With our award-winning sparkling wines regularly out-performing Champagnes in blind taste tests, there’s no need to look further than Sussex for your festive tipples
Ridgeview Bloomsbury, £30
Deliciously fruity and fresh, Bloomsbury is a classic blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. The ideal sparkling wine for all festive celebrations, it was served at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This pairs beautifully with canapés and is the ideal partner to seafood.
Available nationally in Waitrose for £29.99 or purchase direct from Ridgeview for complimentary next day delivery, on all orders big and small.
Rathfinny Classic Cuvée 2016 magnum, £67
This is the first vintage of the East Sussex estate’s classic Sussex sparkling, made using the traditional method from pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay grapes.
This year it is newly available as a magnum – perfect for the Christmas table if you’re in a group of six people, as each person gets two glasses. shop.rathfinnyestate.com
Nyetimber Classic Cuvee, £36.99
The Classic Cuvee is Nyetimber’s signature sparkling wine and has won many awards. With its lovely pale gold, gentle, fine bubbles and flavours of honey, almond, pastry and baked apple, it is the perfect wine for your first drink on Christmas Day.
All Nyetimber wines are available to order with a Christmas gift box (at no extra cost) from Nyetimber’s website.
Bolney Estate Lychgate Red 2018, £15.99
A medium-bodied dry red wine with earthy aromas, hedgerow fruits, and black cherry. Lychgate Red 2018 pairs perfectly with turkey and all the trimmings.
Theestate’s head winemaker says it’s also excellent served alongside High Weald Dairy’s Sister Sarah goat’s cheese, with the dark black berry fruit character a perfect foil to the creamy, savoury/sour notes in the cheese.
Albourne 40 English Vermouth, £20
Albourne Estate owner Alison Nightingale suggests trying their vermouth this Christmas, praising its versatility. “On its own it pairs perfectly with Christmas favourites like Stilton and other blue cheeses, mince pies and Christmas pudding or topped with English sparkling wine it makes a fantastic celebratory aperitif cocktail.
Or warm together with some white wine, a few cloves, cinnamon sticks and slices of orange to create a delicious and warming white mulled wine.”
