England is really putting itself on the map of the world of wine, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a Brit. I have tasted some delicious sparkling, white and rose wines over the past couple of years and I have to say I feel excited every time I ‘drink local’.
The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly made me re-think what it means to be at home…all the time…but it really has made me appreciate my surroundings. Country walks, home-grown fruit and veg and visiting local vineyards were some of my 2020 highlights.
So what have I been drinking…
English sparkling wines are quite frankly delicious and there are more and more to choose from with plenty of places now selling them. They are typically produced in the same style as Champagne: using the same traditional method and same or similar grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier). Many of the vineyards in the South of England also benefit from the same chalky soils as that found in Champagne…it runs under the channel and pops up over in England. We are also getting better conditions for grape growing, with longer and hotter summers mean grapes can ripen successfully. You just can’t call it Champagne – only those wines produced in the region of Champagne can be called Champagne – so English sparkling it is!
Chapel Down Sparkling Rosé– Chapel Down Vineyard is in Kent and if you haven’t been I’d highly recommend a visit. The vineyards are beautiful, the staff informative, they have a great tasting room (pre-Covid tour and tastings were brilliant) and they have an onsite restaurant serving amazing food with fabulous views. Well worth a day trip. Their sparkling rosé is delicious – fresh and crisp, strawberries and raspberries are subtle not too sweet but give a lovely flavour with the toasty notes that remind you it’s a champagne, sorry English sparkling. It’s also great value for money, oh and it was served at Kate and Wills wedding in 2011…do you really need any further encouragement?
When it comes to still wines, I’m yet to try an English red wine – watch this space – but I think some of the rosés are outstanding and the whites are also really interesting.
Albury Vineyard Rosé – This is definitely my local vineyard so I may be biased but the team that run it are brilliant, there are some fantastic walks in the local area and although their 2018 rosé was definitely better than their 2019 I have high hopes for the 2020 vintage given the glorious, hot summer we had and I even helped harvest some of the grapes! Crisp, fresh, delicious strawberry and raspberry flavours – tastes incredible at the first signs of spring.
Baker St. (Bacchus) London Cru – Yes this is a wine made in London, it’s London’s first urban winery and London Cru is their own brand. They bring in the grapes and produce on site in an old gin distillery. But Bacchus is actually a German grapes that seems to ripen very successfully over here in England. If you like Sauvignon Blanc this is a must try and if you don’t it’s still delicious as a light aperitif or it goes really well with shellfish. Lots of elderflower and peach flavours – definitely a summer drink.
So what is this blog about. Well, having rambled on about my love for English wines, I’ve actually decided to embark on my wine adventures in a rather distant land: trading in the light and delicate elderflower in some of the English Bacchus for the punch you in the nose, I’m a 15% ABV wine Aussie Shiraz. I am off to Australia – well, hopefully…if they let me in.
My aim is to document what I hope will be a very exciting new life chapter whilst sharing some of the things I learn along the way. Full disclaimer that these are my own thoughts, observations and opinions and I’m sure won’t be 100% accurate all of the time. But hopefully I’ll provide some interesting anecdotes about the wines, the places and the people and share with you what I learn about where they’re from and what goes into every bottle.
I hope you enjoy, cheers!