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.“

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…

It is now an old and quite irrelevant joke that English wines are merely a joke, something created in the back garden from under ripe grapes giving mostly an acidic and gooseberry/nettles flavour. Fast forward to the present day I urge you where you will see English wines, especially sparkling labels, exported out to countries across the globe, acclaimed by top wine critics and owning bags full of medals and trophies along the way… English sparkling wines do rub shoulders with Champagne and have been mistaken for them and have scored higher at competitions, the French are even buying up land in England and planting their own vines to produce their own label fizz!

Southern parts of England are where you will see most of the English vineyards and many of them are open to the public for visits. This can vary between a simple walk around a couple of rows of vines and a tasting of three wines for £10 to a more in-depth tour of vineyards, the production area, cellars and a sit down dinner and wine pairing experience for those with a bigger budget.

Vineyard tours in Hampshire, UK

If you are planning a day out in Hampshire then we highly recommend a visit to Arlesford in Hampshire where you will find the English winery of Raimes who are open to visits from the public, May to September, via their easy to use online booking form here.

You will be able to enjoy their 10 acres of vineyards that grow the grapes that make their bubbly which you will also be able to taste, review and purchase. Meet with current owners and winemakers, Augusta and Robert and take a relaxing tour of Raimes English Sparkling Winery on the Grange Farm (Tichborne) Estate with 1,500 acres of arable farmland.

Raimes English Sparkling Wine

With a fine selection of awards for their wines to include trophies and gold medals, Raimes offer you four limited production labels to choose from (in stock as of June 2021):

2015 Classic Brut (2020 Trophy Winner Glass of Bubbly Awards – ‘Zesty & Zingy’)

2016 Blanc de Blancs

2016 Blanc de Noirs

2015 Vintage Rosé

To class your bottle of Sparkling Wine as vintage, the grapes used in that bottle must have all been grown in the same year, a lot of bottles out there are N.V. meaning Non-Vintage, each harvest the wineries will extract the grape juice from the grapes, but will store back some of the juice in case next years harvest doesn’t produce as good of quality as the year before.

If a bottle of Champagne or Sparkling Wine has a year on the front or back of the label, then you will know that the bottle of Sparkling Wine was made using only the grapes grown in that year.

Through our vertical style tasting here, we will be going from 2017 back to 2013, 5 years of Sparkling Wine from different countries, get to know the winery, how the sparkling wine tastes and a little information relevant to the country.

2017 – Codice Citra – Fenaroli Pecorino 12 months

Citra was founded in 1973 and has 6,000 hectares of vineyards, the name Citra comes from a Latin adverb, name of one of the two regions in which Abruzzo was divided on the maps, going back to the 18th century before the unification of Italy when the land was all part of different kingdoms, the name Citra, identifying the location in which the 9 associated cooperations are located is meaningful to them, it relays the message of the strong link terroir and the accent winemaking knowledge of the Chieti area.

Codice Citra – Fenaroli Pecorino 12 months Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Floral aromas are surrounded by pleasing lemon and candy lemon aromas.”

Flavour – “A calming, smooth sensation, expressing Sweet lemon flavours, with yellow floral and an oily green fruit ending.”

This Italian Sparkling Wine Won A Silver Medal in the Zesty & Zingy Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

What Happened in Italy in 2017?

The country’s crappiest museum of cowpats opened in Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s oldest astronaut completed his mission with success, a World War II parachutist celebrated his 96th birthday by jumping out of a plane, and Swedes swapped lives with Italians to find out just why this country’s people live so dang long. All the stories were found and are credited to The Local it.

2016 – Weinbau Menitz – Sekt große Reserve

Menitz is located in Leithaprodersdorf in Austria, their vineyards travel along the slopes of the Pfefferbüchsels which is a foothill of the Leithagebirge. They have two locations in which they grow their vines, from the Vorderberg to Reinischviertel both offering unique wine-growing qualities, meaning they can reach a wider range of taste buds with their wines.

This family-run winery started back in 1981, they hold in high regard the environment as they know that nature is a massive contributing factor in winemaking, they also believe in keeping their customs and traditions alive. If you’re in Austrian or are planning a visit over there, then the whole Menitz family/team will be very pleased to meet you, you’ll be able to enjoy their wines along with some freshly cooked dishes using seasonal ingredients that nature provides them with.

Weinbau Menitz – Sekt große Reserve Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Vegetables, asparagus, green fruits and herbal aromas.”

Flavour – “A mouth-watering expression, crispt tasting, cooking apples and green citrus on the flavour.”

