Mince Pies first originated from England during the 13th century, back when they were first made, they were known as Christmas pies, mutton pies or shrid pies. they used to be made with pastry, meats, dried fruits and spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, these ingredients were brought back from the Middle East by European crusaders, nowadays, they’ve removed the meat, most Mince Pies sold today are vegetarian friendly, but it is still worth checking the packaging as some will have meat in the suet.

The Mince Pie has been enjoyed around Christmas for a long time, and as it has been enjoyed around Christmas the Pie began to be associated with Catholicism/Christianity, so during the English Civil War, the Puritan authorities frowned on them. But that didn’t put an end to the Pie, they continued to be eaten around Christmas through the Victorian era and is still very much enjoyed to this day.

Woodchurch – English Sparkling Wine

Woodchurch Estate was Established in 2009 and is based on the edge of Kent, in the village of Woodchurch, they manage their vines by hand throughout the year to make sure they deliver the best quality English Sparkling Wines.

Woodchurch Wine Estate – Sparkling Rosé 2017 – Tasting Notes

Aroma “Vibrant Red berries, pink floral and wild nettles on the aroma.”

Flavour “A fizzy pink taste, of pink floral, unripe raspberries and red berries on the palate.”

This English Sparkling Wine Won a Silver Medal in the Dessert Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021

Mince Pie Pairing

I decided to go with 12 small mince pies, the perfect size to go with a spread of different Christmas treats and very easy to enjoy for those who don’t have the biggest sweet tooth.

Pairing Notes: “A fizzy red berry wave comes over the mince pie, it’s strong at first then soaks into the mince pie leaving a touch of red berry mince pie.”

The festive mince pie is given a Christmas red berry addition, making it an even more Christmassy treat, a festive combination.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Sparkling Wine – Weingut Steininger

Located in their beautiful hometown of Langenlois in Austria, surrounded by the Kamptal Valley, Weingut Steininger believes it offers the best conditions for their typical wines and sparkling wines, and they’ve found the perfect combination between tradition and modern cellar technology, without ever compromising on quality.

Weingut Steininger – Grüner Veltliner Reserve Sekt 2018 – Tasting Notes

Aroma “Garden herbs, freshly cut grass and floral notes on the aroma.”

Flavour “A soft, creamy like texture, displaying green garden herbs, nettles and freshly cut grass on the palate.”

This Austrian Sparkling Wine Won a Silver Medal in the Herbal Gardens Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

Whisky – Compass Box

Compass Box was founded by John Glaser, while working at a large UK distiller in 2000, he came to the conclusion that there was so much that hadn’t yet been explored in the world of Scotch Whisky. He started Compass Box in his kitchen, where it grew over the years and now he has two dedicated Blending Rooms in London.

You can also find on their website a collection of videos of the Founder & Whiskymaker John Glaser, where he explores surprising truths and misconceptions about Scotch whisky, teaching you a few things about Whisky and the way to enjoy it, it’s called the Whisky School.

Tasting Notes – “Rich Whisky aromas with hints of freshly squeezed apple Juice. A classic whisky taste, with fine hints of green apples, green pears and lemon, gently progressing in the whisky.”

The Navigation Cocktail

Ingredients

• Sparkling Wine
• Whisky
• Lemon
• Apple
• Mint

How To Make The Navigation Fizz Cocktail

1. Pour in 15mls of your Whisky
2. Add 100mls of your Steininger Sparkling Wine
3. Drop-in a Lemon Twist, a few slices of Apple and a Mint Leaf

Tasting Notes

Aroma “Fresh lemon, mint and green apple, with delightful hints of the whisky in the background on the aroma.”

Flavour “A fizzy burst of bakery minty flavours, just like a freshly baked green apple and mint cream pastry, with subtle hints of lemon, the whisky takes shape and adds warmth to your mouth, while delivering freshly squeezed green apple juice to the close.”

This is a perfect selection to get for Christmas, there’s something for everyone inside unless you’re having 11 people coming over, in that case, you’ll have to share.

With such a fine selection of cakes to enjoy, it’s only right to call on a Sparkling Wine that has the power to stand up to that level of delicate, creamy sweetness. This Sparkling Wine won the Trophy in the Dessert Category, our Judges thought it best fit the category against Champagnes, Argentinan and Slovenian Sparkling Wines.

Dessert
A wine that will likely be sweeter in taste and pairs well with desserts.

