The WineGB Trade and Press Tasting, in early September 2024, offered an impressive selection, showcasing over 300 wines from 80 producers. The event featured individual exhibitor stands, regional vineyard association stands and themed tasting tables.
English sparkling wine has reached an exceptional level of quality, frequently rivalling and occasionally surpassing some of the finest Champagnes. Although I tasted a some traditional method sparkling wines, my primary interest lay in exploring the wines outside this well-established category. I wanted to see how English sparkling wines are evolving and also to investigate what still wines were on offer, particularly those made with the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes typically used in sparkling wine. Additionally, I was curious about producers experimenting with other grape varieties and what else was available.
There were too many great wines to try, but of the ones I tasted, here are the ones that particularly stood out, along with my tasting notes:
Starting with the sparkling wines:
The HUGO 2020 is a biodynamic field blend made from 45% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 17% Pinot Meunier, and 8% Pinot Gris. It is bottled without fining, filtration or added sulphur, giving it a distinctive natural quality. A WineGB Trophy winner, it delivers vibrant citrus and stone fruit flavours, complemented by buttery brioche notes from its lees ageing. Priced at £55.
Black Chalk Paragon 2020, a 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine, with citrus aroma and notes of pear, white peach and pastry. It has a strong, well-rounded mouthfeel, priced at £65. Only 3,535 bottles were produced.
The Flint Vineyard Charmat 2023, made from a blend of 35% Solaris, 25% Bacchus, 25% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Pinot Noir, caught my attention as it uses the Charmat method, a relatively new technique for British wines. I’ve previously written about the controversy surrounding this quicker, more affordable method, often associated with Prosecco. This particular wine, however, outshines the Kingscote I previously tasted, and this one has fresh acidity and flavours of lemon and pear. Priced at £22.99.
Woodchester Valley Blanc de Blancs 2018, a 100% Chardonnay, also a WineGB Trophy winner, delighted with ripe aromas of caramelised apple and lemon zest, along with deep pastry flavours and soft stone fruits. Priced at £40.
One of the hidden gems was Louis Pommery England Sparkling NV, made by the second-largest Champagne group from their Pinglestone Estate in Hampshire. When I came to this wine, it hadn’t been opened yet despite the event having run for 2 hours. This I guess, might have been due to its ‘contradictory’ French name. However, once uncorked, it revealed stunning brioche notes that make it a standout wine, particularly at its relatively affordable price of £32.
The All Angels Classic Cuvée 2017 and All Angels Classic Cuvée 2014 Long Aged on Lees both deserve mention for their extended lees ageing, at least six years for the 2017 and nine for the 2014 edition. The result is incredible depth with apple and croissant flavours, available at £40.
Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée 2016, a WineGB Trophy-winning 100% Chardonnay, is exceptional with its rich aromas of melon, peach, and butter on toast, complemented by apple and pastry flavours. Despite its undeniable quality, the high price of £125 generated some whispered debate among tasters at the trophy table.
The Winding Wood Brut Rosé 2020, composed of 83% Pinot Noir and 17% Pinot Meunier, delivers an aroma of baked bread and red fruit, with red-berry and cranberry flavours. Its creamy, rich texture makes the fact that it’s a rosé almost irrelevant, priced at £38.50.
Harrow & Hope Blanc de Blancs 2018, made from 100% Chardonnay, impressed with honeysuckle and citrus aromas, along with flavours of white peach and lemon. This wine has a long finish, priced at £40.
A unique offering was Blackbook GMF 2020, a 100% Seyval Blanc sparkling wine made in a ‘Col Fondo’ style. Cloudy with yeasty sediment and sealed with a crown cap, it’s produced using the Champagne method, with grapes sourced from Oxfordshire and the winery based in Battersea. Aromas of elderflower and citrus, combined with a fresh, lively fizz, make this a distinctive wine at £28.50.
