No ‘pagne, no gain! English sparkling wine is going up in the world – but it’s a tough sell for lovers of the French variety

With its Champagne region, France has ruled over the sparkling wine market for centuries – but now England is coming for that title.

Gone are the days of dinner party hosts wincing as their guests hand them a bottle of ‘the UK’s finest’; now, English sparkling wine is in high demand among customers with brands such as Chapel Down increasing in popularity. 

It’s a phenomenon primarily due to global warming, with climate change enabling a new generation of winemakers to cash in on climate change as vineyards are now flourishing in England’s balmy temperatures.

‘For typically cooler countries, such as England, global warming has actually resulted in temperatures being better suited to growing grapes than they were 20 or 30 years ago,’ Michael Kennedy, CEO of English Sparkling Wine brand Roebuck Estates, said.

Kennedy added: ‘In the southeast of England, it is estimated that average temperatures have risen by approximately 1.4 degrees since the 1980s, which means that we now have a very good climate for growing grapes, particularly for sparkling wine.’

While it’s benefitting the UK, with vineyards reaching as far north as Scotland, it’s interfering with business in warmer countries. Kennedy said: ‘Looking more broadly, global warming is a real concern and has had a significant impact on wine production around the world.

‘For some hotter regions, they are starting to become too hot, which is impacting the growing of their grapes… which also means that some traditional wine producing areas are now finding it more challenging to grow grapes of the right quality.’

English sparkling wine is, therefore, rivalling products made in Champagne, with Sussex’s Roebuck Estates, dubbed ‘the English Bollinger’ by renowned wine critic Jancis Robinson OBE.

Thanks to global warming tipping the UK into the temperature threshold for maintaining vineyards, English sparkling wine is on the up, and for some, it tastes better than Champagne (pictured: Roebuck Estates vineyard in Sussex)

Cherie Spriggs (pictured), head winemaker at English sparkling wine brand Nyetimber, said that because England is still a 'newcomer' when it comes to winemaking, people are often sceptical to try it

Cherie Spriggs (pictured), head winemaker at English sparkling wine brand Nyetimber, said that because England is still a ‘newcomer’ when it comes to winemaking, people are often sceptical to try it

The stumbling block? Changing the attitudes of a world hooked on the prestige of Champagne, or as Cherie Spriggs, head winemaker at English sparkling wine brand Nyetimber, said, it’s challenging the misconception that Champagne is considered ‘safer’. 

‘A lot of people already appreciate the fantastic quality wines… produced in England,’ Sprigs continued, adding: ‘However, there are still, of course, many sceptics.

‘England is still a newcomer when it comes to winemaking, and regions like Champagne are better known and therefore perhaps considered ”safer” by a lot of people.

‘At Nyetimber, we prioritise quality over everything else, and we tend to win people over to English sparkling wine simply by encouraging them to taste our products. Then, they often return for another glass, or bottle.’

Despite Champagne’s rule, Kennedy at Roebuck Estates is also witnessing changing attitudes: ‘English sparkling wine has grown immensely in popularity over the last 20 years or so, with a growing awareness as to the quality of the wine at the heart of this growth.

‘In the sparkling category specifically, we are producing fantastic, award-winning wines that are achieving better results in blind competitions than many other more established sparkling wines, such as Champagne.’

Founded in 2013, Roebuck has six vineyards, five of which are in Sussex and one in Kent. Its first wine launched in 2019, and one year later, Roebuck Estates’ second release claimed the ‘Best in Show’ title at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

‘We have also seen a rise in the numbers of people who want to buy home-grown produce…and [it’s] even more appealing when they learn that the quality is comparable, or often exceeds the quality of that from further afield,’ Kennedy said.

Wine expert and founder of Helena Sips, Helena Nicklin, predicts the rise will soon gain even more momentum. ‘In terms of climate, England is where Champagne was about 20 years ago and it is warming up over there,’ she said. 

Roebuck Estates currently owns a total of six vineyards - five of which are in Sussex and one in Kent

Roebuck Estates currently owns a total of six vineyards – five of which are in Sussex and one in Kent

Nyetimber was established in 1988 by founders Stuart and Sandy Moss, who were the first winemakers in the UK to plant the three Champagne variety vines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (pictured: Nyetimber vineyard)

Nyetimber was established in 1988 by founders Stuart and Sandy Moss, who were the first winemakers in the UK to plant the three Champagne variety vines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (pictured: Nyetimber vineyard)

CEO Michael Kennedy explained that Roebuck Estates ages its wines for a minimum of three years

CEO Michael Kennedy explained that Roebuck Estates ages its wines for a minimum of three years

Helena added: ‘We have the benefit of learning from their centuries of tradition as well as implementing modern techniques, and today, our vines are coming of age. 

‘This means, we are now seeing many, many English sparkling wines with all the complexity and finesse of grand marque champagnes. I believe that we don’t just have what it takes to be as good as Champagne; we can be better.’

