Three experts on the English wine they’ll be drinking this summer

From berry-laced rosés to zesty whites, this year we’re buying local
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Heady summer days are just around the corner which means our fridges will soon be stacked with wine for a crisp tipple in the balmy evenings.

After a relatively mild winter, you can expect English wines to be better than ever this summer which is why we’ve asked wine experts to reveal their favourite local tipples in celebration of English Wine Week.

From berry-laced rosés to zesty whites, here are what the experts are buying this summer.

Abbie Moulton, wine expert and Evening Standard drinks columnist

I'm a big fan of English wine and spring/summer is the perfect time to pop a few bottles as the typical English wine style tends to be crisp and fresh with bright acidity. English bubbles in particular are brilliant quality, even beating off competition from Champagne in awards.

Black Chalk

I love Black Chalk Classic 2015 from Hampshire - a newcomer to the English wine scene, made in tiny quantities by talented winemaker, Jacob Leadley. The grapes are the classic Champagne trio (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) and it's just beautiful - elegant and pretty with crisp green apple, white flowers and citrus, and nice depth of flavour. £35, blackchalkwine.co.uk

Twitter/DYvineyards

For a still wine, Somerset's Dunleavy Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé is a great example, full of vibrant strawberry and red berries, and perfect to sip on a sunny day with some charred meats or veg from the barbeque. Well-priced at £13.95, it's worth having a few bottles in the fridge to see you through the summer. Buy it here.

Lucy Shaw, editor of The Drinks Business

Hambledon Première Cuvée, £45

Hambledon

The quality of English sparkling wine has come on leaps and bounds in the last decade and we’re now making fizz to rival Champagne, as select parcels of our green and pleasant land share the same chalky soils as the famed French region. This sparkler from Hambledon isn’t cheap, but it’s one of the finest made in England, with its elegant aromas of lemon meringue, orange blossom, buttered brioche and almonds. It serves as an exciting reminder of the heights homegrown wines are capable of reaching these days.

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2016, £30

Chapel Down

While sparkling wine tends to hog the headlines, England is also home to some magnificent still wines that reflect the land in which the grapes are grown. This single vineyard Chardonnay from Chapel Down is the greatest white I’ve tasted from England and gives grand cru Burgundy competition with its opulent notes of baked apple, toasted hazelnuts and buttered toast. Now in its fourth vintage, it sells out in a matter of moments so be sure to snap up a bottle before they all disappear – it won’t disappoint.

Richard Ellison, founder of Wanderlust Wine

Sat in the park with a sticky, cloying Aussie shiraz? No thanks. Let’s keep flying the Union Jack and celebrating our own wine industry by drinking some lower alcohol, refreshing English still wines.

Furnace Projects is a wine producer founded by multi-disciplinary artist, Beth Derbyshire. Her wines are unique, organically-farmed and full of character and expression whilst only coming in at 11 per cent ABV.

Furnace Projects’ Blackbird White 2015, £12.25

Wanderlust Wine

Low in alcohol and light in profile, this is a zesty white wine made from Seyval Blanc and Phoenix. The wine is tongue-tinglingly moreish, showing distinctive Granny Smith apple, grapefruit and citrus fruit aromas and flavours. 10.5% ABV

Enjoy with fatty foods, fish and seafood dishes, and particularly pan-fried scallops.

Furnace Projects’ Chiff Chaff Red 2016, £12.25

Wanderlust Wine

Made from the best Regent grapes the Estate produces, this is a young and lively red wine which has been seasoned in oak barrels for just under a year. It is reminiscent of a German pinot noir or Beaujolais. It has a lovely rich profile of soft red and black cherries, damsons, plums and autumnal fruits.

It is versatile with food and will pair easily with pasta, chicken, meat dishes and also creamy sauces.

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