The bottles to add to your basket to celebrate the Big English Wine Easter this weekend
The fact that we’re now able to get together outside in groups of six for the first time since December is surely worthy of a bit of a celebratory toast. And with this weekend being tipped the Big English Wine Easter,it’s got to be English Sparkling.
English vineyards may well be closed for a little while longer but if you’re after a bottle of something to cheers the Easter weekend then look no further than your local supermarket. Here are our favourite English sparkling wines to add to your trolley.
Kent: Eight Acres Sparkling Rosé, £18 Co-Op
At just £18, this is a true gem from a stunning 2018 vintage. Made from grapes grown at Hush Heath Wine Estate in Kent, it’s got a real burst of ripe berries on the nose and a surprisingly red fruit flavour for a wine so pale pink in colour. The delicate mousse adds finesse to a slightly tangy finish.
Sussex: Ridgeview Bloomsbury NV, £28.99, Waitrose
Who’d have thought the official wine served for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee would be available in a supermarket? This non-vintage blend of the traditional Champagne grape varieties has flavours of citrus, peach and honey and pairs well with smoke salmon and crab pâté if you want to push the boat this Easter.
Surrey: Denbies Chalk Valley Sparkling Wine, £16, Morrisons
With fresh citrus aromas and a hint of flora and brioche, this crisp, dry and refreshing English Sparkling Wine has an enticing creamy texture and a long, zesty finish. As the cheapest of our picks (and it’s often on offer) this is an exceptional English sparkling wine for the price.
Hampshire: Leckford Estate Brut, £26.99, Waitrose
Waitrose was the first UK retailer to plant its own vineyard at Leckford Estate, the Hampshire home of John Lewis and Partners founder, John Spedan Lewis, in 2009. The 4.7-hectare vineyard grows the three traditional Champagne grape varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay and partners with the winemakers at Ridgeview Wine Estate in Sussex to make its Leckford Estate Brut.
Available from Waitrose (of course), this fizz has aromas of toasted brioche and hazelnuts, which give way to a creamy palate with apple and peach flavours and a lively mousse.
Surrey & Hampshire: Extra Special English Sparkling Brut, £21, Asda
Made by Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, right in the heart of the Surrey Hills, this 2015 vintage English Sparkling Wine has been made from Chardonnay grapes grown in Hampshire. Offering baked apple and brioche flavours with hints of citrus and a toast aroma, we’d pair this with a warm spring/summer pudding.
We’d love to see what English wine you might be sampling this weekend, supermarket bought or not – tag the producer, #BEME and @thesouthernquarter and we’ll share your suggestions too.
Our friends over at Great British Wine are hosting a number of events the week in the lead up to Big English Wine Easter – you can check out the full calendar here.
