Whilst sparkling wine has been made in England and sold commercially since the 1950s, it has witnessed a renaissance in the past fifteen years and now holds a position as one of the top-quality wines in the world. No restaurant list or collectors’ cellar is complete without English Sparkling Wine. So, what was the catalyst for this change and what are the factors that ensure the continued rise of this popular wine style. We asked our very own wine expert, Pip Mortimer for her thoughts.
It all begins with soil
Driving from west to east across the counties of Sussex and Kent your view will be dominated by the rolling chalk hills of the South Downs. Sitting as a benevolent barrier against the milder coastal climate, the South Downs are a key component in the success of English sparkling wine. Formed from the shallow Cretaceous seas that spread across Southern England around 70 million years ago they now provide an undulating landscape that is part of a large geological structure known as the Wealden Artois Anticline.
Whilst this might sound like far too much geology, the point of interest is that this landscape mirrors the geology of the hallowed vineyards of Champagne. Chalk is seen as an excellent soil type for growing sparkling wine grapes as is greendsand due to its superior drainage. Vines don’t like ‘wet feet’ and by planting in permeable soil it not only reduces the risk of vine disease but also like a sponge, the soil holds water in small pockets retaining overall hydration.
Here at Roebuck Estates our six parcels of land span the beautiful counties of Sussex and Kent and are known for their rich, fertile soils and exceptional quality fruit. In these picture-perfect locations we are very fortunate to have a multitude of soil types from chalk and clay to greensand and everything in between, giving us a wealth of stylistic elements to work with when blending our vintage sparkling wines.
Browse Our Handcrafted English Sparkling Wines Now
Let’s talk about the weather
Beyond geology, England is blessed with several other characteristics that contribute to the recent success of our sparkling wines. Whilst our climate might disrupt summer holidays with untimely rainfall, our temperatures are much more consistent than the other side of the channel with less frost, warmer winters and longer, warmer Septembers. This provides us with a longer growing season and greater hang time for the fruit leading to good phenolic ripeness and a wonderful array of aromatic characteristics in our grapes.
It has often been said that the climate in Southern England today is similar to that found in Champagne in the 1970’s but we are also blessed with cooler temperatures at night, which help retain the wonderful acidity levels in our grapes, awarding a characteristic freshness that is unique to English sparkling wine. In combination with the ripeness of the fruit we can achieve at our sites, the vibrant acidity levels also allow us to bottle-age our vintage sparkling wine for many years – a minimum of three years for our Classic Collection, resulting in wines that are deliciously complex with richness and depth of flavour.
Vintage only
At Roebuck Estates we produce traditional method sparkling wines only from our estate grown fruit. Our wonderfully individual sparkling wines are a generous expression of the growing season in which they were made and worthy of the most joyous ‘vintage’ celebrations.”
The vintage of the century
In 2018 the UK heatwave, which was joint hottest summer on record led to an exceptional vintage for English sparkling wines and has often been hailed as the ‘vintage of the century in England’ due to its near perfect growing conditions. This can be seen in our 2018 vintage sparkling wines which have won numerous trophies and awards in prestigious wine competitions. Most notably, our 2018 Rosé de Noirs was awarded a Gold Medal – 96 points at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards last year.
Grape varieties
One of the greatest changes that has been made in the English wine scene in the past forty years has been a move away from Germanic grape varieties such as Reichensteiner, Schönburger and Seyval Blanc that were planted up until the 1980s to increased plantings of the classic Champagne grapes of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Chardonnay is the most widely grown variety in the UK and now accounts for one-third of all plantings, closely followed by Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The classic varieties are renowned for producing high quality fruit and making exceptional wines such as our Roebuck Estates Classic Cuvée 2018, which is a harmonious blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Carving our own path
There are undoubtedly plenty of similarities with Champagne, most notably the production method and grape varieties, but there are also distinctive elements that set English sparkling wine apart from traditional Champagne.
The way the grapes are tended in the vineyard is unique, as a stroll through an English vineyard will differ from its counterparts in Champagne. The vines are trained differently, with less dense planting and are trained on high wires following the Guyot method. Canopy management is essential with leaf thinning to expose the fruit a constant summertime task. These methods allow for more sunlight to reach the grapes and encourage airflow. A long growing season encourages a brighter fruit profile which can be seen across the range, such as the notes of baked apple and citrus fruits found in our 2018 Classic Cuvée or the wild strawberry and raspberry notes displayed in our 2018 Rosé de Noirs.
Leaving the lightest footprint
There are now over 1000 vineyards in England, and it is the fastest growing agricultural sector in Britain. This has led to more investment in infrastructure, education and a boom in wine tourism with most vineyards operating a cellar door nowadays so visitors can meet the people behind the wines and enjoy a glass of English sparkling wine in an idyllic setting.
With this speedy growth is the realisation that sustainability must be at the forefront of production. We have enormous respect for our land, and we are incredibly proud to be a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain certifications scheme. In fact, the inspiration for our name comes from the wild deer often seen roaming in our beautiful surroundings and like the roe deer itself, we aim to leave the lightest footprint on our wonderful environment.
Experience the magic of The View
At Roebuck Estates we run a fantastic programme of summer events from May until September where visitors can enjoy the magic of The View – our stunning tasting area. Our events are available to book on our website and guests can savour a glass of our exquisite vintage English sparkling wine whilst enjoying the picturesque view at our stunning Sussex vineyard. It’s the perfect way to enjoy English sparkling wine.
Nestled in the stunning Sussex countryside, our estate offers a unique opportunity to experience the craftsmanship behind our exceptional vintage sparkling wines. Whether you’re a connoisseur or a newcomer, our tours provide an immersive journey into the world of English sparkling wine.
You can also enjoy our wines at some of the finest restaurants and 5* hotels up and down the country and we are very proud to be poured in over 23 Michelin restaurants alone as well as many more award-winning restaurants and pubs.
