{"id":12952,"date":"2025-01-27T17:29:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T17:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.luxurygold.com\/lg\/?p=12952"},"modified":"2025-01-30T15:49:29","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T15:49:29","slug":"best-english-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.luxurygold.com\/lg\/best-english-wine\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to the Best English Wine by Food Writer Laura Goodman"},"content":{"rendered":"

You may not think of England as a viticultural hotspot, but the first thing any self-respecting English winemaker will tell you is that England and wine go\u00a0back \u2013 way back. The Domesday Book recorded 42 vineyards across England and Wales in the 11th century (below a line from Ely to Gloucestershire). The manuscript also referenced \u201cNitimbreha\u201d, from which one of the best English wines \u2013\u00a0Nyetimber \u2013 takes its name (more on that later).<\/p>\n

The best English wine tends to be made with chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes, but this is changing all the time. The modern English wine industry is really in its infancy, albeit growing rapidly. According to the \u201cRural Matters\u201d report by Knight Frank in 2024, the area of the UK planted with vines has soared by 75% over the past five years to almost 10,000 acres. Today, there are over 950 vineyards across Great Britain, with more vines being planted every year.<\/p>\n

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To begin with, it was the sparkling wines that set the wine world alight \u2013 from the nineties onwards. In 2017, Pommery and Taittinger, two of France\u2019s best-known champagne houses, planted vines in England. At the time, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger told the Daily Mail: \u201cWe have been very impressed by the quality of English sparkling wine being produced, and we believe the combination of chalk soils, climate and topography of our site in Kent are ideal for producing quality sparkling wine. These attributes are perfect for grape growing, and are very similar to the terroir in Champagne, for us it was a natural step to do this\u201d.<\/p>\n

In recent years, a warming planet means England is also having success with still wines, mostly made from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. Warmer summers and growing know-how means more complex and higher quality wines are emerging from England all the time. But who makes the very best English wine? Here are some names to know.<\/p>\n

Read next: How to Taste Wine Like a Sommelier<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Roebuck Estates<\/h2>\n

Across Sussex and Kent, named for the wild deer who roam the land, this is an award-winning producer of some of the best English sparkling wines. The winery in West Sussex runs various tours and tastings, plus Friday evening \u201csunset sippings\u201d. Try the Ros\u00e9 de Noirs 2018, a sparkling ros\u00e9 with notes of cherries, strawberries, and toasted almonds.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Roebuck Estates (@roebuckestates)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n