Let’s first taste this English Sparkling Wine to see if it’s the perfect match for the Dessert Category

Biddenden

Biddenden Vineyards – Gribble Bridge Ortega Demi-Sec 2019 Tasting Notes

Aroma “Green apples, green pears, green grapes, green apple glazed tart aromas.”

Flavour “Orchard fruits, green apples, green pears, tastes like a natural sweetness from the fruits rather than added sugar.”

The Trophy Winner in the Dessert Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

Wow, what a treat, defiantly in the right category, there are many sweet Sparkling Wines available to buy, but not that many produced in England.

Kent’s original vineyard, the Barnes family has owned and managed Biddenden Vineyards since 1969, but vines weren’t the first things planted there, there were originally over 40 acres of apple orchard, but in the late 60’s apple prices began to decline, and in 1969, they decided to turn 1/3 of their acres into vines, that’s when Biddenden Vineyards was born.

They currently have 12 different grape varieties planted over 23 acres of south-facing slopes. It’s interesting to know that their first wine was bottled in 1973, it would be amazing if you have that bottle safely stored somewhere, today they produce around 80,000 bottles per year, the vineyard is currently being run by the second & third generations of the Barnes family.

There are many wonderful and award winning English Sparkling Wines on the market today, I think it would be a nice idea to enjoy a bottle of English Sparkling Wine on Christmas Day, to show our support for the industry, maybe you might end up trying something new, Glass of Bubbly can definitely help you find the perfect bottle for you and your family

The Pairing – Christmas Pastry Desserts and Sparkling Wine

Biddenden and Cherry Chocolate Chip Gateau Slice Pairing: “The Sparkling wine intensifies the cherry along with the chocolate flavours.”

Biddenden and Marzipan Gateau Slice Pairing: “The Sparkling Wine comes in and cleanses the palate, then allows the marzipan flavour to come alive again for a second wind in the same bite.”

Biddenden and Almond Cream Cake Pairing: “The Sparkling Wine comes in and cleanses5the palate, but leaves some of the almond flavours, giving you a single expression of delicate almond.”

Biddenden and Strawberry Vanilla Cream Gateau Slice Pairing: “A nice balance of white chocolate, strawberries, cream and pastry, the sparkling wine comes in and cleanses the palate leaving you wanting another bite.”

Biddenden and Cherry Cream Slice Pairing: “The chocolate leads the flavour, cherry takes second place and takes on a slight bitter taste.”

Biddenden and Strawberry Cream Slice Pairing: “The Sparkling Wine cleanses the palate too early, leaving creamy strawberry flavours with hints of green apple skin.”

Biddenden and Mandarin Cream Tart Pairing: “Green citrus is added to the mandarin cream tart in a strong but not overpowering way.”

Biddenden and Chocolate Cream Tart Pairing: “A wonderful blend of chocolate, cream and pastry, the sparkling wine adds elements of English country gardens.”

Biddenden and Strawberry Cream Roll Pairing: “The strawberry is rather let go, the pastry takes on the green fruit flavours giving you a green fruit cream roll with hints of strawberries.”

Biddenden and Lemon cream Roll Pairing: “The lemon flavours stay with you throughout, even intensifying after the Sparkling Wine has been added, with hints of pastry.”

Merry Christmas Everyone

“Tom Smith created the first Christmas cracker. He was a London-based confectioner who was inspired by the paper-wrapped sugared almonds he saw in France. Tom Smith invented a sweet-filled wrapper that could be pulled apart by two hands, an idea that his three sons continued to develop into an exciting new business venture later on.” source Royal Liver Building Venue

From a box of six mini crackers at your local pound store with plastic mini toys within to those luxurious options containing diamond rings and gold watches. Famous brands supply their own versions such as John Lewis, Selfridges and Swarovski® or themed ones containing just chocolate, alcohol or hand crafted gifts. Plus of course, we can not forget those sometimes terrible jokes to read out and lastly who will be wearing their paper hat other than grandad this year!?

“The world’s longest Christmas cracker measured 63.1 m (207 ft) long and 4 m (13 ft) in diameter and was made by the parents of children at Ley Hill School and Pre-School, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, UK on 20 December 2001.” source Guinness World Records

Surveys suggest that Brits will pull on average around 150 million crackers during the Christmas period!

