Thank you for being part of WINELANDS in Lewes during English Wine Week!
It was a pleasure to welcome so many passionate wine lovers, producers, and industry friends in Lewes for our celebration of the incredible wines from in and about Sussex.
As we look ahead to future events, we’d really value any feedback you may care to give us: What did you enjoy? What could we do better next time? Your thoughts will help us sharpen up for an hopefully even more memorable experience in future. Send any comments to dominic.buckwell@gmail.com.
We’d also like to ask to retain your contact details to let you know about events that we may organise for English Wine Week in June 2026. We will not use your details for anything else, but if you’d prefer we don’t retain your details, simply reply as above. but if you’d rather now be removed from any future information please just email as above with ‘Winelands-Unsubscribe’ in the subject line.
Thank you once again for celebrating English Wine Week with us — we hope to raise a glass with you again soon. Look out for details next year!
Warm wishes,
The WINELANDS Team
Further reading
Hot off the press is the latest WineGB state-of-the-nation report. Production in 2024 was down on the bumper 2023 year, but over 500% increase in the last 20 years was still above 10 million bottles. In terms of vineyards, East Sussex has been overtaken by Essex; even in combination with West, Sussex as a whole has fallen behind Kent due expansions by Nyetimber and MCDV. If you’re interested you can read more here https://winegb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WineGB-Industry-Report-2025.pdf
A collaborative marketing group is being formed from grassroots Wine Producers called Sussex Winelands. We knew this was emerging, hence the name Winelands.Lewes was chosen to resonate and support the direction of this movement. Pioneered by the Rother Wine Triangle it is hoped Sussex Winelands will become an effective promotional body with government and local council support across Sussex as a whole. It is our intention to continue to support this wider initiative with events at the local level to promote home grown quality wines of all styles. See more at https://sussexwinelands.com/
Battle of the Bubbles: an article by Dinah Longden
Even 20 years ago, an event pitching bottles of English sparkling wines against those from illustrious Champagne houses, would have raised a few eyebrows. This country was also some way off hosting an English Wine Week as a fixture in the summer season. Although the surge in popularity of English sparkling wine began in the early 2000s, it has only really captured the attention of the domestic and international markets in the last 15 or so years, as the area under vine across the country continues to expand, now exceeding 10,000 acres. A burgeoning industry that has undoubtedly been given a helping hand by climate change and improved winemaking skills, has also led to investment in the south-east from established Champagne houses.
Coordinated by WineGB, the national association representing winemakers in England and Wales, English Wine Week seeks to raise awareness of the industry through tastings and events that showcase the quality and range of wines being produced.
WINELANDS Lewes
Last month Lewes, the county town of East Sussex – itself surrounded by some of England’s finest vineyards – played host to a number of events under the banner of ‘Winelands Lewes’, delivering a festival of pop-up wine events, celebrating the region’s finest wines. These events ranged from producers’ dinners, wine tastings, tours and, just for fun, a ‘Battle of the Bubbles’ blind tasting of Champagnes and English sparkling wines.
Historical Judgments
Nearly 50 years ago, a blind tasting held in Paris’s Intercontinental Hotel (later to become known as The Judgment of Paris) would send shockwaves throughout the wine world, as Californian wines battled it out against those from world-renowned French appellations in Burgundy and Bordeaux. The upset caused when the scores revealed that a white Californian Chardonnay (Château Montelena) and a red Cabernet Sauvignon (Stag’s Leap) from Napa Valley had received the highest scores, beating such esteemed names as Bâtard Montrachet and Château Haut-Brion, revolutionized wine drinking and changed the fortunes of Californian winemaking.
Another judgment is listed as taking place in Parsons Green, but history hasn’t served it so well. Which is a shame, as in 2013, an English sparkling wine took first prize when tasted alongside Champagnes and Californian sparklers. Perhaps it was the name.
Battles
Anyone familiar with Lewes will know it is no stranger to battles (the Battle of Lewes took place here in 1264), and its townsfolk retain a reputation for being independently minded, even having a rebellious streak. A perfect setting then for the tasting, led by the town’s resident Master of Wine, Mike Best. The fact that Best was the world’s youngest holder of this much coveted title at the time of qualifying, seemed appropriate for this particular battle, as our nascent sparkling wine industry went head-to-head with some long-established Champagne houses.
The setting for the Winelands Lewes tasting was The Depot cinema, where the evening started with a short documentary from producer and film-maker, Frank Mannion entitled: Sparkling: The Story of Champagne which, in the interests of balance, also talked about the English sparkling wine industry. Naturally, there was some argy-bargy about whether the French or indeed the English invented the stuff, with tight smiles being modelled all round. The film also provided good technical detail about the fermentation process of traditional method sparkling wine production, what the consumer can expect to smell and taste, and where those cues come from.
