A glass of champagne or a glass of Sussex? 'Sussex' is given special protection.

[Notters]

Blind tasting by experts is perfectly ok.They are not predicting what the grapes will be like in 5 or 10 years time.The main problem,IMHO,with English wines is consistency.I have tasted Nyetimber vintages better than Veuve Cliquot,and ones akin to Drainol!

If you have a very good knowledge of wine then I bow to it, but I've found it to be consistently excellent, and I know for a fact that they don't produce any wine at all in poor years where they don't believe the quality of the grapes is up to standard.

 

[Monkey Man]

Reds are in general very poor, but there are the odd good Pinot Noirs (I haven't had it, but Bolney, available in Waitrose, is getting a lot of good reviews).

I tried Bolney Pinot Noir about 10 years ago and thought it was awful.

I've had it a few times this year and the quality is absolutely superb. Easily the best English red I've tasted, and one of the best Pinot Noirs I've tasted in years, actually. From anywhere.

 

[yxee]

"First it was Prosecco"?

Do people really drink this as a champagne substitute?

Of course they do, it is exactly the same thing.

 

[Hamilton]

I would imagine the evidence points to slight warming,but other experts say we could possibly be on the way to a new ice age due to low solar activity.Nobody can predict the quality of a vintage wine in future years!

I'm afraid that the expert - not experts - that suggested the mini ice age has now gone back on her theory somewhat. Climate change looks like it is here to stay.

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/mini-ice-age-not-reason-ignore-global-warming/

And as the expert says' "We must not ignore the effects of global warming and assume that it isn't happening. “The Sun buys us time to stop these carbon emissions,” Zharkova says. The next minimum might give the Earth a chance to reduce adverse effects from global warming."

 

[yxee]

I tried Bolney Pinot Noir about 10 years ago and thought it was awful.

I've had it a few times this year and the quality is absolutely superb. Easily the best English red I've tasted, and one of the best Pinot Noirs I've tasted in years, actually. From anywhere.

I'm convinced there's a marketing issue going on here. A Pinor Noir from Chile sounds exotic and exciting. A Pinor Noir from Bolney sounds ... less so. I'm sure it's lovely but I can't help think that many people won't see past the name. It's kind of silly, they name whisky after Scottish islands and they sound great. Am I being too harsh?

 

[Monkey Man]

I'm convinced there's a marketing issue going on here. A Pinor Noir from Chile sounds exotic and exciting. A Pinor Noir from Bolney sounds ... less so. I'm sure it's lovely but I can't help think that many people won't see past the name. It's kind of silly, they name whisky after Scottish islands and they sound great. Am I being too harsh?

I don't think our friends at Bolney mind too much - they'll be selling out of each vintage pretty comfortably!

Stylistically, it's quite a different product anyway. Chilean Pinots are generally much heavier and fruitier than anything you'd find over here. The Bolney style is much more akin to Burgundy but thankfully at a much lower price.

 

[yxee]

Where can we buy this? I wouldn't mind trying the local wine. Are they in any supermarkets?

 

[Machiavelli]

I would imagine the evidence points to slight warming,but other experts say we could possibly be on the way to a new ice age due to low solar activity.Nobody can predict the quality of a vintage wine in future years!

One of the reasons why there's been a massive expansion of vineyards in Sussex -- and in other locations with marginal climates, where the best wines are produced -- is because of the warming climate. It's a long-term decision to plant vines. It takes three to four years before they yield fruit that is vinified. So there are plenty of predictions on the subject of wine vintages. It's a point where expertise is merging into economic activity. The insurance industry have been at the forefront of such activity -- in other words, they think you're spouting nonsense on this particular subject.

 

[Machiavelli]

I don't think our friends at Bolney mind too much - they'll be selling out of each vintage pretty comfortably!

Stylistically, it's quite a different product anyway. Chilean Pinots are generally much heavier and fruitier than anything you'd find over here. The Bolney style is much more akin to Burgundy but thankfully at a much lower price.

It's almost as though you've got an expert palate

 

[Triggaaar]

"First it was Prosecco"?

Do people really drink this as a champagne substitute?

We do.

 

[Triggaaar]

Interesting. I wasn't aware of this. I love the dryness of champagne so Prosecco isn't a suitable alternative imho.

Well if you're after some dry fizz, Prosecco isn't going to do it (you could have some Cava), but Champagne is used to toast occasions etc, and we prefer to use Prosecco.

 

[beorhthelm]

One of the reasons why there's been a massive expansion of vineyards in Sussex -- and in other locations with marginal climates, where the best wines are produced -- is because of the warming climate.

thats one theory. theres another that the climate has always been suitable its just land is available as farms get sold off, and people with the skills, knowledge and backing to have a go are taking up the opportunity.

 

[fat old seagull]

"First it was Prosecco"?

Do people really drink this as a champagne substitute?

Bloody Hell Tubs .... please don't tell us you've gone all posh 'n' snobby now?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Well if you're after some dry fizz, Prosecco isn't going to do it (you could have some Cava), but Champagne is used to toast occasions etc, and we prefer to use Prosecco.

Cava's fine.

 

[Machiavelli]

If you have a very good knowledge of wine then I bow to it, but I've found it to be consistently excellent, and I know for a fact that they don't produce any wine at all in poor years where they don't believe the quality of the grapes is up to standard.

They achieve this by blending different vintages together (and often wines from different plots) to achieve that consistency. Champagne producers are master-blenders.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Bloody Hell Tubs .... please don't tell us you've gone all posh 'n' snobby now?

Not at all comrade.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Champagne producers are master-blenders.

Christ, I hope they don't whack their mess in the mix too!!

 

[fat old seagull]

Not at all comrade.

Thank FFT!

 

[fat old seagull]

Christ, I hope they don't whack their mess in the mix too!!

Oh Christ it's a Prosecco for me then!

 

[Monkey Man]

Where can we buy this? I wouldn't mind trying the local wine. Are they in any supermarkets?

Not sure ... Waitrose was mentioned by an earlier poster. Both times I've had it recently was at Cru in Eastbourne, where the wine range is very good across the board. Not cheap but worth the money I'd say.