Top 6 English Wines For Home Wine Racks
We recently caught up with Alexandra at englishvineyards on social media after following her tastings and upadtes on a regular basis. Her trips to Vineyards across the country are particularly interesting so we chatted all things Wine and Wine Racks and Alexandra has kindly put together some recommendations for filling our popular 6 hole slate wine racks with some award winning English and Welsh Sparkling Wine. Leave a comment below as we would love to see what you think….
1: A Classic English Sparkling Wine
The best? It’s virtually impossible to choose. And if you asked me last week, or ask me next week, I’ll probably give you a different answer. There are so many wonderful choices. From big names like Ridgeview, Camel Valley, Chapel Down (and you cannot deny the magic of Nyetimber) to smaller but mighty vineyards like Herbert Hall (a favourite of Prince Charles!), Court Garden, Stanlake Park and Carr Taylor. I could go on all day. For me, Harrow and Hope NV Brut stands out as pretty special, and ticks all the boxes. Perfectly balanced, with delicious blend of creamy, fruity, toasty flavours. Their vineyard in Marlow, Buckinghamshire is a wonderful place to visit, the team is super friendly and inspiringly passionate, plus their branding is gorgeous. Hard to fault.
2: A Sparkling English Rosé
No wine rack would be complete without the inclusion of a bottle of fizzy pink yumminess. Fantastic offerings come from so many vineyards in the UK. Greyfriars, Redhill Farm, Fairmile Vineyard and Wiston Estate all make fabulous sparkling rosés, to name a few. If forced to choose, my personal favourite is probably the Hindleap Rosé from the picturesque Bluebell Vineyard. This was actually one of the first English vineyards I visited about four or five years ago and I remember being absolutely blown away by this bottle of liquid strawberries and cream.
3: A bottle of English Still Wine
Whilst we might be best known for our sparkling wine, there are some wonderfully quaffable still white, rosé and even red wines being produced by vineyards in the UK. Memorable still whites include Chardonnays from Gusbourne and Westwell, a Bacchus from Lyme Bay, and white blends from both Sedlescombe and Knightor. I have enjoyed reds from Burn Valley Vineyard, Winbirri and Bolney Estate. Oh and we’re even making some orange wines too. I’ve tried tasty ones from Trevibban Mill and Litmus Wines. For me the still rosés in particular however, are consistently top notch. Notable rosés I’ve loved include those from Tuffon Hall, Three Choirs, and Blackbook Winery. But Simpsons summer-perfect Railway Hill Rosé probably tops the list as the favourite. Pale in colour, it is Provençal in style (but Kent in origin!) and gorgeously delicate and fresh.
4: A bottle that means something to you
Any wine rack of mine would have to contain a bottle of English Sparkling Wine from Albury Vineyard in Surrey. It’s where my fiancé and I got engaged couple of years ago so it’s particularly special to us and we drop by whenever we can. We particularly love the Classic Cuvée that we drank on the day we got engaged. It was a lovely summers afternoon and the view from the top of the vineyard is just stunning, especially when you’ve got a sparkly new ring on one hand and a glass of sparkly English fizz in the other. Now if Covid-19 would hurry up and move aside so we can get married, we’d be very grateful!
5: Bang for your buck
Plumpton Estate’s Brut Classic NV is fantastic value for money given it’s an English Sparkling Wine made using the Traditional Method. You can’t go wrong with this £22.99 bargain bottle of refreshing fizz made from the noble grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, delivering a lovely balance of cream and brioche. It’s made by the students of Plumpton College under the wise tutelage of the viticulture and viniculture experts that teach there. Other affordable bottles of English Sparkling Wine that won’t break the bank but will please the palate, include Worcester-based Sixteen Ridges Signature Cuvée, Furleigh Estate’s Dorset Coast, and Denbies Whitedowns Brut Rosé.
6: Something New.
Another important player on any rack should be something you haven’t tried yet. Whilst returning to old favourites is tempting I’m always looking to try something new. I’ve yet to tap into the small but mighty world of Welsh wine and I’ve heard great things so it’s next on my to-drink list! Perhaps something from White Castle or Ancre Hill? Recommendations welcome!