Emerging from the dark to our tasting tables, the cinematic effervescence had provided some very thirsty participants for the battle that followed. Wine samples from England and Champagne were poured blind, and guests were asked to try and identify their country of origin. It proved that results are anything but predictable, a point reinforced by our host. The two regions have similar climates and a shared bedrock (the Anglo-Paris basin runs between southern England and the Champagne region and is responsible for similarities in geology and soil composition). The grape varieties used are generally the same in English sparkling wine and Champagne, and the same traditional methods of production are employed. We should not be surprised that the wines produced by the two regions share so much, and identifying the source of these wines proved to be not so easy.
Unlike the seminal event in Paris, no one was counting the votes in Lewes, this being a light-hearted affair, and just one of the many events during English Wine Week to raise the profile of English sparkling wines and challenge those who hold the view that when it comes to sparkling wine, Champagne will always be the superior choice.
A Matter of Taste
Perhaps it is time for English sparkling wines to be judged on their own merits, rather than constantly drawing comparisons with Champagne. What we tasted that night in Lewes demonstrated that stunning wines with a vast range of complexities are available from our own vineyards; wines that reflect not only the soils but the passion and skill of the winemakers at every stage of the process. Our wine industry has grown at an exponential rate since the 1990s and with no signs of it slowing down, any comparisons with Champagne are set to become a thing of the past. Who was it that said comparison is the thief of joy?
Here are some personal highlights of the tasting:
The Wine Society’s English Sparkling Wine, NV, Ridgeview. Made for the Wine Society’s own label, this is an example from one of the oldest English vineyards, which manages to produce a blend of the classic three grape varieties used in Champagne at a very competitive price.
Henners Rosé NV. Predominantly Pinot Noir, with the addition of some Pinot Meunier, producing beautifully fragrant, summer-fruit-rich aromas, resplendent with strawberry, raspberry and a quite pronounced rhubarb nose and palate, balanced out by the creaminess afforded by long lees ageing. A delightful bottle for summer drinking.
Wiston Blanc de Noirs 2018. This single vineyard bottling is an example of a sparkling wine made with the utmost care and passion at this estate. The fact that it is a vintage wine means the winemaker considered the fruit that year to be of exceptional quality, with no need for blending with reserves from other years. 2018 was a sweltering summer, which is apparent in the richness of the fruit and the balance achieved.
Breaky Bottom Marraine Pooks 2016. From another of the very early English wine estates, Breaky Bottom’s single varietal Seyval Blanc sparkling wine really caught my attention. Immediately identified as an outlier – this grape being a hybrid – presumably planted in the early days for its hardiness in a cool climate, and having the benefit of being more disease-resistant in England’s notoriously wet climate. A charming example that combined orchard and citrus fruits with a herbaceous streak and delicate white flowers. A very enjoyable wine and a great one to finish on.
Listed below are the wines served at Battle of the Bubbles, in the order they were poured:
| 1. | The Wine Society’s Champagne NV, Alfred GratienChardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot MeunierLong fermentation in small old oak casks and extended ageing prior to release, giving greater depth | 12.5% | £34 |
| 2. | The Wine Society’s English Sparkling Wine, NV, Ridgeview Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot MeunierChardonnay-dominant sparkling wine blended with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, giving citrus and apple, along with brioche notes | 12% | £24 |
| 3. | Henners Brut NVChardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot MeunierOrchard fruit, incorporating sourdough aromas, lively bubbles, long finish. Three years on the lees give toasted brioche on the palate | 12% | £42 |
| 4. | Nicolas Feuillate Reserve Rosé NVPinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, ChardonnaySummer fruits – strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant, blueberry. Aged for 2 – 3 years in the cellar prior to release | 12% | £37 |
| 5. | Henners Rosé NVPinot Noir, Pinot MeunierRed berry fruit and rhubarb flavours with a creamy texture due to a minimum of 24 months’ ageing on the lees | 12% | £42 |
| 6. | Wiston Blanc de Noirs 2018Pinot NoirGrapes from a single vineyard, displaying aromas and flavours of baked pear, greengage, buttery croissants, vanilla, toasted almonds. Complexity, richness, and a fresh finish. Balanced wine with savoury notes at its core | 12% | £56 |
| 7. | Breaky Bottom Marraine Pooks 2016Seyval BlancAromas of green apple and lemon with a long finish. Minimum of 4 years’ ageing. Seyval Blanc is the principal grape variety grown on the estate | 12% | £44 |
WINELANDS: 22 - 29 June 2025 