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While the English wine industry is relatively young compared to other established regions, there’s still a lot to get excited about. The best English wines certainly won’t disappoint and, while you may have thought it was all about the sparkling, the still wines have got a lot to shout about. Bacchus is fast becoming the go-to grape for English white wines as it flourishes in temperate climates, while Chardonnay, Dornfelder, Ortega and Pinot Noir are also popular.
From Oxford and Kent to Devon and Cornwall, Britain is bursting with vineyards that are creating top-notch tipples. Sam Tyson, wine expert and sommelier at Winebuyers, says: “British production wine may come from humble origins but it has transformed over the last 15 years from what was once a predominantly recreational activity with a few people making bottles here and there, to a bustling industry with over 700 vineyards producing some of the best wines on the planet.”
Whether you’re looking for the perfect summer rosé, a crisp, elegant white, or a robust red, we’ve rounded up the best English wines to show you don’t have to stray from our shores to get a mouthwatering vintage. Cheers to that!
Best English wines
1. Camel Valley Atlantic Dry
Reportedly previously served with dinner at no. 10 Downing Street, this Bacchus-based delicately-flavoured white wine has aromas of elderflower, grapefruit, apricot and green fruit.
Camel Valley is nestled in the heart of the Cornish countryside, where ex-RAF pilot Bob Lindo and his wife Annie planted their first eight thousand vines in 1989. Fast-forward 20 years and the vineyard is thriving, winning national and international awards.
As the name indicates, this wine is the perfect pairing for fish dishes.
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Proof, if needed, that English wines can be elegant, vibrant and completely quaffable.
Grown on a limestone escarpment on the north Lincolnshire wolds, this wine is bursting with character, with fresh notes of crunchy apple and tongue-tingling lemon. Perfect to serve with Asian cuisine.
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You’ve probably sipped on Chapel Down’s divine sparkling wine, fast becoming the go-to alternative to Champagne, but did you know the Chapel Down winery also creates delicious white wine too?
The Kentish vineyard is flourishing and, if you’re a fan of Chablis, you’ll love this steely English wine with lovely herbaceous tones. A refreshing, lively and well-balanced tippled perfect for summer days.
One customer said: “A fabulous English wine that converts all who doubt that a native wine can be really good.”
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Whip up some pan fried fish, goat’s cheese and asparagus tart, and a potato salad and serve it up with a crisp, cold glass of this English wine for the perfect pairing.
Made from Pinot Blanc, Bacchus and Chardonnay grapes grown and hand picked on Hush Heath’s award winning, family run estate in Marden, Kent, this complex and aromatic wine has aromas of fresh hedgerow and white flowers.
The palate offers citrus, white pear and peach flavours and a lingering finish.otch Whiskey
5. Lyme Block English Rosé
Step aside, Provence… South Devon is snapping at your heels with those tasty rosé wines. Crafted at the Lyme Bay winery, this salmon-pink English wine boasts complex and intense aromas of cherries, rosehip and strawberries and cream.
As well as being the scent of summer in a bottle, it’s beautifully balanced with a crisp acidity perfect for all those long, balmy lunches. One customer said:”Delicious light, dry rosé from England. It’s very drinkable and I will definitely be purchasing more.”
Another brilliant enthusiastic taster said: “Beautiful, dry, fruity just gorgeous for a summer’s evening!”
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Described as a “crisp, refreshing white wine with distinctly English hedgerow aromas”, its nose is a blend of crisp apple, fragrant elderflower, and freshly cut grass.
The ideal English country garden tipple, a balanced acidity and fruity flavours create a refreshing wine ideal for garden get-togethers with friends and family.
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Who needs Rioja when there’s a vineyard on the Thames in Oxford serving up quality red wine like this? Brightwell Vineyard explains that the flinty chalk greensand and gravel of the Thames Valley provides ideal grapevine soil, while the region is sheltered by the surrounding hills of the Chilterns, North Downs and Cotswolds making it one of the warmest and driest areas of the UK in summer. This high-quality wine is made using Dornfelder grapes and has aromas of raspberries, damson, subtle spice with a hint of herbaceousness; perfect with cold meats and hard cheeses.
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