What is Sparkling Red Wine?

Most people picture sparkling wine as something pale and delicate, Champagne, Prosecco, maybe a blush rosé. But there is a whole other side to fizz, and it is one we are enormously proud to be pioneering right here in Nun Monkton. Our Rondo Sparkling Red was named Best Innovation at the 2025 WineGB Midlands and North Awards, and if you have never tried a sparkling red before, this is a very good place to start.

A Brief History of Sparkling Red Wine

Sparkling red is not as new or unusual as it sounds. Italy has been making Lambrusco, a lightly sparkling red from the Emilia-Romagna region, for generations, and Australia has championed Sparkling Shiraz since the 19th century, particularly in the Barossa Valley. These are genuine cult classics, loved for the way they bridge the gap between a celebratory fizz and a proper dinner wine.

In England, though, sparkling red is a genuinely new frontier and one of the most exciting things happening in English wine right now.

Where is Sparkling Red Wine Made in England?

English viticulture has spread well beyond its traditional heartland in the South East. From Kent to North Yorkshire, vineyards are putting down roots in all sorts of unexpected places, and each region is finding its own character.

The South East: The Established Heartland

Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire have long been the engine room of English sparkling wine. The chalk and clay soils share a real geological kinship with those of Champagne, which is why producers like Chapel Down and Nyetimber have done so much to build English fizz’s international reputation. Sparkling red is still rare here, the focus remains on classic Champagne varieties, but the quality foundations are undeniable, and if a Kent sparkling white is what you are after, you will not go far wrong with either of those names.

The South West: Maritime and Mellow

Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset offer a milder, more maritime climate that suits aromatic whites and lighter styles. Sparkling red production is limited in this region, but its vineyards are an important part of English wine’s wider story.

The Midlands: A Quietly Rising Force

The Midlands is home to a growing number of ambitious estates, many working with hybrid varieties better suited to the more variable conditions of middle England. As the WineGB Midlands and North category grows in profile, this region is starting to earn the attention it deserves.

Yorkshire: The New Northern Frontier

And then there is Yorkshire, which is, we would say without a hint of bias, the most exciting place in English viticulture right now.

The Vale of York has become somewhere that the right grape varieties, grown with patience and genuine care, can produce wines of real distinction. Our cool climate means a longer, slower growing season – and that slow ripening is not a compromise, it is actually what gives the fruit its intensity. The fresh acidity and depth of character you find in northern English wines are qualities you simply cannot rush.

Yorkshire Heart sits at the heart of this story. Our 18-acre vineyard in Nun Monkton, a quiet village between York and Harrogate, began in 2000 when Gillian planted just 35 vines in the garden as a personal experiment. Not a business plan. Not a grand vision. Just a simple question: can we make good wine in Yorkshire? Most people said no. We decided to find out.

More than two decades on, we tend 29,000 vines across the estate, and the early years of patient observation have given us a deep understanding of what this land can do. We manage the vineyard sustainably and do much of the work by hand, from winter pruning through to harvest, because we have learned that the best wine really is made in the vineyard.

We currently grow over 20 different grape varieties at Nun Monkton. That spirit of experimentation is what led us to Rondo, and ultimately to our Sparkling Red.

The Rondo Grape: Why It Makes Such a Good Sparkling Red

Not every red grape carries the sparkling process well. To work, a variety needs genuine depth of colour and a generous fruit profile and very few grapes deliver both as naturally as Rondo.

Rondo is a hybrid variety bred specifically to thrive in cooler northern climates. On our clay-rich soil in Nun Monkton, it really finds its home. The grape produces a deep, ruby-red wine with big notes of black cherry and dark plum, robust and richly coloured, and reliable even in the years when more traditional varieties would struggle. It ripens steadily rather than quickly, and that unhurried pace is exactly what gives it such intensity.

Our Sparkling Red is crafted from 100% Red Rondo grapes, hand-managed right here on the estate. That focus on a single variety means every bottle is a genuine expression of this bit of Yorkshire, and of the 25 years of learning that went into understanding it.

What is the Traditional Method?

