WINE TIPS: Bloggers' Guide to English Sparkling Wine!
Updated: Dec 3, 2019
I don't want a lot for Christmas There is just one thing I need
It's served chilled in a glass
With friends and family
I just want those lively bubbles
To pop the cork & forget my troubles
Make my wish come true
10 English Sparkling Wine recommendations for YOU!
So, here you have it! The 2019 Bloggers' Guide to English Sparkling Wine. We have a great selection for you to try with your nearest and dearest this Christmas: from a Blanc de Blancs, to a Blanc de Noirs, a lovely rosé, some top vintage English Sparkling Wines, an unusual 'Col Fondo' style of fizz and even a demi-sec. Thank you to all my wonderful wine friends for contributing - Aidy, Janina, Josh D, Josh L, Kirsty, Sarah, Sean, Sophia & Tatiana. Have a Very Merry Sparkling Christmas!
@sypped
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Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2015, £39
Aidy from @sypped recommends: The minute this beauty touched my lips was the moment I fell in love with English Sparkling Wines. There's just such a texture to it, it wraps around your tongue like a hug in a glass. Refreshing with just the right amount of biscuity goodness from the lees. Gorgeous stuff for getting merry or pairing with literally any fish dish, especially some Christmas morning salmon mousse. If there's one British fizz I hope to find in my stocking this year, this is it! BUY NOW
@eatsleep_winerepeat
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Ridgeview Blanc de Noirs 2014, £50
Janina from @eatsleep_winerepeat recommends: One of the ultimate English wineries. Ridgeview won the IWSC 2018 Awards for Winemaker of the Year and English Producer. The Blanc de Noirs is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier. This is such a mature and savoury sparkling wine. The mouthfeel is round and complex, filled with ripe cherries notes, subtle toast and hints of rosemary and sweet spice. Try this with roast duck and cranberry stuffing or a nut roast stuffed with wild mushrooms and aubergine. Delish! BUY NOW
@wordonthegrapevine
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Sugrue Pierre - The Trouble with Dreams 2014, £39
Josh D from @wordonthegrapevine recommends: Power, expression and place. Dermot delivers all three in abundance. Alongside his own cuvée he is the winemaker responsible for Winston and several other top producers with time at Nyetimber also under his belt. The Trouble with Dreams is most certainly amongst the most enjoyable experiences I have had with sparkling wine FULL STOP. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir sourced from two exceptional Surrey vineyards. Creamy, zesty and enveloping. Think extravagance, treat yourself; smoked salmon and caviar on Christmas morning will work a treat with this wine! BUY NOW
@joshwinelist
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Breaky Bottom Cuvée Reynolds Stone 2010, £32.95
Josh L from @Joshwinelist recommends: Of all the English fizz I've tasted in the last year, this was the most grown up and elegant. Lemons, apples, brioche and a gentle autolysis sing from the glass. This punches well above its price point – in England – and especially Champagne. Pair with smoked salmon at breakfast on Christmas Day! BUY NOW
@kirsty_wineknott
Langham Vineyards Sparkling Rosé NV, £28
Kirsty from kirsty_wineknott recommends: I love the award winning Langham vineyards Sparkling Rosé, which is a great example of the new and exciting styles England can offer. This low intervention wine has unique flavours of roasted strawberries, and a smoked aftertaste once the bubbles have melted away. It is also Pinot Meunier driven which contributes to its individuality. Enjoy as a post-Christmas dinner pick-me-up! BUY NOW
@whatsarahdrinks
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Wiston Estate Blanc de Blancs 2011, £42.50
Sarah from @whatsarahdrinks recommends: There were so many impressive wines at the WineGB tasting in September that it’s hard to choose. But the one I’d like to mention is the Wiston Blanc de Blancs 2011. I live in Florida now and a lot of people here are eager to taste their first English sparkling. It’s the one I’d choose (heck, I will choose) to show them how classy English wine can be. Totally deserving of its critical praise. Enjoy with Christmas breakfast first thing! So eggs (poached), tomato, avocado and tropical fruits. And if it’s not too annoying to say…perhaps by the pool! BUY NOW
@geordiewineguide
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Tillingham Wines Col ‘18, £29
Sean from @geordiewineguide recommends: “Col” is a Col Fondo style of wine. That means it is made in the same way as a champagne but instead of disgorging (taking all of the sediment and yeast out) all of that cloudy funky goodness is left in. Once the still wine has been bottled, Ben adds a little bit of sugar into the bottle to start a second fermentation, hey presto, bubbles. It’s not as bubbly as Champagne or most traditional method sparkling wines, but has a lovely creamy soft texture to it, a streak of razor-sharp acidity, lots of bready biscuit aromas leading to a dry, tart and slightly bitter finish. This wine gans amazingly well with fish and chips! Check out Tillingham wines, they are making some of the most ‘Grammable and Smashable’ English wines. BUY NOW
@skinandpulp
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Simpsons Chalklands Classic Cuvée 2016, £28
Sophia from @skinandpulp recommends: The 2016 Chalklands Classic Cuvée was the first wine I tasted from Simpsons Wine Estate and I was immediately struck by its depth and richness. All of those buttery brioche notes have been left to unfurl and, along with the crisp citrus profile, it has an edge of sticky apricots - which I love. It would be gorgeous with a festive breakfast of Eggs Royale, or even with some crumbly mild white cheese at the end of dinner. BUY NOW
@tatianalivesey
Breaky Bottom Cuvée Koizumi Yakumo 2010, £33.50
Tatiana from @tatianalivesey has another super recommendation from Breaky Bottom: Peter Hall established the vineyard at Breaky Bottom more than 35 years ago, with the Seyval Blanc grape at the heart of the success of this winery. The wine is named after Peter's great-great uncle Koizumi Yakumo, who was a famous writer and is still respected in Japan. Awarded a Gold medal at the International Wine Challenge, this is a dry traditional method sparkling wine with zesty and crisp green apple flavours balanced by creamy brioche notes on the finish. A goats' cheese salad would make the perfect pairing. BUY NOW
@thelondonwinegirl
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Cuvée Chérie Multi-Vintage, £35.99
Charlotte from @thelondonwinegirl recommends: Something a bit different and really indulgent to enjoy this Christmas. This is Nyetimber’s “Demi-Sec” sparkling wine, which despite the name is really quite sweet - with 38g/l of residual sugar. It’s made from 100% Chardonnay and has delicious flavours of ripe grapefruit and candied lemon with a beautiful honeyed finish. This sweeter style of sparkling wine pairs perfectly with fruity desserts and is also epic with cheese – in particular, I recommend pairing with brie, Comté and a creamy goats’ cheese. I adore the sweet and salty/savoury combination of this wine with cheese. BUY NOW