The country famous for fish and chips is becoming known for sparkling wine.
While the idea of lovely bubbly coming from damp, gray England may surprise some Americans, it's fertile territory for sparkling wine grapes.
As you drink this summer at home, try a bottle of English sparkling wine as an alternative to French Champagne, Italian prosecco or Spanish cava.
“It’s something different,” says Noel Petrin, wine director for Cru Food & Wine Bar’s 16 locations, including seven in North Texas. “If you blind tasted some people, they would not be able to differentiate it from Champagne.”
Last fall, Petrin led a sparkling wine tasting called “The British Are Coming” at Cru’s West Village location in Dallas. “People were like ‘Oh wow,’” he says.
It's no plonk. English fizz is characterized by freshness and a high level of acidity balanced by earthiness and fruitiness. They also tend to be on the drier side.
While grape growing in England dates to Medieval times, its sparkling wine industry sprouted about 30 years ago. In recent years, English sparklers have won top global awards, and some labels have outscored well-known Champagne brands in professional blind tastings. The industry is so hot, it’s even attracted big French Champagne houses Pommery and Tattinger to make sparkling wine in England.
Like Champagne, most English bubbly is made from the same grape trio ― chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier ― using the traditional method, where secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle.
Most English sparkling wine vineyards are in the southern part of the country. Places like Kent, Sussex and Hampshire counties share similar geology with France's Champagne region: sunny slopes in chalky soil. Think White Cliffs of Dover.
Climate change has actually helped. Southern England’s long, cool growing season now ends with drier, sunnier summers that boost grape ripening.
“You don’t believe it, but I did go there and ... seeing is believing,” Petrin says about his visit to southern England last fall. “Everyone thinks of England as cold and dreary, and it is, but you get some sun, some rain and the right soil for the right amount of acidity in the grapes.”
British bubbly isn't widely distributed in the United States, but you can find it at some Dallas-Fort Worth retailers and restaurants. The best cuvées come from England's oldest and largest producers like Nyetimber and Chapel Down.
One downside is the price.
“It’s very artisan, handcrafted, family and sustainable ― all the buzzwords people want to get behind,” says Ryan Tedder, an advanced sommelier and certified wine specialist at Pogo’s Wine & Spirits in Dallas. “Whenever you serve it, people are enthused and effusive, but they say, ‘It’s $10 more than my usual sparkling wine.’”
The average retail price of English bubbly is $38 to $65 a bottle. At Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Dallas, a bottle of British bubbly on par in quality and price of some California sparkling wines will run over $100, says Barbara Werley, the Master Sommelier at the restaurant, who oversees a 180-page global wine list of 4,200 selections.
English fizz pairs well with steak, any seafood and anything fried, such as fried oysters, Werley says. “The acidity cuts through all that fat and richness,” she says.
“They’re super versatile because they don’t overpower a dish,” Tedder says. “They’re pretty dry and not as sweet as prosecco.”
More British bubbly is finding its way stateside to the places in this article and some others. Try these brands:
Gusbourne: Its Blanc de Blancs are best. The 2011, 2013 and 2014 vintages get rave reviews for their crisp green apple flavor, citrus undertones and toasty finish. Gusbourne Brut Reserve has been served at Buckingham Palace. Petrin notes that Gusbourne employs a Master Sommelier.
Chapel Down: Its elegant Classic Non-Vintage Brut tastes of apples and pears and that classic yeasty taste. Chapel Down is an official supplier to Downing Street, and its Three Graces 2010 has been served at Buckingham Palace.
Hattingley Valley: Its refined Classic Reserve is creamy and refreshing, with a hint of apricot. Also try Hattingley Valley Rosé 2014 (the winery says 2014 was the best vintage so far with “near perfect growing conditions.”)
Nyetimber: Its Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage is the English fizz that has surprised Werley the most. “People aren’t as experienced with aged bubbles; they get very interesting,” she says. “This aged beautifully.”