This Austrian Sparkling Wine Won A Silver Medal in the Spring Fling Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

Who Was a Famous Austrian?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most famous composer, he was baptised as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, he is known for blending traditional and contemporary music together thereby creating his own style of music, he was born in Salzburg, in the Holy Roman Empire on the 27 of January 1756, he was a very gifted child, by the age of 5 he could play the piano and violin, he also get an audience with European royalty where he performed which then led to him going on tour.

He sadly died at a rather young age of 35 on the 5th of December 1791, during his time he created over 600 pieces from virtually every genre of his time including operas, concertos, and symphonies. Facts soused from Wikipedia.

2015 – Schlumberger – Grosse Reserve Chardonnay Brut

With a history dating back to 1842, Schlumberger has Austria’s oldest and biggest sparkling wine cellar. In 1850 Schlumberger started to get known for its red wines, so to help with the growing popularity, Robert imported the French grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot into Austria for the very first time. With over 200 years of history, Schlumberger decided to honor Robert, with a limited 5,000 bottle release of their Great Reserve 2015 vintage.

You can learn more about Schlumberger’s interesting history here: Schlumberger was once known as an Austrian Champagne? or perhaps take a trip around the world here: Tasting Vintage Sparkling Wines From Around The World – 2015 and finish with a Strawberry Fizz Cocktail.

Schlumberger – Grosse Reserve Chardonnay Brut Tasting Notes

Aroma – “A marvelous expression of creamy floral, oaky and toasty and ripe fruits on the aroma.”

Flavour – “A classy display of silky butter, yellow fruits and lightly toasted bread.”

The only sad thing about enjoying this bottle is knowing that they only made 5,000, when opening a bottle like this it needs to be remembered and thankfully doing this tasting has provided me with a lasting memory.

This Austrian Sparkling Wine Won A Gold Medal in the Meditation Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

Why Did Austria and Hungary End Their Relationship?

The relationship between Austria and Hungary began on the 8th of June 1867, with some people shipping the couple, also creating cute little names like Austro-Hungarian Empire or the Dual Monarchy. The relationship came about just after Austria was feeling rather down, after a couple of wars Austria had declined in strength and in power, so needed someone to help pick them back up, but Hungary wasn’t in the best shape either, the Kingdom of Hungary was feeling rather lost after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, so together they came to help each other rise back up.

During their time together they made up the second geographically largest country in Europe after the Russian Empire, it also housed the 3rd most populous following in 2nd place to the German Empire and 1st place to Russia. Their relationship officially came to an end after they were defeated in the First World War on the 12th of November 1918. Facts sourced from Wikipedia.

2014 – Fox & Fox – Inspiration Blanc de Gris 2014

Jonica Fox and her husband Gerard Fox planted their first vine in 2004, it was Gerard that inspired Jonica to get into the fizz business after he tasted some English Sparkling Wine at an event in London in 2003 and by 2009 they had started producing their own Sparkling Wine.

As well as offering enjoyable Sparkling Wine, Fox & Fox also offer bespoke wine tastings, either hosted by Jonica or Gerard, it’s perfect for any group of friends or even a birthday party, if you would like to find out more, just click here.

Fox & Fox – Inspiration Blanc de Gris 2014 Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Garden nettles, English country Garden and gooseberry aromas.”

Flavour – “A gorgeous array of pastry, brioche, touch of citrus, a pastry dessert, garden nettles and green fruit flavours.”

This English Sparkling Wine Won A Silver Medal in the Zesty & Zingy Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

When Did The English Invent That?

When it comes to the history of the world, there are few that come close to the number of accomplishments and the history that the British have made over the centuries. Along with a vast history, we’ve also been pretty good at inventing things, here are a few widely used items that we English folk have made.

• The toothbrush you use every day (hopefully) was invented between 1770 and 1780 by William Addis who was born in London in 1734 and died in 1808.
• It is thanks to Thomas Savery that the Steam Engine came to life, he filed the first practical patent for an atmospheric pressure steam engine in 1698, it took over 100 years till 1901 and more like-minded individuals like Thomas Newcomen, James Watt and Richard Trevithick to perfect the design and allow it to fit in locomotives.
• The Tin Can was created by Peter Durand in around 1810, 2 years later he sold the patent to Bryan Donkin and John Hall.
• Robert Whitehead in 1866 built the first self-propelled, modern torpedo.
• Christopher Cockerell in 1953 built the first Hovercraft, otherwise known as air-cushioned vehicle.

I could go on and on about what the English have created, but that would take up this whole article, so I’ll just list a couple more items quickly and then leave you with the link I got all this information from.