Now the still wines:
The Wharie Experience Cabaret Noir 2022, a medium-bodied wine made from 100% Cabernet Noir, offers lovely aromas of blackcurrent, juniper and bay. A limited edition with only hundreds of bottles produced, it is priced at £23.10.
Black Chalk ‘Rumour Has It’ Chardonnay 2023 is a fresh, fruity Chardonnay with floral aromatics and a soft, round mouthfeel. Thankfully, not overly oaked, this small production wine is available exclusively at the cellar door for £33.00.
The Greyfriars Still Sauvignon Blanc 2023, made from 90% Sauvignon Blanc from their Monkshatch vineyard, was the best release of this wine from their last six years. Offering a balance between New Zealand and French styles, this aromatic wine has notes of elderflower, gooseberry and fresh garden peas, priced at a reasonable £17.
Greyfriars Goldenford Still Chardonnay 2022, a 100% Chardonnay, takes its name from “Goldenford,” the Saxon name for Guildford, the nearest town to the vineyard. Originally intended for sparkling wine, the grapes were too good to be used that way. Aged for 16 months in oak, it offers peach, nectarine and vanilla flavours with a golden texture, winning a WineGB award. At £18, this limited-edition release of 1,400 bottles is excellent value.
The newly released Oxney Organic Chardonnay 2022, priced at £25, offers lemon and citrus flavours with nutty notes. Nicely balanced and not overly oaked..
Wraxall Bacchus Reserve 2022, a WineGB gold medal winner, impressed with its floral vanilla aroma and flavours of red apple, peach, and vanilla. Deep in taste and with a great mouthfeel, it’s priced at £25.
Vale Vineyard Cabaret Noir, Divico & Rondo 2022 has a deep black cherry aroma and ripe forest fruit flavours. While it claims to have soft tannins, I found its medium tannins very enjoyable. Priced at £22.50, it offers something exciting and different from the UK.
Knightor Trevannion 2023, made from 100% Siegerrebe, delivers tropical aromas of lychee and grapefruit with a spicy finish. Despite being served too warm, it still survived being a great wine, priced at £19.95.
JoJo’s Vineyard Bacchus Seyval Blend 2022, a blend of 85% Bacchus and 15% Seyval Blanc, delighted with quince, apple and peach aromas and flavours. At £21, it’s a rare example of a wine where the aroma and taste are so similar.
Velfrey Naturiol 2022, made from 100% Seyval Blanc, is unique for being both a Welsh and a natural wine. While described as soft, light, and delicate, I found it to be more full-on, with pear and almond aromas and apple and pear flavours. With a creamy body and low alcohol (9%), it’s priced at £25.
Hattingley Valley Still White 2022, a 100% Chardonnay, impressed with its aromatic lime and floral notes, accompanied by apple and citrus flavours. At £26, it’s a well-balanced, not overly oaked wine.
Lyme Bay Bacchus Block 2022, aged in ex-white Bordeaux barrels, had rich gooseberry and blackcurrant aromas, with tropical fruit flavours. Priced at £21.99, it’s a deep and flavourful wine.
Lyme Bay Pinot Noir 2021, aged for 11 months in oak, offered delicate red cherry and raspberry flavours with subtle oak notes. Priced at £29.99, it’s a refined and aromatic wine.
The Hidden Spring Chardonnay had aromas of citrus and vanilla, with flavours of gooseberry, lime and a slight caramel finish. At £20, it’s a lovely wine that again isn’t overly oaked.
Finally, Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2021, a 100% Chardonnay and WineGB Trophy winner, was remarkably similar to its sparkling counterpart, Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée 2016, but in a still wine form. Priced at £30, it offers the same level of quality at a much reduced price.
In summary, the introduction of Charmat-method sparkling wine in the UK is intriguing, though time will tell if Charmat wines will have staying power. The eventual future direction of different types of sparkling wine may actually be influenced by the rising prices in traditional-method sparkling wines. Meanwhile, many still wines are emerging as affordable and exciting options, with innovation extending beyond just the grapes traditionally used for sparkling wines and also into natural wine.
