2006 Camel Valley Vineyard Blanc de Noir

[Alex Bridgeman]

Made in the methode Champenoise from Pinto Noir grapes grown on south facing slate slopes of the Camel Valley in Cornwall.

Pale straw in colour, with a fine and persistent mousse. Dominated by lemons on the nose, a cleanliness and acidity that carries through onto the palate. Fresh and focussed in the mouth, with plenty of fruit but a powerful lemon acidity that provides a great foil to food (which was a rare sirloin steak) this also delivers a long and flavoursome finish. 90/100. Drunk 15 Aug 2014.

I confess that this is one of my favourite English sparkling wines.

[LGTrotter]

I confess that this is one of my favourite English sparkling wines.

When it comes to English sparklers this is a bit of a tallest dwarf competition.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I confess that this is one of my favourite English sparkling wines.

When it comes to English sparklers this is a bit of a tallest dwarf competition.

Complete rot. While I am partial to Champagne, I think English sparkling wine is just as good as Champagne. There is rubbish Champagne and rubbish English sparkling wine. The best ESW is as good as the best Champagne.

[LGTrotter]

I confess that this is one of my favourite English sparkling wines.

When it comes to English sparklers this is a bit of a tallest dwarf competition.

Complete rot. While I am partial to Champagne, I think English sparkling wine is just as good as Champagne. There is rubbish Champagne and rubbish English sparkling wine. The best ESW is as good as the best Champagne.

I should riposte that your riposte was not merely rot, it was tommy rot. A man reduced to TLAs (three letter abbreviations) to describe his favourite fizz has surely left the path of reason.

I am sure that there are several pomagnes made in England that stand comparison with the best gooseberry cyder in the world. But I shall stick with Pol, until English winemakers find a way to make them less flat footed. As to there being rubbish champagne this is true, but I notice you were careful not to draw attention to the comparison between the peaks of champagne and English sparklers, because they still have a long way to go.

[djewesbury]

This is fascinating. Someone flying the flag for TDWNNWWCESW (the drink with no name which we call English sparkling wine) and someone else refusing to be brainwashed by all the media hype.
I have not drunk TDWNNWWCESWs in years so I can't comment on whether they really are as good as they say. But as we were travelling this week André (AW77) told me that he would refrain from buying it as long as it is priced the same as Champagne; rather the known than the unknown quantity. This seems sensible to me. Why is TDWNNWWCESWS quite so pricey? Is that a tactic to make it look better?

[LGTrotter]

I periodically try a few. I have not tried the Camel one for a while so perhaps I am being unfair. I think I am still feeling stung from having bought a few vintage Nyetimber (08?) which tasted like indifferent cava and were supposed to be £30 a bottle. Hence my comment about Pol.

I have heard endlessly that English sparklers are the best thing we make, they may be right but I feel they do not have the lightness of touch that champagne has. They also seem a bit overwrought, in all senses of the word. I find the underlying flavours of hedgerow and garden quite persuasive, all they have to do now is work on the rest of it.

Andre is right, at about £15 to £20 I would follow them avidly, at the same price as champagne, no.