Chapel Down Brut NV

I've been meaning to try a bottle of this for ages.  English wines in general are getting a good amount of press at the moment because of the focus on global warming, which (some say) is warming up Britain and making it easier to grow grapes.  Tosh I say.  I think the real reason that English wines are winning awards now is because wine making techniques have improved.

English Wines Group is the largest Engligh wine producer and is based down in Tenterden in Kent.  They are now experimenting with standard grape varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and produce a fairly wide range of white, red, rose and sparkling wines.

Chapel Down Brut NV is one of their best sparkling wines and has been compared to some of the better Champagnes.  They sell it for £15 a bottle with a discount for buying 6 or more online.  I went to France recently and found it selling for £9 a bottle in a wine merchant in Calais, so bought a case and opened one up.

It is a very smart looking bottle/label and fizzed well upon opening.  The liquid was pale with a straw like tinge and didn't give much away on the initial sniff.  Upon tasting, the wine was decidedly biscuity and not as bone dry as I would have liked.  Not a bad mouthful and good value for the money I paid, although I would baulk at paying £15 a bottle for it.

Overall an interesting sparkling wine to open up with friends pre-dinner - it will certainly provoke discussion, but certainly not one to worry the top champagne houses.