In centuries gone by, England had a thriving winemaking industry. Before the 16th century, many of the monasteries owned vineyard land, from which they made wine for communion services, and also to sell to the wider community as a means of raising funds. After the Dissolution under Henry VIII, the monasteries were stripped of their lands, and as the climate of England underwent a period of cooling too, winemaking became little more than a folk memory.

It was only revived in the early years of the 20th century, when experimental plantings of vines in southern England began to yield promising results. Gradually, especially over the last 20 years or so, the volume of wine production has increased to the level where EU regulations stipulate that it be subject to the European quality control system.

With this increase in production, English winemakers have grown in confidence, overcoming the general lack of classic grape varieties, such as Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, in the vineyards by establishing something like a national wine style. An English dry white wine, for example, is characteristically light and crisp-textured, with – depending on the grape or grapes used – a floral aroma reminiscent of elderflower or honeysuckle.

English fizz

It is in the area of sparkling wine, though, that the greatest strides have been made. The soil that you can see when you approach the famous White Cliffs of Dover, gleaming white chalk, is the same type as is found in the Champagne region. This is because the land-masses of Britain and continental Europe were once linked. The geology of Kent and Sussex, coupled with the fact that the climate is extremely similar to the cool conditions that prevail in northern France, has meant that the auspices for producing quality sparkling wine could hardly be better.

The proof of the pudding is in the drinking, and England’s top sparklers are now beginning to win international prizes. Probably the two most successful producers to date have been RidgeView and Nyetimber, of East and West Sussex respectively. These two have repeatedly got the better of champagnes in comparative tastings (gaining accolades even from French judges – the ultimate tribute). In Kent, the Chapel Down range of wines made by the English Wines Group has similarly distinguished itself.

And if further proof were needed that England has earned its spurs as a producer of lovely bubbly, it comes in the form of Didier Pierson, a champagne producer from the village of Avize, who has bought vineyard land in Hampshire. He expects to be able to sell his first bottles of English fizz in 2008.