• The Whittle Turbo-jet Engine – 1929-1937
• The First Patented Pneumatic Tire – 1847-1888
• The Thermos Flask – 1892
• The Chocolate Bar – 1847
• The Modern Fire Extinguisher – 1818
• ATM, Engineered by Shepard-Baron – 1967
• The World Wide Web, the First Website, and the First Web Browser – 1989

All this information was found on Interesting Engineering.

2013 – Istenič – Prestige 2013

Istenič has one of those stories that inspire you to try, back in 1968 the family bought an abandoned farmhouse along with 0.1 hectares of vineyard, they produced their first Sparkling Wine using the traditional method, naming it after their daughter Barbara.

Fast forward to today, they now have an annual production of 200,000 bottles, Istenič is a highly respected and leading house in Bizeljsko in terms of both volume and quality, they’ve also taken home many awards including some medals from the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020 and with 11 bottles of Sparkling Wine to choose from, you’ll definitely find one that you love, you can also still buy a bottle of their Barbara Sparkling Wine that they started all those years ago.

Istenič – Prestige 2013 Tasting Notes

Aroma – “A magnificent arrangement of floral, blossom and exotic fruits on the aroma.”

Flavour – “Floral flavours, yellow blossom, and exotic fruits on the palate.”

This Slovenian Sparkling Wine Won A Gold Medal in the Meditation Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

Where There’s LOVE, There’s SLOVEnia

Where’s The Best Place To Get Married in Slovenia?

You can’t spell Slovenia without love and don’t they know it, Slovenia promotes love in a lot of different ways, because if it’s in your name, why not, it’s perfect, they try and get people to fall in love with the beauty of Slovenian with this marketing, and once you know a little about Slovenia it’s hard not to fall under that spell.

When you’ve found that special someone and you’ve both agreed you want a magical wedding, you need to find a magical venue, so here are some places you might want to look into:

• Lake Bled Castle, it is one of Slovenia’s oldest castles and is situated over the stunningly beautiful Lake Bled.
• Ljubljana Castle, located in the romantic capital of Slovenia, meaning there is a lot more to see and do outside the castle walls.
• Otočec Castle, from the 13th century, it sits on an island in the middle of the river Krka.
• Kempinski Palace Hotel in Portorož, located near the seaside and is surrounded by casinos and restaurants, it was built in 1910.

Thanks to Wedding Lake Bled for putting all these beautiful locations in one place, check it out, they have some lovely pictures.

Slovenia is the only country that has the word love in its name.

Let’s talk about the population, when you have so much love to give to one person, you usually want to seal that love with a marriage, in Slovenia in 2020, 5,214 couples were married, in 2019, 6,672 couples were married and in 2018, 7,256 couples were married, the average marriage number in Slovenia seems to be around 6,000, with looking back to 2017 at 6,481 couples married and 2016, 6,667 couples married.

2018 was a high and 2020 was the lowest marriage rate since the record began on the Republic of Slovenia Statistical Office, but that was in part with Covid restrictions and lockdowns.

Divorce numbers have also dropped, in 2018, 2,347 were divorced, in 2019, 2,476 were divorced and in 2020, 1,774 were divorced.

The End of an Era

There we have it, 5 glorious vintages each offering their own unique tasting experiences, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through this article, maybe you learned something new and maybe you’ll feel like trying one of these vintages Sparkling Wines, till next time, Enjoy The Bubbles!

The Cotswolds is a step back in time experience. When you are in the heart of the region and either ideally cycling or walking down those dreamy country lanes and admiring those sleepy village properties, with usually only a slow trickling stream and wildlife to disturb the silence, you are taken back some 300 years.

The unique region officially covers an area of 790 square miles in the upper part of the southwest region of England and is the country’s largest officially designated ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty‘ – source cotswold.info

Cotswold Property

You can not help but fall in love with the region itself and most certainly the property and lifestyle on offer. The highly desirable homes, many made of the famous golden-coloured Cotswold stone,

“Geologically the Cotswolds is a limestone mass stretching 100 miles SW by NE with Bath to the south and Chipping Campden to the north.” source visitcotswolds

English Sparkling Wine

English Sparkling Wine is the name given to wines made by the traditional method process in England – Across the country with many located in the southern counties, English wineries are producing award winning bottles beings enjoyed far and wide.

Typically, as you drive around the countryside of England you will often or not spot a brown roadside sign (touristic information) that will show a bunch of grapes and a name of a local winery. These vineyards will, on many occasions, be open to visits from the public from a simple tasting to a complete tour of the estate.

