England: Bride Valley Estate - Brut Reserve 2018, Jurassic Coast, Dorset

Read Alex's Producer Profile on Bride Valley

Grape varieties: Pinot Noir 65%, Chardonnay 35%. 12% alcohol.

This is Bride Valley's crowning glory, having earned both a WineGB Gold Medal and 96 points at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), placing it among the top five sparkling wines from anywhere in the world assessed at the competition! Given how many producers worldwide enter this competition, this really is quite something, if by no means a first for an English Sparkling. 

Founded in 2008 by the late Steven Spurrier, renowned for arranging the 1976 Judgement of Paris and for his work at Decanter Magazine (for whom I worked for several years), it is these very accolades and the quality that is being achieved at Bride Valley that Spurrier had long predicted.

Bride Valley's vineyards are on Dorset's Jurassic Coast which benefit from the same chalk-rich soils that a certain sparkling wine region in northern France does (as well as areas of Burgundy and the Loire). It's rather fitting that these renowned vineyard soils (i.e. Kimmeridgian, Portlandian) take their names from areas of Dorset.

Given ever-rising temperatures threatening sparkling wine in other regions, one major advantage these Dorset vineyards have is their maritime location, ensuring low pH and moderate alcohol is maintained in the wines, vital for high-quality traditional method sparkling. 

2018 was famously warm and sunny, at the time it seemed like it might never end. For me, this wine wins with its elegance, balance, and texture. It's not particularly big or rich - it's even a little subdued, yet somehow it's better for it. Simply great balance and drinkability.

Food Pairing:

Perfect with gratinated seafood, lobster or crab, and also works beautifully with truffle chicken, potato gratin, soft cheeses like Camembert, or just as a fresh, elegant aperitif.

What the critics say:

WineGB Gold Medal

96 points (Gold): International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) 2025 - "A gastronomic wine, opening with a plush bouquet of orchard fruits and a gentle nuttiness, complemented by a subtle reductive character. On the palate, vibrant citrus and green apple intertwine with brioche. The chalky texture leads to a long, delightful finish."