I love champagne, big fan, but English brilliance has started to shine in international competitions recently. We've gone from being very skilled at drinking this stuff to having our hands full at making it ourselves.
That's not all, our wine tourism offering is now so strong in the UK that there is a situation of reverse cruising with the French, with a large number of weekenders and day trippers visiting our vineyards across the Channel.
In fact, we are now in English Wine Week, and you may have noticed all the hullabaloo around the country with the abundance of billboards around London Underground stations.
Soon, there will be no need for a dedicated week, although there is certainly a lot of hype around it this year, and why wouldn't there be? 2,300 people now work full-time in the UK wine industry, with numbers expected to grow by 50% in the next year.
Sidebar, remember Jennifer Aniston's Pantene ad when she says, “Here comes the science”? Well, buckle up and get some stats, which is not for me because I'm not a numbers guy. But here goes.
According to the University of Reading, viticulture is the fastest growing agricultural industry in the UK, with 10,500 acres of vines planted, which is expected to rise by 85% by 2032. Last year was a bumper crop of grapes, with 22 million bottles produced. From about 1000 bottles. Vineyards are now planted in the UK, where the area of vineyards has quadrupled since 2000.
It's unfortunate, then, that global wine consumption has fallen to its lowest level in 27 years, down 2.6%, the lowest since 1996. Thanks very much, inflation combined with Generation Z and China drinking less.
On the plus side, sparkling wine is the category that is by far driving growth, although much of that is down to lower-quality Prosecco.
Anyway, here are nine English wines, both steady and sparkling, that have excited my palate lately. Some of them aren't cheap, but these are the English wines for you. They're all under £30, you're welcome.
Dry white striped, £9.99, Waitrose
If Denbies isn't on your radar, it should be. They are one of England's OG wineries, based in Surrey, and make this crisp, dry white wine for Waitrose. You can get a boatload of fruit, from Granny Smith to lemon and lychee, all for under ten dollars.
Specially Selected English Pinot Noir & Précoce Rosé, £9.99, Aldi
Finally, the temperature turned Celsius pink this week. Just in time to open this raspberry and cherry sausage, made for Aldi by Lyme Bay Winery in Devon. It's a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir Précoce, a juicy, early-ripening mutation of the same name that we've adopted as our own.
Rosé Pet Nut Brut, £15, from M&S
Pet Nat stands for Pétilant Naturel, or “naturally invasive.” It is an ancient style of winemaking that predates the Champagne method. Pet Nats are bottled before the primary fermentation process is finished, so they're casual, smooth and easy to use. M&S has teamed up with Kent-based Heppington Vineyard to create a cherry and wild strawberry peel, and you just have to try it.
Fitz Sparkling, £19, Ocado
Most English soft drinks are made in the same way as Champagne, fermented twice, the second in the bottle. This is produced like Prosecco, in a pressurized tank. So, at just under £20, it's packed with peach notes, easy to drink, fresh, lively and creamy. A big hit for Prosecco fans looking for something similar but different. Would that be “different” or “different”?
Irresistible Sparkling Rose Eight Acres, £19.50, Co-op
I love some of the Kent-based Balfour Wineries, especially when it comes to rosé. No wonder, when it tastes as juicy and ripe as this sparkler, as Belfort does this for the co-op. A blend of a trio of Champagne grapes, themed to a Chardonnay of white strawberries and crème brûlée.
English Sparkling Classic Cuvée, £24.99, Adnams
Adnams isn't all beer, they also have a range of wines. An example of this is this exceptional sparkling from Lyme Bay Winery in Devon, which is made in the same way as Champagne with 48 months on yeast for delicious depth and complexity. It's a sparkling wine version of fresh red apple pie.
Lime Bay Chardonnay, £26.99 (£19.99 mix of 6) Majestic
This is Essex wine, so many jokes, so little time. Don't knock it until you try it though; Essex has been hailed as the Burgundy of England, with a warm growing season and little rainfall. I have to say, this wine is delicious, warm and textured but like Burgundy, it doesn't come cheap.
Rathfinny Estate Mini Cuvée 50cl, £26, Harvey Nichols
Couples who just want a couple of glasses from a bottle of sparkling can now feel seen. Rathfinney, based in East Sussex, has lobbied hard to make this fun format a reality, to suit people who drink less but better. Interestingly, the wine develops more quickly in smaller bottles, hence the quick flavors of Braeburn apples and crisp hazelnuts.
Louis Pommery England Brut, £28, from Tesco
You will know Pommery for being one of the most respected Champagne houses. They were way ahead when they bought land on Bingleston Estate, Hampshire, in 2016. Now they make a first-class English sparkling gin to rival their own Champagne, using the same grape blend. It's perfectly dry and delicious, all green apples drizzled with salted honey.
MORE: Flying the England flag for the euro could result in a £2,500 fine
More: This 8,000-year-old wine is the hottest drink of summer
More: Map shows 2,000 households still have to boil water before using it
Sign up for our guide to what's happening in London, trusted reviews, great offers and competitions. London's best bits in your inbox
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
