So day 2 of the UK road trip and what do I know apart from the fact I've spent a huge amount of time in the car? Well I can pat myself on the back for the accurate assumption that we can make cracking fizz here in England.
First stop was a repeat visit to Chapel Down in Tenterden, one of the bigger producers of sparkling wine in the UK and a jolly lovely place to visit. Having become familiar with Chapel Down at Majestic, I made a flying visit earlier in the year and as I was in the area to visit Andrew at Gusbourne I felt it would be rude not to pop in again. They have a very well set out offering with a fancy pants restaurant, Richard Phillipe, upstairs and a tasting area/fancy pants deli shop below. I took a meander around the vineyard as it was an uncharacteristically warm day with golden sunshine blazing through the yellows, reds and oranges of an English autumn.
Fizz wise the range of six is a mix of the traditional and the what exactly is that of Reichensteiner and Rivaner. Prices range from £16.99 to £24.99 which is pretty typical of English sparklers and well priced when considering the quality produced.
A few miles away is Gusbourne Vineyards, a huge property that is partially planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The capacity for growth at Gusbourne is huge as there is lots of good land that just hasn't been planted yet. It's a good job there is capacity for growth as this stuff is fantastic! I've tried a few English sparklers made from traditional varietals and they have all been most impressive.
Nyetimber (got to include them even if the meanies won't let me visit!) Camel Valley and Ridgeview have won scores of awards and accolades between them over the years and a visit to Gusbourne says to me that this isn't a fluke. The ability to produce serious, high quality exciting and dynamic sparkling wine is what English wine is all about. There are some very good still wines around, the Gusbourne Pinot Noir 2007 will keep the French on their toes but it is sparkling that we excel at. I tried the 2006 Brut and the 2006 Blanc de Blancs which blew me away. There is a rose in the pipeline which I look forward to trying at a later date.
I had a long an interesting chat with Nick from Herbert Hal in Mardenl, wines to be released 2012, about the future of the English sparkling wine industry. Nick not only has a real passion for fizz but also a very sharp business mind and I look forward to trying his wines once they are ready.
After speaking to him I still very much feel that we are on the edge of something very exciting in England with regards to sparkling wine. I would recommend anyone who has not tried an English fizz or has maybe only tried one to start scouring them out now because in 25 years time it will be like saying you saw The Beatles at Skegness Town Hall before they were big. Depending on your age feel free to substitute The Beatles for Take That at a Rollers skating rink in Milton Keynes or Dizzee Rascal at Butlins but you get the idea...hunt them out before they go global!
http://www.ukvines.co.uk/vineyards/gusbourne.htm
http://www.herberthall.com/
http://www.ridgeview.co.uk/
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