Wines made from home-grown grapes are no longer chosen (and endured) purely as a green gesture: there are now plenty of delicious and distinctive varieties on offer.
Aside from the undeniable pleasure of experiencing new flavours, there are lots of reasons to love wines that have been locally produced. Your drink will have considerably fewer food miles than its New World or European competitors, and due to the smaller-scale of wine production in this country, it’s often possible to get a much clearer idea of how it was created, what went into it and where it was made.
The majority of UK wines are also produced organically, with a minimum of additives: pesticide use by bigger European vineyards is on the up, and there is evidence of contamination in many wines sold by respected and ‘famous’ brands.
Most UK vineyards are comparatively tiny, and take considerable pride in what they do, so once you’ve found a variety you like, it should be possible to have a lot of fun becoming an expert on your chosen tipple.
I discovered this for myself at last year’s Brighton Foodie Festival, where Sussex-based vineyard Sedlescombe were running a tasting event. This is just one of a programme of activities run by this particular vineyard, which will also take you on a tour of the vineyard if you want to learn more about wine-making.
If you’ve not tried English wine before, you’ll probably have a few preconceptions about what to expect: commonly held ideas include it being ‘tasteless’ or conversely tasting exactly like German wine. Neither of these conceits are true!
I’d tried several white wines from vineyards in Sussex and Kent before, but was surprised to learn that there are now a few red varieties available too. The Regent is a red grape that can be grown in Northern Europe, and produces a surprisingly full-bodied wine. They also produce some sparkling varieties and liqueurs; both of which make an enjoyable and daringly different choice for parties.
However, the white varieties are still by far the best this country has to offer, and provide the smoothest introduction to UK wine. Try Chapel Down’s Bacchus, available at Waitrose (£9.01), for a crisp, clean-drinking wine that’s similar in flavour to Sauvignon blanc, but with a distinctive edge that’s quite unlike any other wine.
If you prefer something a bit more floral, Sedlescombe’s own Bodiam Harvest (£10.95 at their online store) is a deliciously full and fruity white that has to be tried.
Photo: Em Dot