The word cracker holds many meanings that include those thin savoury wafer biscuits (that might make an appearance during Christmas also when the cheese board graces the table), though also it can refer to an offensive term used to refer to a white person from rural parts of the southeastern U.S.

Among variables of ‘cracker’ is something positive that stands out and mostly visually – Going back to many older, especially comedy, movies a person can sometimes be referred to as a cracker thus being liked and admired.

A Cracker for your Christmas table this year in the world of wine is a fabulous English Bubbly that was voted the best for Winter time at the London Champagne & Sparkling Wine Awards 2021 – Fox & Fox Mosaic 2015

In amongst roast potatoes (the most popular item eaten at Christmas), slices of Turkey, the gravy, the mince pies and cream we must of course have a bottle of wine – Why not make it a trophy winning English Sparkling Wine that can easily be ordered online and ready for Christmas Day and at only £29.00 a bottle! Purchase today here: Mosaic 2015 £29.00

Fox & Fox Mosaic 2015 Vintage – Trophy Winner 2021 ‘Winter Warmer’ – Tasting Notes: “Sit back, de-stress and enjoy… Aromas offer yellow floral, salty crisps, orchard fruits, honeysuckle, glazed patisseries, touch of red berries. Full of English countryside in flavours with hay, orchard fruits, gooseberry, freshly baked bread.“

Christmas time is the busiest time globally for sparkling wine sales thanks to the many festive get togethers we have planned both at home, work and in bars/restaurants and not forgetting New Years Eve celebrations as we welcome in the year 2022.

“It is said that we enjoy some 200 million glasses of Champagne at Christmas and this number is greatly added to as we lead up to and enjoy New Years Eve celebrations – Champagne (or any other sparkling wine) is the one wine that can identity mostly with celebrations so it is unexpected that sales peak each year over the Christmas period.”

We must not forget that sparkling wine is not purely Champagne, in fact, this small region of France (despite having global fame) is only a smaller percentage of the global sparkling wine production each year. We are all familiar with Prosecco (Italy) though we also are able to enjoy the fizzy delights from England, Spain (Cava), South Africa (Cap Classic), Slovenia, Cremant (France), Canada, USA, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and much more.

So, what about some fabulous sparkling wines for Christmas 2021? I say let’s rock & roll with some Trophy Winning English sparklers to get the mood firmly in the swing:

Voted the world’s best sparkling wine in 2021! Fox & Fox – 2015 Paxton & Whitfield Blend

Fox & Fox Paxton Whitfield 2015 Vintage

Where to purchase: (£35.00/75cl) and available online from www.paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk and from its three stores in Jermyn Street, London, Cale Street, London and Bath.

Camel Valley – 2019 Pinot Noir Rose Brut

Camel Valley Rosé Brut

Where to purchase: £36 a bottle from the Camel Valley website.

Bolney Wine Estate – Cuvée Rosé 2018

Bolney Rosé Cuvee

Where to purchase: £38 per bottle via the Bolney Wine Estate website.

Fox & Fox – Mosaic 2015

Fox & Fox Mosaic 2015

Where to purchase: £29 from the Fox & Fox website.

Biddenden Vineyards – Gribble Bridge Ortega Demi-Sec 2019

Biddenden Vineyards – Gribble Bridge Ortega Demi-Sec 2019

Where to purchase: £24.80 via the Biddenden Vineyards website.

Today, the 3rd of December 2021 is Elf Day, it was created by the Alzheimer’s Society with the aim to get everyone into the Christmas spirit as well as to raise money to help tackle dementia. They encourage you to dress up as much or as little as you want, it’s a brilliant idea, as Santa always welcomes a helping hand over this joyful season, because not everyone is always able to look forward to Christmas as much as they’d like.

With our Elf ears and hats on, it’s time to enjoy a glass of bubbly with the most loved and joyful workforce in the world.

Let’s start with some simple questions, It’s not often you’re sat in front of a real elf.

You: What kind of music do you like best?

Elf: Wrap music.

You: What was the first thing you learned at school?

Elf: The elf-abet.

You: Did Rudolph go to school?

Elf: No. He was Elf-taught.

Maybe we should pop open our first bottle of bubbly, this bottle has a very fitting green label to start us off, Motzenbacker, which won a Gold medal winner in the Oaky & Toasty category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

Motzenbäcker – Kalkstein Riesling Brut – Tasting Notes

Motzenbäcker has a history dating back to 1758, currently, 4 generations of the Menger-Krug family is helping in creating Motzenbäckers Sparkling Wines, they all have their own specialist fields and gift new ideas to their Wine & Sparkling Wine, they all reside in the wine estate Krug´scher Hof and Motzenbäcker.

Aroma “Green fruits, grassy, creamy petroleum, touch of toast on the nose.”

Flavour “Fresh and fruity, green fruits, added grass / nettles / lime flavours.”

Elf: Hey, do you want to hear a joke?

You: Sure!

Elf: How many elves does it take to change a light bulb?

You: I don’t know.

Elf: Ten, One to change it and nine to stand on one another’s shoulders.

Let’s open our second bottle, Lumiére – Delaware, a Sparkling Wine from Japan, which won a Silver Medal in the Topical Burst Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

Lumiére – Delaware 2019 – Tasting Notes

Founded by Tokugi Furiya in 1885, this Japanese winery is currently being run by Shigeki Kida, their 5th generation of winemakers. World famous for its quality Japanese wines, Lumiere is a winery located some 110 km from Tokyo to the west. All grapes are picked by hand and their sparkling wines are of the traditional method style.

Aroma “Tropical burst on the nose, banana, green fruits, pastry.”

Flavour “Dry and citrus style initially with dry tropical length.”

Elf: Do you want to know why the dyslexic elf got fired?

You: Why?

Elf: Because he kept writing “From Satan” on every present.

You: One final question, what would be your favourtie Cocktail?

Elf: That would be an ‘Elf on the Beach’.

A delightful conversation with one of Santa’s little helpers, to finish off this experience, let’s pop open a bottle of Villa Sandi to toast not just the big man himself, but to every single little helper that keeps the Christmas spirit alive and creates all the toys for every child across the globe.

Villa Sandi – Prosecco DOC Brut Il Fresco Biologico Organic – Tasting Notes

Located in the picturesque region of Prosecco, with Villa Sandi having a foothold in the region since 1622, thanks to the Moretti Polegato family, for several generations they have dedicated their time producing and sharing their wines and Proseccos around the world.

Aroma “Baked apples, green apples, grass, a sprinkling of lime / lemon zest in aromas.”

Flavour “Fruity flavours, nice and silky style – apples mostly with hints of ripe green pears.”

Merry Christmas Elf-ry0ne

Image Credit

This is an exciting box to receive in the post, most of us love a bottle of Prosecco, but to add to that, get all the ingredients you need to create a delicious cocktail as well, now that sounds perfect.

Opening the box you see a beautiful design of a fox’s face, along with the hashtag, #FreeTheFox, it’s nicely presented inside, providing everything you need to create your own Christmas Spritz Cocktail, the only thing you need to provide is the glass and ice.

The Pale Fox Prosecco

The Pale Fox Prosecco brand was created by two English men on a late summer’s afternoon in 2018, in a forgotten corner of northern Italy, where the Venetian coastal plain rises to form the first foothills of the Alps, lies the Valle delle Volpi or Valley of the Foxes. Located in the exclusive Superiore DOCG region of Asolo-Montello, where according to legend, the foxes gather to play in the pale moonlight among the vines where pale grapes grow, the two English wine enthusiasts tasted some sparkling wine from the region, which inspired them to create their own brand, gaining inspiration for their name thanks to the Foxes meeting up by the Pale grapes on the vines in the Pale moonlight.

They control the yield of each harvest, making sure they prioritize quality over quantity, only picking the best grapes. Pale Fox put in a lot of effort to make sure they are sustainable, with only using 100% renewable energy sources, from both solar and hydro-electric energy, they have also partnered with Ecologi to plant a tree every time they place an order. Pale Fox can also proudly states that they are 100% plant-based, making them 100% Vegan friendly. For an added bonus they don’t add in a lot of added sugar, allowing the Prosecco to do the talking and making each glass only 75 Kcal.

Most Prosecco’s undergo 30 days of secondary fermentation, but Pale Fox decided they wanted to extend that time to 90 days, resulting in what they believe is an infinitely more complex flavour and finer, more persistent bubbles, let’s try it and see if those extra 60 days are worth the wait.

Aroma “A very smooth aroma of green apples, soft citrus, ripe yellow fruits, floral notes with a sweetness on the aroma.”

Flavour “An expressive array of flavours, ranging from fresh orchard fruits, white floral, pink salmon and honeysuckle, it’s smooth with a sherbety kick.”

Christmas Spritz Cocktail

Ingredients

• Pale Fox Prosecco
• Bitter Amaro
• Cranberry Syrup
• Sparkling Water
• Dried Orange

How To Make the Christmas Spritz Cocktail

1. Add ice to a large wine glass.
2. Add 20mls of Bitter Amaro.
3. Add 15mls of Cranberry Juice.
4. Pour in 125mls of chilled Prosecco to your glass.
5. Top with a dash of Sparkling Water.
6. Then garnish with some orange wheel garnish.

Tasting Notes

Aroma “A Cranberry and orange, with a touch of bitter amaro on the aroma., which gives it those herbal notes.”

Flavour “A cool refreshing cocktail, an inital sweet touch from the Cranberry syrup, which flows into a light orange/herbal bitters flavour, combined with a crispt Fruity touch from the Prosecco.”

After enjoying that delicious cocktail, why not enjoy the final little treat they’ve included in the box for you, a little biscuit to complete the whole experience, if this sounds like an interesting experience or even a gift for someone you love this Christmas, you can check out this set right here.

This time we are exploring a Spirit made from English Sparkling Wine Grapes, let’s find out what this is and what it tastes like and see about placing it in an English Sparkling Wine Cocktail, to see if they just blend together or if they can really enhance the whole experience.

The Spirit of the Downs

This Spirit made using the English Sparkling Wine grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier which are grown in and around the South Downs National Park in Sussex was made by wine merchant Michael Yeoman for the Spirit of the Downs, he used the traditional method with Champagne yeasts to make the Spirit, they are also proud to say that the Spirit of the Downs is a sustainable product.

This Handcrafted Artisan Sussex Spirit Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier Varietal Vintage 2019 is a limited edition with only 700 bottles made, so don’t wait too long if you want to try this English Sparkling Wine Grape Spirit.

Michael Yeoman, Founder, Spirit of the Downs, says; “I have been inspired by the quality of wines being produced here in the Sussex and along the South Coast to produce a range of fine spirits to complement the sophistication and quality coming out of the local area. Spirit of the Downs can be drunk on its own, over ice, with a good quality tonic as a long drink or to add complexity to a range of cocktails (as a cocktail ingredient). I am so proud of the quality that we have been able to produce, and even more proud that we have worked so closely in the traditional style with local vineyards. We are extremely excited about the future and establishing not only our brand, but a new style of drinking vintage spirits in the South of England.”

Aroma –“A delicate touch of melted dark chocolate with hints of freshly baked pastry reminding me of chocolate croissants, flakes of chocolate, apricot, and prunes on the aroma.”

Flavour – “Dry mince pie, spices, plum, raisins and apricot on the palate.”

The Sparkling Wine – Fitz

Fitz, a Sparkling Wine Made in England, but can’t be called English Fizz, a triumphant story of determination against a system, to be called English Sparkling Wine if has to be made with the Traditional (Champagne) Method, but Fitz wanted to use the Charmat (Prosecco) Method, so that’s why they say their Sparkling Wine is Made In England.

Everything about this bottle is about going against the tide and creating something new and unique, the label, with 9 crowns, but one upside down, and their name Fitz comes from Anglo‐Norman times, they found the name FitzRoy, this name in many cases was given to the illegitimate son or daughter of a king to mark their Royal parent, originally the name meant ‘Son of the king’.

If you want to find out more about this fascinating story, like the fact they’ve hidden a naughty word on their bottle, you can right here: Fitz – Sparkling Wine Made In England

Aroma – “Lemon, green apples, apple pie, and almond aromas.”

Taste – “Crunchy green apple flavour with lime and almonds.”

This Made In England Sparkling Wine Won a Gold Medal in the First Date Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

The English Grape Cocktail

Ingredients

• Sparkling Wine
• Spirit of the Downs Pinot Artisan Spirit
• Grapes

How To Make

1. Crush a handful of grapes to extract 15mls of grape juice.
2. Pour in 20mls of Spirit of the Downs Pinot Artisan Spirit.
3. Top up with 100mls of Sparkling Wine.
4. Then add a stem of grapes to your glass for a garnish.

Tasting Notes

Aroma –“Fizzy, freshly squeezed grapes juice, red apple, grape candy floss and hints of sweet ginger on the aroma.”

Flavour – “A delightful combination of red grape juice, garden herbs and green apples on the palate.”

