All eyes are on London this weekend with the coronation of King Charles III. Regardless of your feelings on England’s monarchy—either as a symbol of ancient tradition and gracious manners or repression and misallocated public funds—there’s no denying that this first coronation of a new monarch for the U.K. in over 75 years is a historic occasion. And such occasions often call for bubbles. Now is a perfect time to consider that the sparkling wines of England are beginning to make a splash beyond their own shores. “There are many reasons for growth in the category of English sparkling, both economic and climate-related,” says Dan Orton, sommelier at London’s Covent Garden’s The 10 Cases. Whether you’re watching the coronation in delight, disdain or not at all but want a bottle of some quality brunch bubbles, we’ve assembled a list of some of England’s top sparkling wines to try. The Growth of English Sparkling Wine While wine grapes have been planted in England since well before the time of King Henry VIII, English winemaking has seen a rather stop-start timeline due to climate challenges, phylloxera, war and changing import tax laws. The output of domestic wine was often more robust during periods when high tariffs were placed on wines imported from mainland Europe. But when those tariffs were lifted, most importantly in the mid-1800s, domestic wine in England was bested by the availability of quality wines from France. After a near-halting of the English wine industry during World Wars I and II, plantings of vines began picking up throughout the 1970s and 80s. A warming climate helped to usher in an era of winemaking that favored sparkling wine, rather than sweeter still wines that England had been primarily producing. According to a 2022 data report by Wines of Great Britain, hectarage in the U.K. has more than doubled in the past eight years and more than quadrupled since 2000. “I’d mark the 1988 planting of vines at Nyetimber as being the foundational act of the modern era of English sparkling wine,” says Donald Edwards, head sommelier at London’s La Trompette. “Obviously there had been wineries before who made sparkling wine, notably Camel Valley, but Nyetimber marked the moment when proper ambition was applied to the task of making great, Champagne-style sparkling wine in the U.K." Olivia Thomas, sales manager for West Sussex’s Nutbourne Vineyards, concurs. “Our neighbors up the road at Nyetimber put English sparkling wine on the map when they won the International Wine and Spirit Competition trophy for best sparkling wine,” she says. “This region has attracted vineyard investment and talented winemakers ever since. Even French Champagne houses, such as Taittinger and Pommery, are future-proofing and investing in English vines.” What Is English Sparkling Wine? A majority of English sparkling wine is made in the Champagne method, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir being the most widely utilized grapes. (The third is Pinot Meunier, if you’re noticing a trend here.) England’s southeastern-most counties of Kent, Sussex and Hampshire have the most vineyard hectarage, and sport chalk limestone soils, resulting in wines with bright acidity and freshness. Both Edwards and Orton mention that several up-and-comers and iconoclasts are worth keeping an eye on as the category changes. “With English wine being still a relatively new industry, it does not have to conform to any set rules,” says Orton. “We are seeing new sparkling wines from a wide range of producers, including 100% Meunier wines, [and other grapes such as Seyval Blanc], Pét Nats and sparkling reds, and this is inspiring to everyone in the wine industry.” Edwards agrees. "English sparkling wine is a thrilling category in that we’re watching it develop and mature in real-time,” he says. “It’s also happening in a country that has a unique position in the world of fine wine as one of the major markets and repositories of knowledge. So, the young industry has been interrogated in ways that I think few other emerging regions have experienced.” English Sparkling Wines to Try Gusbourne Estate 2016 Blanc De Blancs Traditional Method Chardonnay (England) Bride Valley Vineyard 2017 Brut Reserve Sparkling (England) Hattingley Valley Wines 2014 Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay (England) Digby Fine English NV Brut Sparkling (England) Balfour Winery NV Balfour 1503 Classic Cuvée Sparkling (England) Roebuck Estates 2016 Rosé de Noirs Rosé (England) Balfour Winery NV Leslie's Reserve Sparkling (England) Chapel Down NV English Rose Traditional Method Sparkling (England) FAQs Is English Sparkling Wine as Good as Champagne? Most English sparkling wines utilize the Champagne method. They also often use the same grapes as Champagne, which are frequently grown in soils with compositions like those in the Champagne region. England is arguably the closest traditional method sparkling wine region to Champagne. Ergo, it’s an excellent Champagne alternative. “Champagne and English sparkling wine share an incredibly close familial relationship,” says Edwards. “I often think of us as being akin to a very northerly Cote des Bars.” Unfortunately, because of England’s continually challenging climate, low yields in English sparkling wines often necessitate Champagne’s prices, so it’s not always a cheaper alternative. Where to Buy English Sparkling Wine Most major metropolitan areas likely have some English sparkling on the shelves. If your local retailer doesn’t carry at least one English sparkling option, online retailers have several options available for nationwide shipping. What Do You Eat with English Sparkling Wine? “Because of the bright acidity and citrus, English sparkling wines pair beautifully with seafood, particularly scallops and oysters,” says Thomas. Additionally, given sparkling wines’ ability to elevate fried foods, an English sparkling and fish and chips combo would make for an excellent pairing. Edwards notes that some of his favorite pairings for English sparkling include roast chicken and beef carpaccio. “Anything and everything,” says Orton. “There is an English wine for every moment and every food; the fun bit is giving it all a go.”