English wine continues to go from strength to strength. It’s estimated that the industry produced more than 20 million bottles last year from its biggest ever harvest. Meanwhile, just this month, England climbed to 9th place in the 2024 International Wine Challenge global rankings, winning 13 Gold, 54 Silver and 58 Bronze medals.
Fortunately for us, Hampshire lies – along with Sussex, Surrey and Kent – at the heart of English wine country thanks to its benign climate, chalky soils and growing technical expertise.
Sparkling wines continue to account for the lion’s share of production – and it’s not uncommon for them to beat champagnes in blind-tasting competitions these days. However, there is also a growing range of interesting and award-winning white, rose and even red wines too.
With English Wine Week (15-23 June) around the corner, now is the perfect excuse to enjoy some of our locally-produced tipples – and here are some of our favourite ways to enjoy them this summer.
Four Special Events
Vineyards of Hampshire Fizz Fest
Now in its 10th year, Fizz Fest makes a fantastic day out, with the opportunity to taste wines from at least eight local vineyards as well as the chance to listen to live music, purchase street food from the stalls, and even have a dance around the hay bales should you be so inclined!
I’ve been to the last two annual events and we all had an excellent time. This year it’s being held at The Grange Vineyard near Winchester on Sunday 23 June. Even better, you can currently save money by purchasing your tickets at a discount via Travelzoo – meaning you’ll pay £25 instead of the official £39 price!
English Sparkling Wine Tasting Afternoon
For something closer to home, how about a luxurious tasting experience at abar bistro in Old Portsmouth on Wednesday 12 June? Camber Wines has teamed up with Henners Vineyard – a producer they rate particularly highly – to bring you five glasses of their best wines, each of which will be paired with carefully created small plates of food.
The experience will be expertly guided by one of the winery’s managers, Tom and – with a vintage fizz included – it promises to be one of the classiest ways to celebrate English Wine Week. Tickets cost £70.
Chocolate and Wine Tasting Evening
Tinwood Estate near Chichester produces great wine in a stunning setting. On Tuesday 18 June, they are holding a special event in partnership with Montezuma’s, the luxury chocolate company. You’ll receive a glass of fizz on arrival, followed by a guided tasting with three different chocolate flavours – each paired with a different sparkling wine. Tickets cost £35.
Hambledon Vineyard is one of our nearest, and this year it’s organising a special event on Sunday 16 June with Father’s Day in mind. There’s an Elton John tribute act (complete with a stunning white grand piano) and it promises to be a great family afternoon with magic shows, balloon artists, and a
variety of food vendors. A glass of their English Sparkling Wine is, of course, included! Tickets cost £30.
Five vineyards to visit
One of my highlights of summer is relaxing in the sunshine with a glass or two of English wine by the vines, looking out over rolling countryside. Fortunately, many of our local vineyards are open to the public for tours on certain days during English Wine Week – and throughout the summer. So, here are my top picks.
Hambledon has a long track record of winemaking. As well as being Hampshire’s oldest vineyard it’s one of our nearest – and is even accessible via Uber. It’s a lovely place to visit with pretty views and it runs regular tours and tastings costing £25.
This one is also within easy striking distance, not far from Chichester. The estate produces some delicious wines which are highly rated by experts. Its regular vineyard tour and tasting costs £25, or you can currently stay overnight on a Thursday and receive a free tour and tasting for two.
Also near Chichester, Tinwood is a stylish place and one of my favourites to visit. Its 90-minute tour costs £21 and includes a walk through the vines and three glasses of wine in a stunning setting. It also has some very cool vineyard lodges to stay in if you want to make a night of it!
A 45-minute drive north from the city, Exton park produces some exceptional sparkling wines – and its Blanc de Blancs 2014 Vintage won gold at the last WineGB awards. It offers regular small-group tours and tastings throughout the summer costing £50.
In the heart of Arundel (and easily accessible by train from Portsmouth) you won’t find any vines here but you’ll love Digby’s classy tasting room. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve visited, and you can easily combine a visit with Arundel’s many other charms for a great day out! Its sparkling wine now features in British Airways’ club class cabin. A guided tasting flight costs £17.50.
Buy English at three of our local wine shops
For another great way to enjoy some English wine, why not head to one of our independent local wine shops and pick up a bottle to drink at home or in the garden?
Whether it’s your first time trying English wine or you’re an old hand looking for something new, their friendly teams will be happy to guide you and answer any questions you might have.
“When someone comes in asking for champagne these days, I often encourage them to consider an English sparkling wine instead,” says owner George. “It’s a fantastic industry and they deserve more of our support.”
When I visited recently, the shop had wines from five English producers on the shelves, including a still white by Stopham (which I love) and several sparkling ones. Of these, George highlights Rathfinny and Hattingley Valley as particularly worth seeking out. “What they produce is as good as champagne and often less expensive!”
Camber Wines also has a fine choice of English wines to buy this summer. On the sparkling side, they currently stock bottles by Exton Park, Hattingley Valley and Ashling Park.
“We stock these three because I believe they are all so characterfully different. Each offers something special, meaning there’s something for everyone’s taste,” explains manager Christina. They also sell some wines, notably Ashdown Bacchus and a Henners Gardner Chardonnay and Bacchus blend.
Owner Lucy stocks several sparkling wines from the Hampshire vineyard Raines, which was founded when the owners of the farm realised the opportunity and decided to switch their crop to grapes. “They’ve been cultivating the land for a very long time,” she says. “You can really taste the knowledge and care that’s gone into their wines and they have a premium taste.”
Like me, Lucy is also a fan of Tinwood sparkling wines and stocks two of these currently. “It’s an expanding local vineyard that’s going places, and they have a good selection of wines which all offer something different!”