“It is claimed that Dr Christopher Merrett, a 17th century cider maker from Gloucester, first devised the fermentation method which gives champagne its sparkle as well as inventing the hefty bottles that are needed to prevent the highly pressurised liquid from exploding.” glassofbubbly

Even though the origination of Champagne, the holy grail of sparkling wine to many, was discovered by chance by Dom Perignon in 1693 with his famous quote of ‘come quickly I am tasting the stars‘, the English are said to have invented the famous bubble in wine back in 1662. These facts are highly contested and disputed, but also we can add to the mixing pot that the earliest recorded sparkling wine is a Blanquette de Limoux that was invented by Benedictine monks in the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire, near Carcassonne, France in 1531.

Dom Perignon statue – Avenue de Champagne, Epernay

The History of English Sparkling Wine

If the discovery of bubbles in wine can be awarded to England then we must date its history back to 1662, but the real history does not really take shape until some 300 years later. Prior to this though:

It is said that the Romans had tried to grow vines in England and without much success. Though they liked their wines and historical records shows many archaeological wine evidence on homeland excavations, they would have imported from Europe the main bulk of their wine consumption.

The Domesday Book, the Norman period, (1085-6) shares with us records that there were over forty vineyard locations in the country.

There after, though some records show an attempt to grow and produce wine, England was very much out of favour of making its own wine and instead concentrated on the importation channels from France and Italy.

English Sparkling Wine Production houses – Bolney Wine Estate

Commercially produced wines really did not take hold until after the second world war. The cool climate grape growing regions, vines and expertise were being discovered, developed and positively evolving. Though most production was for family and friends of the growers and to sell locally, the ground work for more serious and commercial wine quality was being set.

Over the last few decades natural climate change has favoured the English terroir (southern wine regions of England only 200 miles from Champagne) with warmer temperatures. Not only are we now receiving the climate that was once blessing the Champagne region we also have always had the ground that is very much similar with limestone and chalk valleys in Kent, Sussex, Surrey – So what was once in Champagne is transferring its way to England…

Of course, Champagne has its history and importantly much experience and knowledge which can not be bought. Family Champagne growers can have generations of knowledge in their blends with a far greater understanding of their vineyards and vines. England is still playing catch up though we are now attracting the expertise over from the continent with some wine makers here now being ex Champagne producers.

What was once seen as the butt of many jokes, English wine (and more so English Sparkling Wine today) has really caught up with other famous sparkling wines from across the world. In recent years new and innovative wineries have launched and evolved with many winning top industry awards – in 2021 the world’s best sparkling wine was an English Sparkling Wine after several days of judging in London (Fox & Fox winery in Sussex)

Planting new vines – Jenkyn Place in May 2018

It’s only constraint today being that the production levels (though growing annually) is still very much behind other old world wine country amounts – Annual Sparkling Wine production in England (over 70% of wine made in England is sparkling) from some 600 + wineries is around 4 million bottles. Many wineries will be producing between 20,000 to 50,000 bottles annually with fewer producing six figure amounts annually. Most of the production is consumed here in the UK though global distribution is growing as the positive rumours on the quality expands.

Back in 1951 at Hambledon in Hampshire, with vines planted by Major-General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones, the journey of wine production to sell commercially began. It wasn’t unit the 1960’s were in full swing that further expansion really took hold across the country as confidence in this sector grew. From this era onwards and especially from the year 2,000 and beyond the growth of vineyards has continued with greater confidence, higher quality and greater profits.

It can be said that the best way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start with a big fortune, but English Sparkling Wine gives many home growers a greater possibility of success. Compared to other famous sparkling wine regions and countries of the world, especially Champagne, the land value is far less in England mostly due to fact that you can produce wine in any and most locations whereas the Champagne wine growing region is highly restrictive. An hectare in the Champagne region can cost around £1,000,000 and yet a hectare in England could cost £100,000 (vines planted and established).

The Worlds Best Sparkling Wine 2021 – Fox & Fox 2015 Paxton & Whitfield Blend

Moving towards the future it is certainly very rosy for English Sparkling Wines. With a growing reputation and quality the global markets are very keen to introduce them to their markets to run alongside Champagne and the likes of Trento DOC, Cava, Method Cap Classique and other traditional method production sparkling wines. Similar price points, equalling qualities and more to come tells me that its not only going to be a great cup of tea that we are famed for, we can make a damn good glass of bubbly too…