Unless it’s from a specific region in France, Italy or Spain, carbonated wine is known as sparkling wine.
Champagne, prosecco and cava all fall under a protected designation of origin status which means only grapes harvested in specific vineyards can be labelled as such.
So, where does that leave everyone else? In the sparkling wine category.
Sure they don’t have the status or connotations that come part and parcel with famous fizz, but overlook them at your peril. After all, a rose by any other name and all that.
The numbers prove our collective thirst for English bubbly is on the rise. British producers from Chapel Down to Bolney and Nyetimber have all reported sales growth, a spike that supports statements made by experts like Humphrey Serjeantson, research director at IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. In Drinks Intel, he reveals that "the category is on a long-term growth trajectory. Volumes are expected to hit a CAGR of 6 per cent between 2022 and 2026.”
And, it’s not just us Brits lapping up the stuff either; Nyetimber has seen a growth of 89 per cent in sales in its European market too. If they carry on like this, the company believes it will hit its target of making up to two million bottles by 2030.
Good news for them means good news trickling down for other producers too, in the UK and further afield. Last year a wine produced by Wales’ White Castle Vineyard became the first Welsh vintage to win a gold medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards in July.
Morrisons’ Wine Sourcing Manager Charles Cutteridge told the Standard: "Sparkling wine has grown hugely in popularity over the past few years – it all started with the Prosecco boom but more and more we are seeing people branch out into other styles like Cremant and English sparkling wines. It’s quite exciting how diverse the category has become and at affordable price points.”
If you’re curious about sparkling wine, we’ve put together a hit list of must-try bottles. From the bottle Kate and Wills served at their wedding to sparkling wine cans made in Peckham, here are the options to sip.
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Nyetimber Classic Cuvée
If you need further evidence of the gap closing between Champagne and English sparkling wine, look no further than Nyetimber.
The company's head winemaker Cherie Spriggs took home the gong for Sparkling Winemaker of the Year in 2018 and you can taste her expertise in Nyetimber's Classic Cuvee, a bottle that often outperforms Champagne in blind taste tests.
A superb choice for any event worth toasting, expect fine bubbles with notes of toasted brioche, honey, apple and a hint of spice.
Buy now £32.99, Amazon
Chapel Down Rose Brut NV
Chapel Down served Brut Rose, made from its pinot noir grapes, to 650 guests at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s 2011 wedding reception at Buckingham Palace. If it’s good enough for the future monarchs, well, who are we to say otherwise? Expect notes of red berries and toasty notes with a crisp finish.
Buy now £24.49, Amazon
Gusbourne Estate Brut Reserve English Sparkling Wine
Ideal for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations, you can’t fault Kent-based Gusbourne Estate’s Brut.
With notes of citrus and soft stone fruit paired with the bright Champagne-like gold guarantees it will elevate any occasion worth toasting.
Buy now £45.00, Fortnum & Mason
Highgrove English Sparkling Rosé NV, 75cl
A sparkling wine made in the Garden of England has summer sipping written all over it. This limited edition cuvee has been crafted by Herbert Hall Winery in Kent from organically harvested Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes. It's ideal for weddings and anniversaries with tiny bubbles and notes of strawberry and peach blossom.
Buy now £33.95, Fortnum & Mason
Morrisons The Best English Sparkling Brut Vintage 2010
Made from a trifecta of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes this dry English version of Champagne sings with floral and apple-y notes, finishing with warm biscuit flavours. Best served chilled and alongside fish dinners.
Buy now £24.00, Morrisons
Priogrigio Italian Sparkling Wine
It comes from Italy and starts with a P, but this sparkling wine isn't prosecco. You'd be hard pressed to tell in a blind tasting though: the fresh and floral drink is a dead ringer for its better known, more expensive twin.
Buy now £5.25, ASDA
Boco by House Coren
Made in West Sussex by House Coren, this fizz veers away from traditional English methods of producing sparkling wine and uses the Charmant method instead. It involves a secondary fermentation process that gives wine an added acidity, resulting in a fresh and clean finish.
One to try for prosecco fans, Boco offers a bright, fruity flavour with a sharpness that makes it perfect for picnics.
Buy now £26.00, House Coren
Hattingley Valley The English Gent
Made from Bacchus and Pinot Gris grapes, this vegan sparkling wine makes an excellent gift thanks to its fun label and vibrant, aromatic flavour with notes of elderflower and hedgerow. Exceedingly English.
Got something to celebrate? Try Hattingley Valley's Classic Reserve NV, £32.
Buy now £20.00, Hattingley Valley
Bird In Hand Sparkling Wine 750ml
For sparkling wine from further afield, this bottle comes from Down Under, from vineyards in southern Australia. Grapes are plucked at night to retain flavour as well as freshness and every sip delivers fresh and bright notes of strawberry, citrus and florals.
Buy now £15.00, Tesco
The Uncommon Wine of England ‘Gerald’ Sparkling White Wine, 4 x 25cl
Peckham may feel as far from Champagne’s prestigious vineyards as you can imagine, but they share one small thing: producing bubbly elixir that we can’t get enough of. The Uncommon serves sparkling wine in cans, wrapped in fun animal-themed labels for instant ‘grammability. Perfect if you don’t want to commit to an entire bottle, the 250ml single serves the sparkling options include white wine and rose.
Buy now £19.95, Fortnum & Mason
Van Hunks MCC Brut Sparkling Wine, 75cl
Worth getting for the label alone, but this South African wine is no novelty turkey. The sparkling Chardonnay puts itself on par with Champagne or Prosecco with a dry taste that sings when paired with seafood or tapas. It's perfect for romantic dinners a deux and also comes in a rose option.
Buy now £20.25, Amazon
Terra Organica Prosecco
Terra Organica has been growing grapes organically well before today's greenrush, focusing on quality and sustainability. Its extra dry Prosecco is crisp with notes of blossom and green apple, best paired with light salads and seafood. It even works in a cocktail like Aperol Spritz.
Buy now £12.00, Amazon
La Gioiosa Prosecco Gold 75cl
A delicious treat to enjoy on a special occasion, this tasty prosecco offers bags of apple and floral flavours. The 11 per cent wine is dry and fresh, helping cut through heavy dinners and partnering well with light appetisers.
There’s also a rose version, for those who enjoy berry-charged sips, £9.99 at Majestic.
Buy now £9.50, Sainsbury’s
Kylie Minogue Prosecco Rosé NV
Whether it’s love at first sight (sip?) or a few glasses leave you spinning around, the star factor is clear in Kylie’s pink Prosecco. So clear in fact, that it’s one of the UK’s best-selling bottles with someone drinking her wine every 1.5 seconds, according to recent sales data. Talk about top of the pops.
Expect crisp, fresh notes of strawberries, raspberries and blossom bubbling out of the flute.
Buy now £11.10, Amazon
Della Vite Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
The brainchild of the Delevingne sisters – Chloe, Poppy and Cara – Della Vita is punchy for a Prosecco but worth every penny. It successfully reimagines the sparkling wine by using Glera grapes for deep flavour and rich texture while packaging everything up in a seriously sexy bottle.
Buy now £21.50, Amazon
