British fizz beats European rivals in Christmas taste test

An English sparkling wine has beaten its French and Italian rivals in a blind taste test carried out by the consumer group Which?.

Denbies Chalk Valley English Sparkling Brut NV, which retails at £16 a bottle in Morrisons, was ranked the best by a panel of wine experts looking at affordable alternatives to champagne.

Experts raised a glass to the Surrey-made bubbly, praising its “brisk fizz and tropical fruity” flavour.

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“For those looking for a change from prosecco this Christmas, our Best Buy English fizz is an excellent option”, said Harry Rose, editor of Which? magazine.

“The quality and choice on offer this year is good news for lovers of sparkling wine,” he added. “Whether you’re keen to try something different or you’re a die-hard prosecco fan, our experts have found some great supermarket offerings.”

Historically, English wines have been at the premium end of the supermarket drinks aisles, the Daily Mail reports, but now British producers are increasing their output dramatically, allowing them to offer relatively low prices.

“This summer’s heatwave has led to a record grape harvest and a vintage year for English and Welsh wine, with further stellar growth expected,” the paper adds.

Second place in the pre-Christmas taste test went to Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Crémant (£11), a “simple and refreshing” French sparkling wine with “attractive herbal and pear notes”.

Tesco Finest Franciacorta DOCG Brut (£15), a lesser known Italian fizz, came in third place, with Asda’s prosecco trailing in fourth.

“The triumph of the homegrown fizz crowns another strong year for the sector,” The Guardian reports.

The fall in sterling “has handed a Brexit bonus to English sparkling wines, with many considered to match premium French champagnes in quality but now priced the same or less,” the paper says.