One such region producing English Sparkling Wine is the Cotswolds with a selection of names to choose from that includes one of which I have visited, Poulton Hill Estate.

The multi award winning winery (including ‘The Best Vineyard in the Cotswolds) offers red, white and rosé wines along with some bubbles and is located in the village of Poulton (nr Cirencester).

The Poulton Hill Estate English Sparkling Wine Rose Brut 2015

Poulton Hill Vineyard – Bulari Rosé 2015 – Tasting Notes: “Crisp and full of English country garden fruits including gooseberry, green pear and apples.”

* ‘Cotswold Property’ image credit – Pixabay

Fish and Fizz are a combination, with them both bringing out flavours in each other, an elegant English Sparkling Wine like this needs to be enjoyed by the glass and with a meal, so I’ve gone for a Seabass Fillet on a bed of salad.

High Clandon Estate

The Quintessence of England

Thanks to Sibylla and Bruce Tindale, High Clandon Estate Vineyard was founded in 2004, they both have a huge passion for creating English Sparkling Wine, their soil, location, climate and cultivation create amazing grapes which with skilled wine-making results in their Endymion Cuvée Vintage range winning awards.

High Clandon Estate – Endymion Cuvée Prestige 2015 Brut Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Peach, truffles and nuts on the aroma.”

Flavour – “Citrus, brioche and floral, crisp and smooth.”

This English Sparkling Wine Won a Silver Medal in the Zesty & Zingy Category at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

I was impressed by this 2015 vintage English Sparkling Wine, although it won a Silver Medal, I would have personally given it a Gold Medal, it’s a very fine example of what the English can create with fizz.

The Seabass

Ingredients

• Seabass
• Zesty Lime & Chilli flakes Sauce
• Hazelnuts
• Salad
• Tomatoes

The Seabass and English Fizz Pairing

Pairing Notes – “Sweet sherbert citrus, reduced acidity with the spicy element appearing at the close and a hint of hazelnut.”

The Fish and the High Clandon go well together, they both bring out the best in each other, the chilli sauce is a wild card, which may not work for everyone, if you’re a fan of a little spice, then you’ll most likely enjoy it.

Busi Jacobsohn is another English Sparkling Wine producer I can add to the great list of English Sparkling Winemakers, along with Fox & Fox, Bolney Wine Estate, Raimes English Sparkling, Camel Valley, Poulton Hill Vineyard, High Clandon Estate and Fitz, although they have to be called Sparkling Wine Made In England as they use the Charmat Method.

The egg sandwich, other than being delicious, has actually been a popular filling snack for British Troops since at least the First World War, they call it the ‘egg banjo’ consisting of a runny fried egg between two thick buttered slices of bread, it got its name because when the soldiers eat it, egg yolk usually squirts onto the eater’s shirt/jacket, which then will cause them to raise their sandwich out of the way either up or to the side and then try to ‘strum’ the yolky mess from their shirt with their other hand, making it look like they are playing an invisible banjo.

The egg banjo is also often accompanied by a mug of ‘gunfire’, which consists of tea and rum, but here we’re going to enjoy an egg sandwich with a glass of English fizz.

The English Fizz – Busi Jacobsohn

Run by a husband and wife team, Susanna Busi Jacobsohn & Douglas Jacobsohn, Busi Jacobsohn is located in The Blackdown Hills along the Somerset-Devon border in south-western England, they have three different bottles of English Fizz to try, including this one, along with two more set to release, one this year, 2021 and one next year 2022.

They also offer vineyard tours and wine tastings at a very good price.

Busi Jacobsohn – Brut Classic Cuveé 2017 Tasting Notes

Aroma – “A yeasty, buttery, honey aroma with orchard fruits and yellow floral.”

Flavour – “Fizzy with a sweetness, sherbety, orchard fruits, yellow floral, hints of honey, citrus and a touch of nuttiness on the palate.”

This English Sparkling Wine Won a Gold Medal Winner in the Classic & Elegant Category at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2020.

Egg Sandwich & English Fizz Pairing – Do They Work Together?

These are the ingredients I used in my version of the egg sandwich.

• Egg
• Mayonaise
• Bread
• Raddish
• Spinach

Pairing Notes – “The English Sparkling Wine comes in with hints of honey, citrus bruised green apple flesh, it reduces the strength of the mayo and  allows the radish, spinach, egg and bread flavours to work together with a subtle creamy presence.”

I loved the pairing, they worked wonderfully together, I definitely recommend trying this if you get the chance, I kept going in for another bite while enjoying a glass of Busi Jacobsohn.