uncorked
Along narrow, hedgerow-lined country lanes more normally associated with fields of frolicking lambs and old-fashioned pubs dispensing local ale, a quiet revolution has been occurring. And that is the extraordinary rise in the reputation of English sparkling wine.
The epicentre is in the county of Sussex, about halfway between London and Brighton, and the key to the omnipotence of its wines seems to be its geographical proximity and similarity to France's Champagne region. Annual rainfall is almost identical and, while there are fewer sunshine hours, critically, the land in this part of Sussex shares the same combination of chalk and clay. The geological formation that gave rise to the South Downs continues through the east of France down to Champagne.
There are two key proponents, both producing only vintages wines. The first of these is Nyetimber, with an annual production of about 60,000 bottles. The new owner, Dutchman Eric Heerema, has implemented extensive plantings, which will eventually bring this total up to 500,000 bottles - the size of a medium Champagne house. The second is Ridgeview, which is in similarly expansive mode, anticipating an annual production of 300,000 bottles by 2010, up from its current 100,000.
'The reason behind ... the rise in sparkling [plantings] is not hard to define and can be summed up in one word,' says viticultural consultant Stephen Skelton, the author of The Wines of Britain and Ireland. 'Quality.'
This quality shows itself in intensely pure, pristine wines with the finest of bead, apple-toast bouquets and a steely acidity. If they had to be compared to anything, it would be some of the more prestigious Champagne labels, rather than the regular non-vintage (NV) blends. Are producers trying to make 'champagne'?
'We are trying to make the best sparkling wine possible - but the benchmark is, of course, champagne,' says Heerema.
As recently as a year ago, it was possible to buy 1995 and 1996 Nyetimber vintages direct from the winery, but a batch of gold medals has depleted stocks. The offerings from 2000 have just been released and are available only by pre-order and by strict allocation.
It is a similar story at Ridgeview, which has been garnering awards since its first commercial release, in 2000. Sales and marketing manager Marci Roberts explains: 'One of the oldest and best marketing ploys is word of mouth - which is currently working as we struggle to keep up with demand.'
Skelton also suggests labels such as Nyetimber and Ridgeview represent better value than many champagnes - they typically sell for GBP18 (HK$270) to GBP22 in stores such as Harrods and Waitrose, as against, say, a Moet & Chandon NV at GBP20 to GBP25.
