Sparkling wine Oh, how we laughed when we heard the Aussies fancied themselves as winemakers. Kanga Rouge, anyone? Wallaby White? But who's laughing now? English winemakers haven't always been taken entirely seriously either, but our sparkling wines are now wiping smirks off faces, even in Champagne.
Time and again, English sparklers are spanking top-rate international competition, though we shouldn't be too surprised.
The chalk and clay soils of the Downs in southern England are so similar to those of the Champagne region that even Louis Roederer, makers of Cristal Champagne, have crossed the Channel to investigate. Both southern England and Champagne are considered -cool-climate- wine regions and, as the French so frequently remind us, it's the combination of soil and climate (terroir) that is the greatest influence on a wine's character and quality.
It's because of our hit-or-miss summers that most of the grapes grown in England are crossings or hybrids such as Muller-Thurgau, Reichensteiner and Seyval Blanc. Bred primarily for their disease resistance and early cropping, these are not the 'noble' grapes of the world's classic wine regions. But in England they produce fresh, floral, elegant wines with crisp, clean flavours, perfect for spring and summer drinking, and their trademark high acidity is particularly well suited to sparkling wines.
Relatively few English sparkling wine producers use all three of the classic Champagne grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), but among those that do are Denbies in Surrey, Chapel Down in Kent and Camel Valley in Cornwall. Only the RidgeView and Nyetimber estates, both on the chalky downs of West Sussex, were planned and planted to produce solely sparkling wines in the image of Champagne.
So raise a glass to global warming, but be warned; anything labelled as 'British wine' is made from imported grape concentrate with added water, and that joke just isn't funny any more.
Recommended - RidgeView and Nyetimber are 'Champagne' blends (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier)
Chapel Down NV Brut (£16.99, Selfridges, Waitrose) - Pale lemon colour with floral aromas and a fresh, fruity palate. This reasonably priced blend of Reichensteiner, Muller-Thurgau and Pinot Noir shows some of the yeasty, biscuit-y qualities typical of Champagne. (12% alcohol)
RidgeView Merret Fitzrovia Rose 2006 (£21.95, Waitrose) - Pale salmon pink with a strawberry and red-berry nose. Crisp, juicy almost apple-y fruit with lively acidity on the palate. Refreshing summer drinking. (12%)
Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2003 (£25.99, Fortnum - Mason, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Waitrose) - Bright, golden wine with citrusy, orange-blossom aromas. Exuberantly fruity palate includes melon and apricot, with biscuit-y and brioche flavours adding complexity. Elegant, fresh and finely tuned.
Flower power
If you prefer your cordials with a bit of clout, Bramley and Gage's Elderflower Liqueur, with 18% alcohol, adds zip to fruit salads and lifts the spirits of a gooseberry fool.
Shake it with ice with equal parts gin and dry vermouth, with perhaps a dash of lime juice, for a sprightly springtime martini. (£11.99 for 35cl from www.bramleyandgage.co.uk)
Prices and outlets correct at time of publication (April 2009). Please check stockists for latest prices and offers.