8 Classic Method English Sparkling Wines to Sip this Festive Season

Bottles of Bolney wine in an ice bucket

Rosé Wines

Gusbourne Rosé 2016 (Kent)
Gusbourne Rosé 2016Charlie Holland has done it again with the release of a simply stunning pink fizz made with 60% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay and just 1% of Meunier. It must make all the difference!

From their own South-facing vineyards in Appledore, Kent, this lithe and elegant wine is a perfect balance of floral aromatics with ripe cherry, wild strawberry and brioche with a chalky, saline backbone keeping everything in perfect order.

I’d drink this alone, hiding in a cupboard so no one else could share it with me, to be honest….

Gusbourne Rosé 2016 is priced at £49 from Gusbourne.com.

Charles Palmer, Brut Rosé 2015 (Winchelsea)
Charles Palmer, Brut Rosé 2015Charles Palmer is another trusted name for English wine, located down in East Sussex.

Their wines often have a comforting richness of flavour and this rosé is no exception.

Just releasing now, like the previous 2014 vintage, this pink is made with 100% Pinot Noir grapes where the skins are macerated with the juice for a short period of time rather than simply blending red with white wine, which is what usually happens with sparkling wine.

This process gives the brut rosé some delicate, soft tannins along with fresh notes of red apple, with the bottle and lees ageing adding creamy weight and delicate caramel notes. Drink alone or have it with – or as – your fruit pudding!

Priced at £30 from Charlespalmer-vineyards.co.uk.

Bolney Cuvée Rosé, 2018 (Sussex)
Bolney Cuvée Rosé, 2018Bolney Estate, based down in West Sussex makes a wide range of wine styles to great acclaim.

This newly released pink is tangy and refreshing, with moreish notes of red apple, cranberry and rosehip.

Delicious alone, this would also work particularly well with smoked salmon and cream cheese blinis and retro prawn cocktail in Marie-rose sauce as well as Turkey with all the trimmings.

A great foodie fizz! Priced at £29.99 from BolneyWineEstate.com.

Digby Fine English, Brut Rosé 2014 (Hampshire & Dorset)
Digby Fine English, Brut Rosé 2014Digby’s English vintage pink is only made when the fruit has had an exceptional year.

2014 was just that, with 60% Pinot Noir helping to give particularly rich, ripe red fruit and savoury smoky notes to the wine.

This is a bottle that can take some heavier flavours including veal, roast beef or salmon en croute, so a fine English choice for your din dins. Priced at £48 from Digby-Fine-English.com.

Read more wines guides by Helena in our dedicated section here.

8 Classic Method English Sparkling Wines to Sip this Festive Season 2

 

Helena Nicklin

Wine and Spirits Journalist

Helena Nicklin is a freelance wine and spirits writer, wine consultant, TV presenter and judge for various international wine awards. Most recently, she has co-produced and co-presented a global TV series for Amazon Prime called The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky.

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