Italian PM has a pop at British wine...

[WATFORD zero]

I think that it beat all sparkling wines but not including champagnes. Having said that, both Ridgeview and Nyetimber have consistently done well in other tasting competitions, regularly thrashing the arses off more 'prestigious' champagnes.

We're getting some Ridgeview for our Christmas fizz this year: I'm sure it will go down a treat.

I've been given a crate of Ridgeview by a client the last 2 years and I think they are as good as any champagnes i've tried

Unfortunately, i don't like champagnes and sparkling whites, so the wife has them or i give them away

 

[The Large One]

I've been given a crate of Ridgeview by a client the last 2 years and I think they are as good as any champagnes i've tried

Unfortunately, i don't like champagnes and sparkling whites, so the wife has them or i give them away

A crate? I assume you mean 'box of 6', you lucky fucker. That's £120 worth of quality fizz there.

 

[Monkey Man]

The Champagne houses in France are buying up big areas of the South Downs and the Weald (it's not that flat), because of the quality of the soil and the grapes being grown.

Sorry to spoil a good story but this isn't actually true. The rumour was put about a while ago but nobody is buying anything -- and to be honest, while the soil and climate aren't that far off, there are not many sites of sufficient size to interest our French friends.

You can make excellent sparkling wine in Sussex -- Nyetimber is the best example -- but the climate in Champagne is already marginal for wine production and England even more so. That's why the big Champagne houses tend to invest in New World regions where the weather is more reliable.

England has high production costs, difficult climate, little indigenous expertise, not much scale, and little prestige by comparison. In my opinion the Champenois are not going to get very excited about us.

 

[The Large One]

Sorry to spoil a good story but this isn't actually true. The rumour was put about a while ago but nobody is buying anything -- and to be honest, while the soil and climate aren't that far off, there are not many sites of sufficient size to interest our French friends.

You can make excellent sparkling wine in Sussex -- Nyetimber is the best example -- but the climate in Champagne is already marginal for wine production and England even more so. That's why the big Champagne houses tend to invest in New World regions where the weather is more reliable.

England has high production costs, difficult climate, little indigenous expertise, not much scale, and little prestige by comparison. In my opinion the Champenois are not going to get very excited about us.

The story is true - largely. The French are very interested in buying up land - most if not all the local wine producers have had or are getting offers from the Champagne houses. At least, that is exactly what the local producers are saying. They could be lying, I suppose.

You can expect to see a lot more vineyards at the foot of the South Downs in the next five-ten years.

Production costs are high because of the quantity. 2003 happened to produce a bumper harvest - fairly early on. It was a very hot, dry summer. The 'lack of prestige' comes mainly from a sense of snobbery in the traditional wine growing regions across Europe. What I suspect you mean is 'lack of history'.

Dont' expect anything matching a Burgundy or a Sancerre competitor any time soon, but the some sparkling wines produced here are excellent.

 

[Gwylan]

The 'lack of prestige' comes mainly from a sense of snobbery in the traditional wine growing regions across Europe. What I suspect you mean is 'lack of history'.

Dont' expect anything matching a Burgundy or a Sancerre competitor any time soon, but the some sparkling wines produced here are excellent.

Damn right, TL1. There's a firm belief in France that no[ other country can possibly produce decent wines. And there's an even firmer belief in Champagne that no other sparkling wine can match their own - especially English. That's why the success of the Sussex wines has been a shock to them.

Our soil isn't just 'far off' the Champagne soil, it is the same. There's also an average of 1 deg in temperature between Sussex and Champagne but we're getting warmer. In fact, there might be a time when Champagne becomes too warm to procuce decent fizz and Sussex is the pre-eminent place for celebratory wine.

 

[zefarelly]

marvellous (potential) scenes

I like France, but they don't like it up em so it would be a proud day to see than having to buy our fizz

it would also be a bonus to see the shit half of Kent flattened and turned into vineyards, might give a purpose to Hastings as well

 

[Gully]

Much of this is true, global warming is already reducing the quality of grape in much of southern Europe, thus making it easier to grow them in the UK. I bet the French are running scared, it may take another 50 years for our vineyards to develop but I can see a time when the south downs are home to more vineyards than sheep farms.

 

[zefarelly]

I can see a time when the south downs are home to more vineyards than sheep farms.

well that can only be a good thing

 

[Gully]

I think even the most blinkered (except George Dubyah) would now agree that global warming is with us, time to adapt to the change and make the most of it, if it means renaming Chantry as Chardonnay and the Weald as Winelands so be it.

 

[Hunting 784561]

Much of this is true, global warming is already reducing the quality of grape in much of southern Europe, thus making it easier to grow them in the UK. I bet the French are running scared, it may take another 50 years for our vineyards to develop but I can see a time when the south downs are home to more vineyards than sheep farms.

Bring it on. The sheep farms can be moved to Wales, where they are assured a very warm welcome.

 

[Monkey Man]

[B

The 'lack of prestige' comes mainly from a sense of snobbery in the traditional wine growing regions across Europe. What I suspect you mean is 'lack of history'.

. [/B]

Not so much that as the fact you will struggle to persuade businessmen/wine afficionados in Japan, California, Moscow etc to fork out Champagne prices for an English wine. It's a luxury good that has a price well in excess of its true worth (you can get a cracking still wine for £20). I suspect it's possible to make luggage at least as good as that of Vuitton but would people pay the same price?

 

[Gwylan]

Not so much that as the fact you will struggle to persuade businessmen/wine afficionados in Japan, California, Moscow etc to fork out Champagne prices for an English wine. It's a luxury good that has a price well in excess of its true worth (you can get a cracking still wine for �20). I suspect it's possible to make luggage at least as good as that of Vuitton but would people pay the same price?

I'd say that's true at the moment but who knows what the situation will be in 20 or 30 years' time. The quality of English wine will improve and I firmly believe that the CAP cannot stay as it is for ever - modification of that would greatly affect Champagne prices.

There will always be people who will pay more for luxury goods and I suspect they'll stick with Champagne for a long time but ordinary punters, lashing out for weddings will look for best value and that might not always be French.