English Wine Revolution

 Following on from the great success of our local English wine tasting last Saturday in Hungerford, I thought we’d look a little at what is making English wines so good at the moment. English wines get better every year and there are some fabulous producers right on our doorsteps! Wine making in England is nothing new. It was introduced by the Romans as far north as Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire to supply local garrisons. By the 11^th century, the Doomsday book records 42 vineyards in England. However, wine making all but disappeared with the dissolution of the monasteries and only started a resurgence in the 1950s. Due to a cool, wet climate, England has never been an ideal climate for growing grape vines. In the 1950s, following some very dedicated entrepreneurs and researchers, England began growing cool climate, disease resistant grape varieties traditionally grown in Germany, such as Bacchus and Muller-Thurgau. In 1952 the first commercial English vineyard was planted at Hambledon in Hampshire growing Seyval blanc. This renaissance gathered momentum with rising temperatures from the 1970s onward and with the realization that large parts of southern England share a very similar terroir to the Champagne region in France. The chalk substrata plus the warmer climate have meant that England is now successfully growing the Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir grape varieties that go into champagne. In the last decade, the quality of these wines has really improved. To such an extent that there are now many that can compete as equals to the wines coming out of champagne. English sparkling wines are now hitting the top awards in many blind-taste tests across the world. Still wines are still a little behind the success of the sparkling wines, England having found a very successful niche here, but as you will see from the list below, there are some absolute crackers out there and this category is quickly gaining impetus! The cool climate still makes red wine a little challenging since the grapes can struggle to reach the ripeness needed to create a really strong red wine but with Pinot Noir doing well and the pinot noir sub variety Pinot Noir Précoce making more impact, there are some very refined, light reds out there. Bacchus, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay are also making some fabulous wines. The climate is still at the northern limit of viticulture but that means a slow ripening process. In good years this leads to a perfect acidity and some wonderful crisp, aromatic white and rosé wines. Our customers do comment on the expense of English wines. Still wines often command a £20-£30 price range and the sparkling wines are usually £40 upwards. Unfortunately, just because it’s local and has lower transport costs doesn’t balance the other hefty winemaking expenditures. Firstly, English wines still have hefty taxes tied to the ABV of the wine. Secondly, wineries here are still very much an artisanal market. The cost of land in the UK, particularly in the south, means mass production is simply impossible. This combined with our uncertain and changeable climate (think back to the weather of the last few months – we went from frosts to nearly 30-degree heat within a fortnight earlier in the spring and now face hot sunshine, showers, mists and wind, often all within a 24hr period!) means that the industry still faces very variable success from year to year and potentially low yields, driving the cost per bottle up. Finally, sparkling wines require significantly labour-intensive farming. Grapes are often hand-picked and sustainable farming methods require further work. This combined with long aging periods, and therefore storage, all add up. With all this in mind however, the English wines we stock have been tasted by both myself and Simon and are worth every penny!

 Sparkling Wines  All Angels Classic Cuvée 2019, Enbourne, West Berkshire. Chardonnay 48%, Pinot Noir 43%, Pinot Meunier 9% 12% ABV £39.99 per bottle Light golden colour, fine bubbles. Layers of pastry and lemon patisserie notes. Supple and yeasty with a delicate floral touch. Finely balanced, fresh acidity with a beautiful, lengthy finish. 

The Grange Classic, Alresford, Hampshire. Chardonnay 45%, Pinot Noir 27%,Pinot Meunier 28% 12% ABV £39.99 per bottle Pale straw in colour, with an intense nose of ripe orchard fruits and citrus, with notes of almonds and buttered patisserie. Amazing richness, fine bubbles and incredible length.

 Flint Charmat Rosé Earsham, Norfolk. Pinot Noir 22%, Rondo 13%, Pinotin 9%, Sauvignac 8%, other PIWI varieties 18%, other aromatic varieties 30%. 12% ABV £25.99 per bottle Vivid pink rosé bursts with fresh strawberry and cherry flavours, mouth-watering acidity and a crisp, refreshing finish. 

Still Wines 

Wildshark Pinot Gris Harrietsham, Kent. Pinot Gris 100% 12.0% ABV £21.99 per bottle Bursting with lime, mango, and pineapple that carries through to a clean balanced finish. Outstanding ripeness. 

Rowles Bacchus West Ilsley, Berkshire. Bacchus 100% 12.0% ABV £19.99 per bottle Lifted floral aromatics, with notes of ripe green apple, elderflower & fresh asparagus.  

Flint Pinot Noir Précoce Earsham, Norfolk. Pinot Noir Précoce 65%, Pinot Noir 35% 11.5% ABV £29.99 per bottle Silky, juicy, and packed with character. Layers of bramble jam and white pepper lead into a super-bright, fruit-forward palate with well-integrated tannins, and a smooth finish.