English Sparkling Wine ~ A Fast Growing Industry

English sparkling wine is a fast growing industry. In the Domesday Book there were 46 vineyards listed. Most recent figures show that there are now 434 vineyards on more than 4,500 acres in England and Wales. The modern age of winemaking began in England in 1951, when Major General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones planted a vineyard at Hambledon in…

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Glass of Fizz and Chocolate for Easter at Hambledon

Glass of English sparkling wine and chocolate for Easter, who can say no to that! Hambledon Vineyard in Hampshire is hosting an Easter Tour and tasting on the 6th April. This is an Easter Egg hunt with a difference, hunt for your glass of sparkling wine. Have a behind the scenes’ tour of Hambledon Vineyard…

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English bubbly explodes as the Queen launches new ship

Safely Saber Champagne

The Queen was in Southhampton on Tuesday 10th March 2015 to officially name the new luxury P&O cruise ship, Britannia. During the ceremony, which Prince Philip and some celebrities also attended, a Nebuchadnezzar bottle of Wiston Estate English Brut NV sparkling wine was smashed against the ship. This act of breaking a bottle of wine against…

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The Bull and The Hide, London

The Bull and The Hide, London

Seconds from Liverpool Street Station, The Bull and The Hide is a modern, elegant pub and boutique hotel in the heart of London. Serving great British food, world wines and Champagne, The Bull is a great place to go for a drink, party, or even a traditional Sunday roast with a glass of sparkling wine.…

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Battle of the Bubbles: New Zealand vs England the Results

Hosted by New Zealand Winegrowers, Tourism New Zealand and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the ‘Battle of the Bubbles’ was played out in Wellington, with Team Captains Oz Clarke for England and Master of Wine Jane Skilton for New Zealand participating in a blind tasting of the two countries’ wines.  The wines were tasted in…

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Original & Distinctive’s “Small Producer ‘Sparkling’ Tasting is an overwhelming success

Original & Distinctive’s “Small Producer ‘Sparkling’ Tasting is an overwhelming success

Original & Distinctive’s (O&D™) first Trade Tasting of 2015, held on 11th February in the Library of the Grade II listed Georgian building Pushkin House in London, was an overwhelming success. Sponsored by Glass of Bubbly, O&D™ welcomed a number of well known aficionados including: Michael Edwards; Jilly Goolden; Fiona Beckett; Henriette Green; Richard Bampfield MW; & Rupert Wollheim MW; as well as many others from the On- and Off-trade and trade…

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Battle of the Bubbles: New Zealand vs English Sparkling Wine

New Zealand and English sparkling wine to go head-to-head to celebrate the Cricket World Cup To kick-off the celebrations, New Zealand sparkling wine will compete with English sparkling wine in the “Battle of the Bubbles” on Thursday 19th February in Wellington, the day before the two teams meet for real on the cricket pitch! Each…

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Hoffmann & Rathbone’s 2011 Rosé Réserve

Hoffmann & Rathbone’s 2011 Rosé Réserve

Anyone who knows Hoffman & Rathbone will know that our releases are eagerly anticipated. Passion for the process is everything, attention to detail is our trademark, and we just won’t rush a good thing. Following the huge success of our inaugural first release (the 2010 trilogy of Rosé Réserve, Classic Cuvée and Blanc de Blancs),…

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Sparkling Wine Sales up 15% to £541 million in past year

Sparkling wine is the fastest growing alcohol in Great Britain, with sales up 15% to £541 million in the past year. Over 115 million bottles of Champagne and sparkling wine were consumed in Britain last year. Consumers are enjoying more and more bubbly and that doesn’t have to just mean Champagne. 70% of the sparkling wine…

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