Sparkling Wine News
HRH The Duke of Kent visits Albury Vineyard in Surrey
It was the perfect end to a day packed with royal duties: His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent sat relaxed in a sun-drenched vineyard in Albury and toasted the Queen’s birthday in a cocktail created especially for the occasion – Albury Royal. Nick Wenman, who planted the vineyard in 2009, showed the Duke and…
Ridgeview English Sparkling features in Michel Roux Jr’s The Craftsmen’s Dinner
English sparkling winery, Ridgeview is delighted to feature in Michel Roux Jr’s series The Craftsmen’s Dinner. In conjunction with The Balvenie Distillery, the show features stories from remarkable producers and is being aired exclusively on YouTube. The Roberts family and their business in Ditchling, Sussex, is one of only six companies included, and in their…
Castle Brook English Sparkling Wine
Tucked away in the beautiful meandering Wye Valley of South Herefordshire, Castle Brook’s vines were planted in 2004 on the site of an ancient Roman vineyard. The vineyard is run by the Chinn family, who are best known for producing Wye Valley Asparagus at Cobrey Farms in Herefordshire. The steep south-facing slopes and warm western air help…
Simpsons Wine Estate Embarking on Phase Two
Simpsons Wine Estate in Barham, Kent, is embarking on phase two of its exciting sparkling wine development. They are currently preparing their second vineyard site for plantation in mid May and are awaiting news about DEFRA grant funding in order to begin the creation of a state-of-the-art winery. This will be launched in September this…
Whose Wine is it Anyway? with Neil Phillips
Experience a wine tasting evening with Neil Phillips the Wine Tipster on Friday 6th May 7.45pm at The Theatre Chipping Norton. A top notch wine and food tasting event to tantalise your taste buds. Taste some wonderful Prosecco and discover some stunning wines from around the world. Find out what’s in and what’s not! G&G…
Is there a Prosecco Shortage?
There’s long been talk of a ‘Proseco shortage’, warning that supply for the Italian fizz can’t keep up with demand. As demand grows throughout the world, with UK being the biggest market, is there a possibility that the geographical limits of Prosecco could mean there will be a limit on exports? There were similar concerns last year which…
Crémant de Bourgogne Gets New Classification System
A new ranking system for Crémant de Bourgogne has been agreed, including ‘Eminent’ and ‘Grand Eminent’ levels. According to the BIVB (Burgundy wine bureau), to be labelled Eminent the Crémant must be aged for at least 24 months on lees, compared to the standard 9 months. Grand Eminent Crémants have a few more rules which…
Frizzante Sales on the Rise in UK
Italy’s semi-sparkling wine is gaining popularity in the UK with sales increasing up to 80%. Frizzante is a lightly sparkling wine, a less effervescent style than wines such as Champagne. Italy’s regular sparkling wines are usually labelled ‘spumante’. The bubbles of frizzante are smaller and can offer a great option for celebrations or those who simply want something more…
English Sparkling Wine under £25
If you haven’t tried English sparkling wine yet, here’s a few to get you started and they’re all under £25. Exton Park Brut Reserve – £24.95 A beautifully smooth and easy sparkling English wine, Exton Park Brut Reserve is a multi-award winner in it’s first few months on the market. An impressive apéritif or a…