Sparkling - England & Wales

Question 1

One card on England & Wales Sparkling

Answer 1

• started after WW2 using German varieties/crosses
• Lates 80s (Nyetimber 1986) champagne varieties to make sparkling. Good reviews
• 65% all plantings now Chardonnay, PNoir & Meunier
• Crisp high, acidity, med(-) alcohol, light to med body
• Crisp, green apple and lemon, some autolytic notes
• Distinctive characteristics: racy high acidity, just-ripe fruit
• Good to v good, some outstanding
• Prices premium to super-premium
• some rosé

Question 2

Why does the northerly latitude in England & Wales help grow grapes for traditional sparkling wine?

Answer 2

• All vineyards above 50 deg latitude = long growing season - pick into October
• Cool, so slow ripening and accummulation of sugar
  
  • preserves acidity
  • medium intense fruit characters
• Don’t want primary, floral fruits for trad method wines as flavour comes from lees ageing. Want high acid and low alcohol.

Question 3

Climate of England & Wales

Answer 3

• 85% vineyards in S England
• Cool maritime climate
• Average growing season temp risen from 13℃ mid 20thC to 14℃ this, cool, but less marginal
  
  • ripens fruit more, raises quality
• More extreme weather events
  
  • heavy rain
  • earlier budding (so spring frosts)

Question 4

Why are spring frosts more of an issue now in England than 50 years ago?

Answer 4

• Warmer springs mean earlier budding
• Replaced hardy German varieties with Chardonnay & Pinot Noir

Question 5

What is the biggest threat to English vineyards?

Answer 5

• Prolonged rain - maritime climate rainfall spread throughout year, including growing season
• Rain, cool at flowering & fruit set (June/July) low yield
  
  • Eg 2012 wettest June 100 years. Some estates no fruit at all. Yields down generally
• Rain at harvest threatens quality
• Mitigation
  
  • vineyard management - timely spraying against fungal dieseases, canopy management
  • Managing financial risks!

Question 6

Site selection in England

Answer 6

1. Northern latitude so south-facing max sunlight
2. Max shelter from prevailing S-W winds. (Winds, gales, rain hinder flowering & fruit set, disperse heat)
   
   • former apple orchards/ hop fields offer shelter
3. Good drainage to avoid regular wet soils/ root zone (beware cost of installing drainage)
4. Altitude below 125m

Question 7

Soils in England

Answer 7

• Clay in Kent & parts of Sussex: fertile, retains water
  
  • richer wines, lower acidity, more pronounced fruit
• Sussex, Hampshire have chalk (like Champagne) good drainage, less fertile, but on higher slopes, less shelter
  
  • more finesse, higher acidity, leaner body

Question 8

Planting & vine training in England

Answer 8

• New vineyards medium density (4000-5000 vines/ha)
  
  • increase root competition, contain vigour of canopy
• Like most N Europe, Guyot system with VSP preferred
• Narrow rows, canes q close to ground retains heat
• Thin canopies
  
  • allow air, light to reach buds & fruit
  • reduce disease
  • allow sprays to reach leaves

Question 9

Yields in England & Wales

Answer 9

• Variable, cool, damp climate means wide vintage variation and fluctuating yields
• Increased plantings Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
  
  • both flower poorly in wet, cool springs
• Low average yields in 5 years to 2016 of 24hL/ha, best vineyards can achieve twice this. (By comparison max yield in Champagne is 66hL/ha)
• Low and variable yield keeps prices premium to super premium

Question 10

Wine making in England

Answer 10

• Majority sparkling (white/rosé) made from Chardonnay & Pinot Noir, some Meunier. Little German crossing/hybrids
• Almost all trad method, predominantly vintage, though recently some NV with use of reserves for consistency - most producers only just building stock. Very useful in marginal climate with variable yields!
• A few tank method starting, some Pet Nat
• Min EU 9mths lees ageing for sparkling with PDO, varied lengths used
• Some oak maturation to add richness, but most not
• Malo widely used to reduce v high acidity
• But producers with best sites who risk fuller ripeness can pick with ideal acidity

Question 11

England & Wales Wine Law

Answer 11

• PDO Sparkling allows 6 varieties (all rest PGI status)
  
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Pinot Noir Précoce (ripens 2 wks earlier than PN)
  • Meunier
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Pinot Gris
• Traditional Method
• Max yield PDO 80 hL/ha (but av 24 Hl/ha ;-)
• EU labelling terms for sweetness, mainly Brut

Question 12

Growth of plantings in England

Answer 12

• Early stage of development
• Small - 2750ha total - but tripled since 2000
• land much cheaper than Champagne - attracts new entrants incl major champagne houses
• Nyetimber & Wiston Estate significant

Question 13

Consumption of English Sparkling

Answer 13

• 96% in UK, 4% exported
• 1/3 cellar door
• Specialist shops, premium supermarkets, hospitality sector - incl by glass
• Compete with v good quality champagne (on price)
• 2018 2m bottles available for sale in UK - about same as decline in Champagne in UK
• Will rise to 4m in 5 years and 8m in 10

Question 14

Challenges facing English sparkling wine

Answer 14

• Is there demand for high priced sparkling (when growth is in cheaper, Prosecco?)
• Competition of champagne - big brands, lots of spending power
• Cost of building brands especially for world market
• financial challenge of fluctuating vintages/ cash flow, but now building reserve stocks (and 2018 great harvest)

Question 15

What is the wine industry body of England & Wales?

Answer 15

• Wine GB
• seeks to act as point of reference for, and to represent vineyard owners and producers in
  
  • technical services
  • regulation
  • marketing
  • education