When someone describes a sparkling wine as “proper” fizz, they usually mean it has been made using the Traditional Method, the same process used in Champagne. And that is exactly how we make our Sparkling Red.

The Traditional Method works like this: after the base wine is made, a small dose of sugar and yeast is added to each individual bottle before it is sealed. Those yeasts then carry out a second fermentation inside the bottle, and it is that second fermentation which produces the bubbles. The spent yeast cells rest inside the bottle for an extended period, adding a creamy texture and real complexity to the finished wine.

Compare this with bulk carbonation, the approach used in cheaper sparkling wines, where carbon dioxide is simply pumped into the wine, much like carbonating a soft drink. The difference is easy to spot once you know what to look for. Carbonated wines produce large, aggressive bubbles that fizz out quickly. Traditionally made sparkling wines have smaller, more persistent bubbles that carry flavour all the way through the glass.

How Does Our Rondo Sparkling Red Taste?

You will not mistake this for a dark rosé. The wine is genuinely red in the glass – deep, ruby, and rich-looking. The first thing you notice on smelling it is luscious black fruit: blackcurrant, dark plum, and a lifted freshness from the bubbles that stops it ever feeling heavy. On the palate, the fruit is generous and rounded, with just enough grip to make it interesting. The effervescence carries everything along with a real celebratory feel.

At 11.0% ABV, it sits at the lighter end of the red wine spectrum, genuinely easy to drink across all sorts of occasions.

Serving and Pairing

Serve It Very Chilled

This is the single most important thing to get right. Sparkling red should be served very chilled, more like a rosé than a traditional red. At least two hours in the fridge before opening. Chilling keeps the bubbles lively and bright, and softens any grip from the grape skins so the black fruit character really comes forward.

What Does our Sparkling Red Go Well With?

One of the things we love about sparkling red is just how versatile it is at the table.

Summer BBQs – the bubbles cut beautifully through smoky, charred flavours. Burgers, ribs, and grilled lamb are all excellent matches.

Charcuterie and cheese boards – the fruit and effervescence make it a natural partner for cured meats, aged cheddars, and rich pâtés. It is a brilliant choice if you are putting together a spread for people with different tastes.

Rich winter desserts – dark chocolate fondant, cherry tart, or a classic Black Forest gateau all pair wonderfully with the wine’s fruit-forward depth.

Celebrations – because any good fizz deserves a toast, and this one has the awards to back it up.

If you would like to pick up a bottle and try it for yourself, you can find our Rondo Sparkling Red in the shop here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sparkling red wine called?

The broader category is simply known as sparkling red wine, though you might come across regional names like Lambrusco from Italy or Sparkling Shiraz from Australia. We call ours Sparkling Red, 100% Yorkshire-grown Rondo grapes, crafted right here in Nun Monkton.

Is sparkling red wine actually a thing?

It really is. While it has long been a favourite in the Southern Hemisphere and parts of Italy, sparkling red is now one of the most exciting developments in English wine. It gives you the fruit character and depth of a red wine with the refreshing lift of a premium fizz, and it is building a proper following.

Is sparkling red wine any good?

When it is made with real care and intention, it is exceptional. Our Rondo Sparkling Red was named Best Innovation at the 2025 WineGB Midlands and North Awards, which tells you that serious wine critics are paying attention to this style.

Should sparkling red wine be chilled?

Always. Unlike still reds, sparkling red should be served very cold, treat it more like a rosé than a traditional red. This keeps the bubbles lively and lets the black fruit come forward without the wine feeling heavy or grippy.

How long does sparkling red last once opened?

Because our Sparkling Red is made using the Traditional Method, the internal pressure is relatively high. With a proper champagne stopper and a place in the fridge, it will stay beautifully effervescent for one to three days.

What makes the Traditional Method better?

Many mass-produced sparkling reds are simply carbonated, not unlike adding fizz to a soft drink. The Traditional Method is entirely different. A second fermentation happens inside each individual bottle, creating smaller, more elegant bubbles and a far more complex flavour. The extended time on spent yeast also adds a creamy texture that carbonation cannot replicate.