Sparkling Wine News
Napa Valley Wine Protected
Napa Valley Vintners is the first wine group in the US to receive certification mark registration. To protect the integrity of the Napa Valley name and prevent consumer deception, Napa Valley Vintners obtained a certification mark for the name “Napa Valley” from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The mark applies only to products that…
What will new EU laws on planting vines mean for the industry?
As of 1st January, the rules on planting new vines in the EU have changed in a fundamental way. Previously new vineyards were prohibited unless special dispensation was given, this was to protect existing growers. With the new rules it means it is now legal to plant vines unless a good reason can be found to stop…
Prosecco Takes Action Against ‘Fake’ Versions
Prosecco has soared in popularity in recent years and has become the UK’s favourite bubbly with sales hitting £181.8 million last year compared with Champagne’s £141.3million. With its rising popularity, there comes imitators trying to make the most out of it. While the name Prosecco is protected, ‘fake’ versions have started appearing in Germany and Russia using secco on…
English Sparkling Wines you may not have heard of
English sparkling wines have started making serious waves in the sparkling wine industry. You may have heard of Nyetimber, Ridgeview, Chapel Down, Camel Valley, Hush Heath, Gusbourne, Coates & Seely, Balfour Estate, Hambledon and others that have become fairly well-known. With English sparkling wine’s rising popularity and high quality, even the French want a piece of the action!…
Turkish Sparkling Wine Under Threat
Islamic-rooted government’s new alcohol laws are threatening the Turkish wine industry. Wine has been produced in Turkey for thousands of year and dates back to the time of Homer, but rules introduced two years ago by conservative Muslim politicians mean the industry cannot advertise or promote their wine. Sparkling wines have been produced for approximately 40 years in…
Celebrate New Year with English Sparkling Wine
If you want to try some English sparkling wine to see in the New Year, we’ve put together a list of all the ones that are available in UK supermarkets. Waitrose and Marks and Spencer defintely lead the way in stocking English sparkling wine. It will be interesting to see how much more widely available English…
Sussex Vineyards
Sussex Vineyards is family run, specialising in top quality English sparkling wines from the Sussex High Weald. Gerard and Jonica Fox own and run the two vineyards, either side of the historic village of Mayfield in East Sussex. The first vineyard (Hobdens) was planted in 2004-2005 and produces the flagship saignée rosé: Mayfield Exprression Brut Rosé. The second, larger vineyard (Lakestreet) was planted in 2010/2011 and produces a range of Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs: Mayfield Essence, Inspiration and Tradition. The grapes grown are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. The emphasis is on minimal intervention in the vineyard & light manipulation in the winery. Quality is favoured over quantity. Huge attention is taken to getting…
6 Top Quality Sparkling Wines from Canada
Handsome Brut Handsome Brut, a new sparkling wine brand hailing from Ontario, Canada, is on a mission to prove that bubbles are the perfect tipple—for any occasion. Despite it’s friendly demeanour, quality and heritage are at the heart of Handsome Brut. Produced with 100% Ontario Chardonnay grapes in the méthode traditionelle, this VQA-approved wine is…
UK Ministers urged to opt for English Sparkling Wine at Official Events
Government Ministers are being suggested to serve home-grown sparkling wine rather than Champagne, Prosecco and Cava at official events. The plea comes from Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbet. Being from an area that produces award-winning sparkling wine, the MP has noticed it’s superb quality and potential. Sussex is home to some top quality English…