bubbles. We’d recommend Chapel Down or Nyetimber. Select fine wine shops will usually carry one of the two. Both producers offer brut sparkling wine that’s dry and perfect for toasting for a special occasion or serving with a fine dining meal.
- Expect to be pleasantly surprised. England is producing some of the best Champagne method sparkling wine in the world today. Nonetheless, people are often shocked when they first hear England makes wine, let alone when they realize how good it is!
- Try a bottle from a smaller vineyard. There are new producers popping up every day in England, some so small their vineyard is the size of a single field! Take Stonyfield for example which has about 1,000 vines growing on just over an acre of land in Northamptonshire. They produce bright and fresh sparkling wines that are award winning blends of Pinot Noir and Seyval Blanc.
- Don’t judge a wine by its color. One of the oldest continuous vineyards in England, Adgestone Vineyard, is located on the Isle of Wight and actually has a brut sparkling wine known as “Something Blue.” At first glance you might think it’s a cheap cocktail you had when you were at college but it’s actually a dry sparkling wine with great minerality. The color comes from the grape skins themselves and a special technique employed by the producers.
- Make sure you have the right glass. Champagne flutes are still the most popular sparkling wine glass in most homes. However, it’s actually a tulip-shaped glass that you really want if you’re looking to get the full nose of a sparkling wine.
English sparkling wine food pairings
You can serve English bubbles on their own but they also make delicious pairings with food. The apple and pear flavors in a glass of Chapel Down will go beautifully with pâté or a terrine appetizer. If you’re having a piece of white fish, open a bottle of Camel Valley which is served at the famous English chef Rick Stein’s seafood restaurants in Cornwall. Because they have higher acidity, you can also pair English wines with food that has some spice to it, including black and white pepper based soups and white meat dishes. They pair well with raw oysters, green salads, and smoked meats too.
