From England with Love - which wines for your sweet Valentine?
From England with Love - which wines for your sweet Valentine?
2021 has only started however some of us are already looking forward to the next celebration of the year! And let’s face it, with the current third lockdown in the UK, who wouldn’t?
Fast-forward a few days from now and there we have it, it is Valentine’s Day. The 14th February is probably the first cross on the calendar as an excuse to celebrate and pop open a bottle of wine.
Whether celebrating your other half, your family members, your best friend or simply treating yourself, Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion for delicious food and drinks treats – and why not with English sparkling wines?
Love your English Fizz for Valentine’s Day (& beyond?!)
Now that we are in February, leave the idea of Dry January behind and crack open the sparkling wines. What better occasion than Valentine’s Day to open a bottle of bubbles?! English and Welsh wines have in the last decade stood out with their exceptional sparkling wines. Some of those wines even went to beat the all so famous Champagne at blind tastings and international wine awards!
English sparkling wines are overall elegant and of great quality, often produced like the Champagne Traditional Method, now also known as the Great British Classic Method according to WineGB, the national body for grape growers and winemakers in Great Britain.
The most common grapes used to produce English sparkling wines are Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which are also the main grapes used in Champagne. These are often blended together however can also be used on their own as highlighted in some of the wines here below.
Corkk’s Valentine’s Day Sparkling Wines selection
Ashling Park Cuvée NV
Sussex based family run vineyard, Ashling Park Estate, has won the Decanter World Wine Awards 2018 Gold Medal, the Sommelier Silver Medal Awards 2018 and WineGB’s 2018 and 2020 Gold Medal with this beautifully rounded Non-Vintage sparkling wine.
With a long finish this sparkling wine offers an elegant fine mousse together with an array of aromas including green apple, citrus fruits and brioche notes deliciously balanced with high acidity.
A perfect match with lean fish, shellfish, appetizers or even on its own.
Ashling Park Estate Cuvée NV is available from our online shop at Corkk.co.uk
Bolney Classic Cuvée
Bolney Estate is one of England’s oldest and most established vineyards, usually known for red wines, it produces some of the finest sparkling wines of West Sussex.
Its Bolney Classic Cuvée has a soft classic white gold appearance together with a fresh and clean zesty floral nose as well as distinct brioche and baked bread notes with hints of roasted hazelnuts.
Celebration pairing: as an aperitif or with oily fish such as tuna or salmon.
Bolney Classic Cuvée is available at Corkk.couk
Simpsons Canterbury Rose Sparkling Rosé
A sparkling rosé is the ideal wine to celebrate Valentine’s Day, evoking the softness and colour of love.
At Simpsons’ Wine Estate, with their 2018 Simpsons Canterbury Rose Sparkling Rosé they deliver a sophisticated rose gold sparkling rosé wine with subtle honeysuckle and raspberry notes on the nose together with lychee and other exotic fruits on the palate, rounded by fresh lime to achieve a complex finish. This rosé is exclusively made from Pinot Noir from the North Downs in Kent and as its name indicates, a stone’s throw from Canterbury.
A match made for romance: try this sparkling rosé wine with some soft milk chocolate.
2018 Simpsons Canterbury Rose Sparkling Rosé is available at Corkk.co.uk
Ambriel Sparkling Rosé
The 2014 vintage Ambriel Sparkling Rosé is one of a kind, rather than being a blend of red and white wines, this 100% Pinot Noir wine has been vinified with skin contact and the vines grown on greensand in West Sussex, which is very much sought-after for vineyards.
The fine mousse, aromas of strawberries, raspberries coupled with a freshness and acidity saw this sparkling Rosé being awarded a bronze medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards.
Loving pairing with chicken or salmon dishes.
Ambriel Sparkling Rosé is available at Corkk.co.uk
So, what will be your choice for this Valentine’s Day? If you think that one of the above suggestions will quench your thirst or make someone special feel happy, visit our shop https://www.corkk.co.uk/shop .
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Corkk team!