18th June 2021 | Life at Virgin Wines | 8 minute read
Not many people know this, but the south of England has a lot in common with France’s famous Champagne region, making it absolutely perfect for viticulture. With English winemaking going from strength to strength in recent years, we snapped up the opportunity to work with Sussex-based Henners to create an English sparkling wine that would rival some of France’s finest bubblies.
Introducing Henners Foxearle English Sparkling Brut 2016 – an exclusive parcel created by Henners winery, especially for Virgin Wines. Elegant in style and rich in flavour, it’s a stunning example of the hidden treasures we have on our own doorstep here in the UK, and the perfect project to tell you all about this English Wine Week!
Deep in the beautiful East Sussex countryside, you’ll find wildlife-rich woodland, bushy-tailed foxes and squirrels, ancient oak trees, plenty of butterflies and fruit-growing sweet spots for apples, cherries and (you’ve guessed it) grapes.
Henners vineyard sits in the quaint and pretty village of Herstmonceux, atop a hill overlooking the South Downs and Pevensey Levels National Nature Reserve. The climate in this peaceful English wine region is cool maritime, and it receives more annual sunshine than anywhere else in the UK!
It’s that balance of lower temperatures and sunlight that makes Sussex a haven for viticulture – and these are qualities it shares with the world’s most famous sparkling wine-producing area, the Champagne region.
The grapes that tend to thrive in England, and especially in sunny Sussex, are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – which are, of course, the three grape varieties used to make Champagne. One of the reasons these varieties do so well both in Sussex and Northern France is the chalky terroir that provides excellent drainage and encourages high acidity in the fruit.
The main reason these grapes love English turf, though, is our weather. From early summer, the buds start to soak up the Sussex sunshine, and enjoy sunny spells right up until late September. The nights are generally cool, creating a nice, long and steady growing season for the fruit flavours to become deep and delicious!
All the elements – from the porous chalky soil, to the long, cool growing seasons, the ample sunshine, the grape varieties used in the blend and the traditional methods used to turn it all into wine – come together to create something rather magical. Collette O’Leary, winemaker at Henners, explains how this has allowed us to produce such a special sparkling wine.
As Collette explains, the key to Henners Foxearle English Sparkling Brut 2016 being so divine is the vintage it is from. 2016 was a particularly great growing season in Sussex due to it being a slightly cooler summer followed by a surprisingly warm September and October. This led to a very dry harvest with much riper fruit than usual, resulting in a rich, luscious sparkling wine with abundant fruit flavours.
Unlike many Champagne blends which tend to contain majority Chardonnay, Henners Foxearle English Sparkling Brut is red grape dominant. From the Pinot Meunier we get bright floral aromas and notes of red apple and red berry, while the Pinot Noir brings structure and length. A touch of Chardonnay is used to bring zesty freshness, acidity and hints of orchard fruit and lemon nougat, and the wine has gone through some ageing to add creaminess and more complex aromas of almond, brioche and biscuit.
From a quick sip of this wine and a glance at its label, it’s clear to see that this rather special bottle is a true expression of the English countryside. The label artwork is inspired by the nature that surrounds the vineyard (the brambles, the oak trees, the birds, the foxes), and the name ‘Foxearle’ is taken from the medieval name of the county.
Relatively unknown in the wine world, English winemaking is still in its youth, but has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. It was only after WW2 that we stopped solely importing wines from the likes of France and Spain, and started looking at our own winemaking abilities.
It took many more years before it was deemed a serious commercial prospect, but once the penny dropped that England contains microclimates ideal for grape cultivation, winemaking took off in a huge way.
As Collette says, one of the things that makes English wine so special is our climate. We’re at the Northern edge of the part of the globe where it’s possible to grow grapes (not too hot, not too cold), and we’re classified as a ‘cool climate’ region as we’re one of the furthest wine producing areas from the equator.
With the cooler temperatures and long growing seasons, our grapes slowly develop naturally high acidity and produce wines with slightly lower alcohol levels. The result is crisp and fresh wine styles that are rich with English fruit flavours, but never too heavy in the body.
Investment in English vineyards, wineries and cellar doors is at an all-time high, with over 500 vineyards and around 150 wineries across the country now producing outstanding English wines – and this is only going to continue to grow. With many English wineries being no older than 20 years old, English winemakers are very much the new kids on the block, still experimenting and discovering what wine styles can be crafted in our climate and terroir.
We can’t wait to see what other treats will come out of future vintages, and to see English wine continue on its trajectory to the top, just as New Zealand did not too long ago.
So whether you’re a lover of Champagne, a bit of a connoisseur always on the lookout for new wines to try, someone who likes to shop local, or you simply like the idea of something elegant, understated and English – Henners Foxearle English Sparkling Brut is a home-grown beauty we’re confident you’ll fall in love with this summer.
