Champagne & Sparkling Wine

Champagne & Sparkling Wine: The perfect choice for celebrations

Who doesn’t love the 'pop' and bubbles of a fabulous fizz, from Champagne, Crémant and Prosecco to Cava and English sparkling wine.

When it comes to celebrations, Champagne is hard to beat. It is made exclusively in the Champagne region in France. There are a few main styles to choose from; the most usual is NV (or non-vintage) made by blending the harvest of several years. It signifies a producer is aiming for a distinct house style and therefore customers can rely on each bottle to taste the same.  A vintage Champagne is made with grapes harvested in a single year, so each vintage is totally unique - ideal if you're after an individual, character-driven drop. 

When Blanc de Blancs (white of white) appears on the label, it means the Champagne is made exclusively with Chardonnay grapes. A Blanc de Noirs (white of black) means that one or both of the grapes are black-skinned varieties (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Although still 'white' in colour, this style tends towards a fruitier character.

Crémant is a sparkling wine made in France via the traditional method, but from outside the Champagne region. A number of regions across France produce it, and as with Champagne, there are strict quality controls for production. The grape varieties that go into the blend depend on the region it comes from, making it difficult to generalise when it comes to style. Some are light, lemony and fresh; others weightier with tropical fruit flavours. Crémant wines tend to taste younger and lighter than the more complex toasty flavours of Champagne.

Prosecco comes from the Prosecco region in Italy. Unlike Champagne, there is no protected geographical status, however, DOC Prosecco has to meet strict standards to earn their DOC label, while DOCG wines have to achieve even higher production standards. Prosecco is also made in a less costly way to Champagne making it more affordable. 

Cava is a fun and affordable alternative to Champagne – many are made in exactly the same way with grapes sourced from specially designated areas in Spain where quality is paramount. Cava uses traditional grape varieties, such as Parellada and Xarel-lo, and can be produced in white and rosé.

Wines from England are recognised internationally for their superb quality, great flavours, creativity and flair. There is a wonderful choice of homegrown fizz, including those made on our south coast that gain their distinct mineral freshness from the seam of chalk running through the Champagne region and under the English Channel.