EVERY celebration calls for a glass of bubbly, but if you’re planning post-lockdown parties, why not swap pricey French fizz for a flute of something closer to home.
Sales of English sparkling wines are booming, with experts recently predicting production will double to 2million bottles annually over the next decade.
Here, wine expert Helena Nicklin pops the cork on her choice of the best-value belting British bubbles.
Lyme Block Brut Reserve: 7/10
(£16.99, Aldi)
Made by the Lyme Bay Winery in Devon, this floral fizz is delicate, leafy and spritzy thanks to some more unusual grape varieties.
It’s a good balance of citrus and toast flavour, which would pair well with seafood.
A delicious low-price wine.
Co-op Irresistible Eight Acres Sparkling Rosé: 8/10
(£18, coop.co.uk)
Elegant, red apple and berry flavours with just the right amount of yeasty tang.
Made by a well-respected family winery in Maidstone, Kent, this is fresh, acidic and classy.
There’s a lot going on, yet it is understated and refined. Great for BBQ.
Tesco Finest English Sparkling Wine: 7/10
(£19, tesco.com)
Pale gold with ripe apple, melon, pear, a tonne of citrus to freshen things up and additional quirky nuttiness for depth.
This dry, crisp sparkler from Kent has lingering apple and citrus flavours that would match beautifully with canapes.
Balfour 1503 Rose Oast House Cuvee: 9/10
(£20, Marks & Spencer)
With a little more weight and texture, this rosé from Kent oozes summer pudding, hedgerow and wild strawberry flavours.
Soft and moreish, it would be delicious with a summer pudding or just solo.
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference English Sparkling Wine: 10/10
(£20.50, sainsburys.co.uk)
By the renowned Denbies in Surrey, this is top-notch and sophisticated.
Using all three Champagne grapes it has beautiful brioche notes with ripe apple and pear flavours.
A fab fizz.
Asda Extra Special English Sparkling Wine: 8/10
(£21, asda.com)
Made with grapes from a Hampshire vineyard, this is easy-drinking and refreshing.
Crisp but not too tart, it is loaded with ripe fruity flavours and has a balanced finish.
Would match well with fish dishes. Delicious.
Ellercombe English Sparkling Wine: 7/10
(£18, sainsburys.com)
Pure, pretty and crisp with green apple, citrus and delicate floral notes.
Made using classic champagne methods and grapes from vineyards around the South Coast.
A traditional champagne taste, with a British accent.
Morrisons English Sparkling ‘Grand Vintage’ Brut, 2010: 9/10
(£25, morrisons.co.uk)
Made from traditional Champagne grapes, each bottle has been stored for eight years to develop very fine bubbles.
It explodes on your tongue, and tastes incredible.
Complex, toasty tang and lots of fruit.
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