Ethical practices may be an area advancing the public’s interest in English wines, with Roebuck Estates, a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain scheme, prioritising sustainability. 

Kennedy said: ‘Sustainability is incredibly important to us. In fact, our name comes from the Roe Deer – one of two native deer species in England, which can be found across the South of England, roaming close to our vineyards. 

‘Like the Roe Deer itself, we aim to leave only the lightest footprint on our environment, and this helps guide our sustainability philosophy in the vineyards.

He added: ‘As well as hiring our own in-house ecologist, our wider sustainability initiatives include using sheep in the winter to keep weeds at bay, using only organic fertilizer and no herbicides, and establishing diverse habitats, such as wildflower meadows and ponds, adding bat boxes, bird boxes and hibernacula for reptiles.’

Roebuck Estates splits its six vineyards into 83 different blocks, allowing the team to manage each block individually according to harvest condition, ensuring the optimum ripeness of grapes.

After harvest, grapes are pressed for six hours before the first fermentation begins. ‘Our individual approach to treating each ”block” almost separately means that we can often end up with 60-70 ”base wines” to be blended, all of which are made using the same traditional method used to produce Champagne,’ Kennedy said.

The name Roebuck Estates comes from Roe Deer, which can often be roaming the vineyards (pictured)

The name Roebuck Estates comes from Roe Deer, which can often be roaming the vineyards (pictured) 

The team at Roebuck Estates place a large emphasis on sustainability, encouraging wildlife to thrive in its vineyards

The team at Roebuck Estates place a large emphasis on sustainability, encouraging wildlife to thrive in its vineyards

He added: ‘This traditional method means that they have two fermentations: once in tank or barrel just after being pressed, and then a second fermentation in the bottle, which is when a lot of the magic happens.

‘At Roebuck, our wines are aged for a minimum of three years, which is longer than most other English wines, resulting in a very distinctive style that balances the elegance of our fruit with a toasty richness.’

At Nyetimber, Sprigs also implements a method used in the Champagne region: ‘We use the traditional method, which is also used by Champagne producers.’

She added: ‘We only use grapes that we have grown, then we hand-pick them and treat them very gently throughout the process.

‘If we have had a particularly poor harvest due to the conditions, we won’t make a wine that year as we would rather offer consistently great quality.’

Established in 1988, Nyetimber’s founders, Stuart and Sandy Moss, were the first winemakers in the UK to plant the three Champagne variety vines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

‘Since the start of that journey, Nyetimber has expanded hugely, and our footprint now encompasses 450 hectares across West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent,’ Sprigs said.

She added: ‘In 2006, our CEO Eric Heerema took over the business, and since then we have had many more firsts.

Winemaker Cherie Sprigs (pictured) said Nyetimber use a traditional method to make their sparkling wine, which is also implemented in Champagne

Winemaker Cherie Sprigs (pictured) said Nyetimber use a traditional method to make their sparkling wine, which is also implemented in Champagne

One of the sustainable practices used at Roebuck Estates is using sheep in the winter to keep weeds at bay

One of the sustainable practices used at Roebuck Estates is using sheep in the winter to keep weeds at bay

‘We were the first to launch both a prestige cuvée and a demi-sec in the UK, and I was hugely proud to be the first woman to be awarded Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in 2018.’

In the time since, Sprigs believes the world is slowly waking to the rise of English sparkling wines.

‘The popularity of English wine – particularly sparkling – has grown hugely in the past decade, and people are buying it to enjoy at home, but also ordering it in the many restaurants and bars across the country that now list English wines,’ Sprigs said.

It’s a change that Roebuck Estates is also observing: ‘Our Classic range is served in many prestige restaurants and independent wine shops across the UK.

‘From Michelin starred restaurants and luxury hotels such as the Mandarin Oriental – where we became the first non-Champagne Sparkling Wine to be served, The Pig and the Savoy, through to retailers including Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Liberty London, where we are the only English wine available.

‘We have expanded internationally and can now be found in approximately 14 different countries, including Norway, the largest market for English wine, Japan and the US – the second and third largest markets respectively.’

With bottles priced above £40 at Roebuck Estates and Nyetimber, plus far above for other, rare and limited editions, the prices match that of champagne.

Now, the brands face the mission of getting more and more people to taste the English product.

‘In 2024, we established some strong partnerships that have helped us to introduce more people to Roebuck, as well as to the English Sparkling Wine category more broadly, increasing awareness of our quality credentials and our comparable status to Champagne, and inviting increased trial,’ Kennedy said.

In summer, Roebuck Estates partnered with RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, becoming the first time an English sparkling wine had replaced all other sparkling wines, and went on to outsell all Champagne and Prosecco wines from the previous year.

‘Our core focus is to continue to build the brand, grow our exceptional fruit and bring our wines to more people in the UK and internationally. We are really excited about the future for Roebuck,’ Kennedy concluded.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk