Elegant English Sparkling Wines for English Wine Week

First up, we have our sensational, exclusive English sparkling wine made with Henners, especially for VW customers! The Henners Foxearle English Sparkling Brut 2016 is a fresh, lively and elegant vintage bubbly that showcases everything that’s wonderful about English wine. Thanks to its sunny Sussex location, Henners vineyard produces fruity and fresh Champagne-style wines with vibrant acidity, and this limited-edition parcel from 2016 (a very strong year for English wine) is exactly that.

When Henners winemaker Collette O’Leary approached us with an opportunity to produce a premium English fizz together (made from the three classic grape varieties used in Champagne, no less), we jumped at the chance. A true reflection of the English countryside in which it’s made, expect heaps of fresh green apple on the nose, followed by more complex notes of candied lemon peel and toasted, buttered brioche on the palate. It’s absolutely divine – and it’s all ours!

Only 5,000 bottles were produced of this home-grown beauty though, so you’ve got to be quick if you want one!

Next up, we’re taking a trip to Hampshire with the delightful Hambledon Vineyards Classic Cuvee Brut NV. Unlike the Henners offering, which uses Pinot Noir as its dominant grape, Hambledon’s Champagne blend is Chardonnay-led, bringing with it an entirely different palate. You’ll find baked pear fruit, floral notes and a biscuity richness with this wine, followed by a long, balanced finish. Super clean, rich and refreshing, it goes down very nicely on a hot summer’s day.

And, you don’t have to just take our word for it – this Brut has won an incredible eight awards so far, including Gold at the International Wine Challenge 2017, silver twice at the Decanter Awards, and silver at the IWSC to name a few! A great example of an English sparkling wine that gives our European counterparts a real run for their money.

We’re heading back to Sussex now for the delectable Digby Leander Pink NV. Crisp, bright and fruity, this pink Champagne-style blend has a beautiful blush hue and lovely fresh notes of rhubarb and red cherry. In typical English wine style, it has that trademark crisp acidity, along with a brisk, clean citrus palate at its core and creamy mouthfeel that comes from the aged Chardonnay.

Ethereal and seductive, this fine blush wine is a match made in heaven for those glorious sunny afternoons in the garden. Not only that, but each bottle sold supports Leander Academy (the world’s oldest open rowing club) to train young people who aspire to Olympic glory. So, with every sip, you know you’re supporting a great cause as well as enjoying a delicious drop of English wine. What’s not to love?

The fourth in our fabulous five is the Hattingley Valley Classic Reserve Brut NV. With its beautiful butterfly-shaped label and  palate of fresh red berries, this fine offering from Hampshire’s prestigious Hattingley Valley is as English as they come. What makes this Hampshire bubbly so different from its Champagne cousins is its quintessentially English flavours such as baked apple, and its slightly softer mouthfeel.

Perfectly balanced with lively yet fine bubbles and a long, luxurious finish, it’s no surprise that this English fizz has been scooping up national and international awards left, right and centre. This is the first release of a Classic Reserve from Hattingley, and we’re delighted to have got our mitts on it! It’s a great one to have on the table at your garden parties this summer.

The last in our line-up is the wonderful Bolney Estate Bolney Bubbly Brut NV. A real showstopper when it comes to English sparkling wine, this is always a safe bet for adding a little wow factor to your special occasions. It’s so good, in fact, it’s even been hard to get hold of in recent times due to how many awards its been receiving!

Unusually, this Chardonnay blend is actually a combination of eight varieties, resulting in a luxuriously light and creamy fizz and a palate bursting with zesty citrus fruit, honeysuckle and elderflower. With a palate like this, how could anyone possibly resist?

So, why not support British winemakers and give one of these cracking Champagne alternatives a try this English Wine Week (who needs Champagne or Prosecco when we’ve got all this right on our doorstep anyway, right?).