10 best English sparkling wines for special occasions

An exceptional wine from an exceptional producer, one of the pioneers of English sparkling who set the standards of excellence to which others must aspire. This distinctive wine is made only from pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes. A burnished gold in colour, with rich, earthy flavours of red fruits and toasted brioche, a hint of spice and a long satisfying finish. A terrific celebration wine and one to accompany special meals.  

English sparkling wine is not cheap – unlike prosecco there are no sub-£10 bottles you can pick up in your corner shop – so under £20 is the benchmark for budget here. And that should not be a signal for a drop in quality, as this brilliant wine from Aldi demonstrates. Made from chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier in Hampshire, this is elegant and terrific value for money.   

Alongside Ridgeview in Sussex, Nyetimber was one of the pioneers of English sparkling in the late 1980s and early 90s, and its South Downs estate still produces exceptional wines. The Tillington Vineyard is in the middle of the South Downs national park, where soil and drainage deliver extraordinary results in some years – and 2014 was one of them, with little frost and a warm autumn. The pinot-noir-dominated blend, aged for four years, is rich and opulent, with ripe, complex orchard fruit and citrus flavours and a long finish. One for very special occasions.

‘Pet-nat’ is short for petillant naturel – a French term that means “naturally sparkling” – and this is a fabulous oddity from the organic and biodynamic Ancre Hill vineyard, buried deep in the South Wales countryside. Made from the obscure triomphe red grape, the new fermenting juice is blended with an older base wine, leading to natural fermentation in the bottle and a very gentle sparkling nature for a true non-intervention reflection of the terroir. The sour and sweet character of this wine is gorgeous with any picnic food or tapas dish, and would be perfect with apple or pear crumble.

This is the first release from House Coren, based in Sussex. This winemaker uses chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes, plus some pinot blanc, to make wines using the Charmat method. Until now, English sparkling has been produced like champagne by the French methode traditionelle, which involves secondary fermentation in the bottle and three years of ageing. The more recent Italian Charmat method, used for prosecco, sees the secondary fermentation take place in steel tanks – it’s cheaper, quicker, and produces lighter and more aromatic wines. Boco is just that – an accessible, light and airy wine, full of English countryside spring aromas, with refreshing, enlivening bubbles. Lovely – and still a long way from prosecco. A rosé version is now also on the market.

The Rathfinny estate, on the South Downs near Alfriston, has fulfilled the long-term ambition and considerable investment of owners Mark and Sarah Driver. When their first wines were released in 2018, they were immediately met with critical acclaim – it felt as though they had been around for a long time. Their third release demonstrates exemplary English winemaking: a pinot-dominated blend, delivering considerable elegance and finesse, with precise flavours of citrus and apricots and hints of cream. We voted this our best classic cuvee last year, and see no reason to change our verdict.

The coronation has, of course, been a great opportunity to celebrate all things British, and many of our sparkling winemakers (such as Nyetimber and Ridgeview) have produced specially designed labels and limited-edition wines to mark the occasion. But this celebratory bottle of Sainsbury’s own-label sparkling is a real bargain standout: made from grapes drawn from a variety of vineyards, it is unexpectedly rich, biscuity and toasty, with a real complex depth of flavour. While we are being urged to celebrate with quiche, we think this is better paired with Scottish smoked salmon and a British cream cheese.

This wine is only available in store at the moment, but will be available to buy online soon.

Oastbrook is a relatively new estate – a former hop farm – on the North Downs in East Sussex, where the vineyard is run by Brazilian expat America Brewer, who makes the wines with her husband Nick. In a short space of time, it has begun producing excellent still and sparkling wines. This is its rosé, a pinot-noir-dominated blend, which is very dry, complex and rewarding, with cherry and apple flavours underpinned with the savoury tangy note. While this is a terrific aperitif, it also fits the bill for tomato bread with Serrano ham and any fish dishes, particularly a soup stew such as a bouillabaisse.

Most of the supermarkets and online retailers now have their own-branded versions of domestic sparkling wines. This is a terrific addition to Majestic’s largely excellent Definition range and is produced for them by the reliable Hambledon Vineyard in Hampshire. Made largely from chardonnay, with some additional pinot noir and pinot meunier, it’s a perfect example of the lighter, fresher style of sparkling, packed with citrus and green apple flavours, making it a brilliant aperitif wine. And, if bought as part of a six-bottle purchase, the price drops dramatically, so it would be a perfect buy for those summer gatherings.

Just 5,000 bottles of this wine in its 2016 vintage were made by prestigious producers Henners at its vineyard in Herstmonceux in East Sussex, and all of them were wisely snapped up by Virgin Wines. Made from the classic trio of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, it’s a gorgeously complex wine, balancing flavours of citrus, red apples and toasted brioche, with a lovely name and label. Foxearle is the name of the medieval county in which Herstmonceux lies.