Battle of the Bubbles

Even 20 years ago, an event pitching bottles of English sparkling wines against those from illustrious Champagne houses, would have raised a few eyebrows. This country was also some way off hosting an English Wine Week as a fixture in the summer season. Although the surge in popularity of English sparkling wine began in the early 2000s, it has only really captured the attention of the domestic and international markets in the last 15 or so years, as the area under vine across the country continues to expand, now exceeding 10,000 acres. A burgeoning industry that has undoubtedly been given a helping hand by climate change and improved winemaking skills, has also led to investment in the south-east from established Champagne houses.

Coordinated by WineGB, the national association representing winemakers in England and Wales, English Wine Week seeks to raise awareness of the industry through tastings and events that showcase the quality and range of wines being produced.

In June, Lewes, the county town of East Sussex – itself surrounded by some of England’s finest vineyards – played host to a number of events under the banner of ‘Winelands Lewes’, delivering a festival of pop-up wine events, celebrating the region’s finest wines. These events ranged from producers’ dinners, wine tastings, tours and, just for fun, a ‘Battle of the Bubbles’ blind tasting of Champagnes and English sparkling wines.

Nearly 50 years ago, a blind tasting held in Paris’s Intercontinental Hotel (later to become known as The Judgment of Paris) would send shockwaves throughout the wine world, as Californian wines battled it out against those from world-renowned French appellations in Burgundy and Bordeaux. The upset caused when the scores revealed that a white Californian Chardonnay (Château Montelena) and a red Cabernet Sauvignon (Stag’s Leap) from Napa Valley had received the highest scores, beating such esteemed names as Bâtard Montrachet and Château Haut-Brion, revolutionized wine drinking and changed the fortunes of Californian winemaking.

Another judgment is listed as taking place in Parsons Green, but history hasn’t served it so well. Which is a shame, as in 2013, an English sparkling wine took first prize when tasted alongside Champagnes and Californian sparklers. Perhaps it was the name.

Anyone familiar with Lewes will know it is no stranger to battles (the Battle of Lewes took place here in 1264), and its townsfolk retain a reputation for being independently minded, even having a rebellious streak. A perfect setting then for the tasting, led by the town’s resident Master of Wine, Mike Best. The fact that Best was the world’s youngest holder of this much coveted title at the time of qualifying, seemed appropriate for this particular battle, as our nascent sparkling wine industry went head-to-head with some long-established Champagne houses.

The setting for the Winelands Lewes tasting was The Depot cinema, where the evening started with a short documentary from producer and film-maker, Frank Mannion entitled: Sparkling: The Story of Champagne which, in the interests of balance, also talked about the English sparkling wine industry. Naturally, there was some argy-bargy about whether the French or indeed the English invented the stuff, with tight smiles being modelled all round. The film also provided good technical detail about the fermentation process of traditional method sparkling wine production, what the consumer can expect to smell and taste, and where those cues come from.

Emerging from the dark to our tasting tables, the cinematic effervescence had provided some very thirsty participants for the battle that followed. Wine samples from England and Champagne were poured blind, and guests were asked to try and identify their country of origin. It proved that results are anything but predictable, a point reinforced by our host. The two regions have similar climates and a shared bedrock (the Anglo-Paris basin runs between southern England and the Champagne region and is responsible for similarities in geology and soil composition). The grape varieties used are generally the same in English sparkling wine and Champagne, and the same traditional methods of production are employed. We should not be surprised that the wines produced by the two regions share so much, and identifying the source of these wines proved to be not so easy.

Unlike the seminal event in Paris, no one was counting the votes in Lewes, this being a light-hearted affair, and just one of the many events during English Wine Week to raise the profile of English sparkling wines and challenge those who hold the view that when it comes to sparkling wine, Champagne will always be the superior choice.

Perhaps it is time for English sparkling wines to be judged on their own merits, rather than constantly drawing comparisons with Champagne. What we tasted that night in Lewes demonstrated that stunning wines with a vast range of complexities are available from our own vineyards; wines that reflect not only the soils but the passion and skill of the winemakers at every stage of the process. Our wine industry has grown at an exponential rate since the 1990s and with no signs of it slowing down, any comparisons with Champagne are set to become a thing of the past. Who was it that said comparison is the thief of joy?

Here are some personal highlights of the tasting:

The Wine Society’s English Sparkling Wine, NV, Ridgeview. Made for the Wine Society’s own label, this is an example from one of the oldest English vineyards, which manages to produce a blend of the classic three grape varieties used in Champagne at a very competitive price.

Henners Rosé NV. Predominantly Pinot Noir, with the addition of some Pinot Meunier, producing beautifully fragrant, summer-fruit-rich aromas, resplendent with strawberry, raspberry and a quite pronounced rhubarb nose and palate, balanced out by the creaminess afforded by long lees ageing. A delightful bottle for summer drinking.

Wiston Blanc de Noirs 2018. This single vineyard bottling is an example of a sparkling wine made with the utmost care and passion at this estate. The fact that it is a vintage wine means the winemaker considered the fruit that year to be of exceptional quality, with no need for blending with reserves from other years. 2018 was a sweltering summer, which is apparent in the richness of the fruit and the balance achieved.

Breaky Bottom Marraine Pooks 2016. From another of the very early English wine estates, Breaky Bottom’s single varietal Seyval Blanc sparkling wine really caught my attention. Immediately identified as an outlier – this grape being a hybrid – presumably planted in the early days for its hardiness in a cool climate, and having the benefit of being more disease-resistant in England’s notoriously wet climate. A charming example that combined orchard and citrus fruits with a herbaceous streak and delicate white flowers. A very enjoyable wine and a great one to finish on.

Listed below are the wines served at Battle of the Bubbles, in the order they were poured: