Tuesday 22 March 2011

English Fizz better than Champagne?


Hosted by Stephen Skelton MW, a group of sparking wine luminaries recently met for a blind tasting of England's best fizz as well as some well known Champagnes from France. The tasters were (in alphabetical order): Susie Barrie MW (Winchester Wine School proprietor who wrote her MW dissertation on champagne), Dee Blackstock MW (champagne and sparkling-wine buyer for Waitrose), Sue Daniels (MW student and wine technologist for Marks and Spencer), Michael Edwards (journalist and author of several books on champagne), Victoria Moore (journalist, wine columnist for the Daily Telegraph), Jancis Robinson OBE MW (journalist and wine polymath), Julia Trustram Eve (English Wine Producers) and Stephen. 

The results were as follows:

RankingAverage scoresVineyardWineVintageVarietal blendRetail price 
117.17RidgeviewGrosvenor Blanc de Blancs2007Chardonnay 100%£21.95
216.82RidgeviewGrosvenor Blanc de Blancs in Magnum2000Chardonnay 100%£63.00
316.65SainsburysEtienne Dumont Rosé (Maison Burtin)NV???£18.99
416.64Gusbourne EstateBrut Reserve2006Chardonnay 46% Pinot Noir 41% Meunier 13%£21.99
516.5NyetimberNyetimber Rosé2007Chardonnay, Pinot Noir£34.95
616.46RidgeviewBloomsbury2008Chardonnay 54% Pinot Noir 26% Pinot Meunier 20%£19.95
716.43Plumpton EstateThe DeanNVPinot Noir 90%, Chardonnay 10%£20.00
816.42SainsburysJS Blanc de Blancs (Duval Leroy)NVChardonnay 100%£18.49
916.36Moet & ChandonBrut ImperialNVPinot Noir 50%, Chardonnay 10%, Meunier 40%£30.99
1016.32SainsburysDefontaine Premier Cru (Maison Burtin)NVChardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier£19.99
1116.25Plumpton Estate  The Dean BlushNVPinot Noir 94%, Chardonnay 6%£20.00
1216.2Chapel DownPinot Reserve2005Pinot Noir 70%, Pinot Blanc 30% £24.99
1316.05NyetimberClassic Cuvée2006Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier£25.99
1415.92LaithwaitesSouth Ridge Cuvée Merret (RidgeView)2008Chardonnay 60%, Pinot Noir 28%, Meunier 12%£19.99
1515.86Jenkyn PlaceJenkyn Place Brut2006Chardonnay 61%, Pinot Noir 23%, Pinot Meunier 16%£25.00
1615.81Hush Heath EstateBalfour Brut Rosé2006Pinot Noir 55%, Chardonnay 40%, Pinot Meunier 5%£26.99
1715.8DavenportLimney Estate Blanc de Blancs2005Reichensteiner 100%£16.50
1815.78Camel ValleyPinot Noir Brut2009Pinot Noir 100%£24.95
1915.73NyetimberBlanc de Blancs2001Chardonnay 100%£28.99
2015.7Breaky BottomCuvée John Inglis Hall2006Seyval Blanc 100%£20.05
It is clear that the best UK sparkling wines can now more than hold their own with champagne.

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