Do you like a bit of fizz to your drinks? Champagne and Prosecco are sparkling favourites but why not venture out into more of the English sparkling wines that are on offer. In the past there wasn’t necessarily a big choice of English sparkling wines, however now wine critics are giving them the credit they deserve.
Today, there are over 100 vineyards in England producing sparkling wines. England is great for producing sparkling wines. This is due to the cool and wet climate which enables winemakers to produce high-quality wines with similar characteristics to the Champagne which is created in France. Usually it takes anywhere from 15 months to 2 years to make English sparkling wine.
Also in recent years there has been an increase in investment for winemaking in England. Now, many wineries grow their own grapes at their vineyards alongside the latest technologies and winemaking techniques to create delicious sparkling wines.
Sparkling wine is a wine that has absorbed a substantial amount of carbon dioxide. Normally sparkling wines start with the same bases as still wine. It is during the fermentation process where yeast converts the natural sugars of the pressed grape and its juice into ethanol and carbon dioxide where the wine is bottled before primary fermentation has finished so that the carbon dioxide can’t escape; producing a lightly carbonated wine.
Some sparkling wines such as champagne or cava go through a second fermentation process where sugar and yeast is added to the base wine in the bottle or in a pressurised stainless steel tank.
Most English wines are made from a selection of grape varieties that mainly include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. These varieties of grape are renowned for their ability to produce high quality sparkling wines.
Sparkling wines are an all round drink. They are ideal for making a toast with when you are celebrating or simply sipping whilst you have a meal. The wines are food friendly and can be paired well with seafood such as salmon, oysters and scallops, as well as creamy cheeses and charcuterie. They also work with sweet treats, especially vanilla flavoured desserts. If you’ve never tried sparkling wine but are a prosecco or champagne fan, why not give a bottle of sparkling wine a go!
Yorkshire Heart’s Sparkling Rosé Wine
If you are looking for a summer drink, our sparkling rosé is the tipple of choice for you.It is made by blending a small amount of still red wine with the base white wine which gives it a pale pink colour. With little pinot noir added at the fermentation stage it offers a refreshing taste packed with flavours of raspberry and cherry.
Yorkshire Heart’s Sparkling White Wine
At Yorkshire Heart we have our award winning sparkling white wine which is 100% Seyval Blanc and offers an easy to drink, rounded sparkling wine with white blossom and biscuit tastes. Made in the traditional method of second fermentation in the bottle, our sparkling white has 11.0% alcohol content.