English Sparkling Wine

Generally speaking, English sparkling wine is similar to Champagne in flavor, weight and style, and expressions can vary depending on natural factors like which grapes were used to produce them and where their grapes were grown, as well as winemaker choices like how long the wine was aged and if dosage was added. Typical tasting notes range from crisp and high acid with fine bubbles and mineral-driven flavors of apple and citrus; to creamy and mouthfilling, with floral tones of brioche and biscuit.

Typically produced via the traditional method (also called méthode traditionnelle) from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and other Champagne varieties, British sparkling wine is usually similar to Champagne in flavor, weight and style. Prosecco, which is made via the Charmat method from the Glera grape, is often fruitier and less complex, with more moderate acidity levels and less prominent bubbles. That said, Prosecco col fondo and some more premium Proseccos can express yeasty, brioche-like qualities that are more in line with some Champagnes or British sparklers.

Because of its high acidity and fine bubbles, British sparkling wine pairs well with a wide variety of foods. Some of its best partners are fatty, salty and/or fried dishes like fried chicken, fish and chips, and soft cheese, as well as oily fish like salmon and briny seafood like oysters.

Thanks to chalky soils that resemble those found in Champagne, France, the best-known regions for British sparkling wine are Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and Surrey in southeast England.