I was surprised to see a British sparkling wine from the Kent fields win out over a Bollinger!

I bought a Prosecco on Saturday but I’ll definitely look out for one of these next time around. 😯

Big fan of English sparking wine. We had it at our wedding. I’d say about 70% of the price of a bottle of champagne is for the label. There’s some great sparkling wines from other regions of France too for far less money.

The show was a teensy bit on the pretentious side although I did like than xander won most of the rounds.

I know what you mean, although I quite like Coren’s “upper class punk” attitude to food criticism. He was good with Sue Perkins on those “how people used to eat” programmes the Beeb did a couple of years ago.

English wine has come on in leaps and bounds recently. By way of example, try this some day;

It’s lovely! And I have a couple of bottle in the fridge. Which is nice. 🙂

Ackermann’s Saumur at our wedding. Top of there (generally available) range was €7 at the time. Bought it direct and when they heard it was for a wedding they added a load of free stuff.

Very nice wine that one – beat a £30 Champagne any day of the week (and when you’re buying 50 bottles…).

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-is-drowning-in-champagne-as-britain-loses-taste-for-bubbly-9021078.html

Geologically speaking, the conditions for growing grapes in Kent and Sussex are no different to the Champagne regions. In fact, the band of chalk that makes it ideal for growing the correct grapes for the process, extends under the channel, so the only difference is experience, history and the label.

http://www.chapeldown.com/our-wines/geography-and-geology.aspx

Greyfriars vineyard on the Hogs Back/A31 in Surrey makes a sparkling wine that i now choose over Champagne, its good stuff.

yep. Chapeldown or Nyetimber for special occasions – champagne when you want people who don’t understand English wines to think you are giving them something good, Prosecco for summer evenings and Curry.

I thought I’d missed a new Buffy episode from the title.

Is disappoint.

Just watched it, nice little programme and now have quite a thirst

Dipped in and out last night. Quite engaging really. I have changed the wine menu for Xmas day to little of different types as a result of the programme. Not quite 12 versions, but nice idea to mix it up a bit.

IMO the idea of finding an independent vineyard near Eperney or Rheins is better that the English bubbly option. I have yet to be taken by any English sparkling wines especially at recent tastings. Might try Greyfriats on deviants rec though!

the only difference is experience, history and the label.

The English were making sparkling wines (on purpose) about 100 years before the French cottoned on to it. The English also developed the manufacture of stronger bottle and corking method still used today. The French considered sparkling wines to be sub-standard and faulty.

As a wine numpty I tuned in hoping to get a few tips the English sparkling one looked OK but mostly I just found it ballachingly pretentious

I’ll stick to my ales

Alexander Armstrong really is that posh in real life. 🙂