English Wine Week: These are the top wines to try to celebrate English Wine Week

It is a quirk of legislation from way back last century that we do not refer to wines made from grapes grown in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as British wines.

The term ‘British wine’ was given to a strangely concocted product made from imported grape juice, so concentrated it was almost solid, which was then watered down, fermented somewhere in East London and probably fortified into a sherry look-alike.

Unable to use the term sherry, it was called British wine, and it was of unspeakable quality, but very cheap.

If the legislators had known that several decades later there would be over 1000 vineyards stretched from Sussex to Scotland, then they may have come up with a different name for that awful product.

So that is why we refer to wine grown across Great Britain as English wine, whilst hoping that the people who grow grapes in Wales and Scotland will forgive us for including them under that umbrella term.

There may be a move to change to the term ‘Great British’ wine, but that may take a while to be accepted.

With over 4000 hectares (around 10,000 acres) of vines it seems that we are gradually converting large swathes of arable land into vineyard, but vines can’t be planted just anywhere.

They need the right balance of soil, water, and climate, while also needing to be in a breezy, but not too windy a spot.

Buying the right land has become a bit of a game in some places with potential purchasers hiding behind company names that seem to want to grow potatoes or corn, rather than vines.

“If we had said we wanted to plant a vineyard they would have charged us twice the price”, said one vineyard owner, who prefers to remain anonymous.

Of those 4000 hectares of vines over 70% are in a southern sweep of vineyards across Kent, West and East Sussex, Hampshire, Essex and Surrey.

While experimental vineyards planted 30 years ago focused on German grape varieties, the most planted grape now is Chardonnay followed by Pinot Noir and Meunier.

These provide the key grapes for sparkling wines which now make up 70% of all English wine production.

There is a gradual increase in the amount of Pinot Noir produced for red wines, often using a particular clone of Pinot that ripens early, allowing it to produce fuller flavours.

The question I am most frequently asked about English sparkling wine – is it as good as champagne? The answer is clear.

Some of the wines I have tasted during the last few months are a lot better than many champagnes, although it is not a straight comparison.

English wines have a purity of style and the freshness of an English garden. The ones mentioned here will definitely provide an alternative to Champagne for any summer party of occasion.

They are not the same, but most use the same types of grapes and the same method of production.

Even the soil is much the same. The chalky soil that is the bedrock of the champagne region extends under the channel and pops up in places across the southern part of England.

Naturally the French have been making decent fizz for centuries so you might expect them to be ahead in the quality game, but English producers have caught up quickly, realising that ageing in bottle gives the wines depth and complexity.

Over the last few weeks, I have tasted through dozens of English wines, both still and sparkling. Here are some of the best that you should head for.

Domaine Evremond

This Kent property is part-owned by the Taittinger family who also make rather good champagne, so it wasn’t surprising that they sent a champagne winemaker, Alexandre Ponnavoy, to oversee production.

The first release is a Classic Cuvée, an elegant wine with fresh, garden blossom notes, citrus and white peach, with a hint of white pepper on the finish. Head to Field and Fawcett (£53.60) or Latitude Wines to find it.

Nyetimber

Henry VIII gave this estate to Anne of Cleves when their marriage was dissolved, but she didn’t think of growing vines there.

Now greatly expanded the estate produces a classic creamy style of English fizz, aged on its lees for three years to give complexity that can accompany a whole dinner.

Bon Coeur still has some of the Team GB wrapped bottles from last year’s Olympics at just £29. This has had an extra year of bottle age, so go for it. It is still drinking well.

Otherwise, head to Ocado for the regular label at £30 and Majestic, also £30 on a mix six deal.

Balfour

The Hush Heath estate is owned by Richard Balfour-Lynn, with the name Balfour appearing on many of the wines. There are sparkling wines, plus a terrific range of still wines, including unusual grape varieties such as Albariño and a delicious Pinot Noir red.

Head to Majestic who have the crisp, citrus style 1503 Brut at £23 and the still Pinot Noir at £18, both on a mix six deal.

Roebuck

Located in the heart of Sussex, Roebuck is a rising star in the English wine market, winning several medals and awards in recent years. The Estate Reserve has creamy, baked apple and ripe apricot notes and a rich, silky texture. Find it at Majestic at £31 on a mix six deal.

Supermarket must-try wines

Blueprint English Dry White Waitrose £10: A blend of three grape varieties gives this wine light floral aromas, with a distinct lime and lemon thread giving freshness and zing. Perfect summer lunchtime drinking.

Asquith Gardens English Wine Asda £17.97: Probably made by one of the above producers, who keeps very quiet about it, this is a rounded toasty wine, aged 5 years on lees. It won a Silver medal at the International Wine Challenge 2024.

The Best English Sparkling Grand Reserve Brut Morrisons £24: The classic trio of grapes, aged 6 years to give flavours well beyond its price point.