Sam Wylie-Harris discovers England's on sparkling form ahead of English Wine Week

WE may never match the huge pot of gold-medal-winning wines of Champagne, but with a record-breaking seven gold awards handed out by the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC), there's plenty to celebrate ahead of this year's English Wine Week (May 28 to June 5).

"English wine entries to the IWSC competition have grown by an astonishing 155% since 2013 and the numbers of gold medals awarded to them has increased each year since," says Ewan Lacey, general manager, IWSC.

"This is evidence of the commitment and passion that English wine producers are investing in their wines to great effect, as they bring their products to the global stage."

Sparkling wines are our strongest suit, accounting for 66% of production, and with Waitrose and Marks & Spencer expanding their ranges and champagne houses such as Taittinger and Pommery investing in English vineyards, the future's looking brighter than ever.

"The English climate and soil, particularly in the south, is ideal for the production of sparkling wine using the same traditional method as champagne," says Lacey. "These are now producing wines which compete with the best sparkling wines and champagnes around the world."

THE MIDAS TOUCH - some of the IWSC winners awarded Gold...

Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2009, Sussex (£46, www.harveynichols.com)

Hugely successful, Nyetimber were the first producer to grow the three champagne grape varieties - chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier - and this blanc de blancs is made entirely from chardonnay. Very fine and elegant, the wine has "floral and lime aromas lead on rich notes of pastry and brioche". On the palate, "fresh citrus flavours are balanced with an underlying minerality and a toasty intensity".

Chapel Down Three Graces 2010, Kent (case of 6, £161.94, www.chapeldown.com)

Chapel Down have been winning critical acclaim for the past decade and this vintage is made from classic champagne grapes. Fresh and balanced, "ripe apple aromas and red berry characters dominate the nose, and the palate is toasty with a crisp, fresh and elegant finish".

Ridgeview Blanc de Noirs 2013, Sussex (£40, www.ridgeview.co.uk)

Ridgeview's sparkling wine has been served at state banquets at Buckingham Palace and this medal winner is made from pinot noir and meunier and shows depth and length with lovely red fruits coming through. "A deep, golden colour with a persistent fine stream of bubbles. Rich, earthy red fruit aromas are followed by a complex toasted palate. The finish is long-lasting and beautifully balanced."

A SPARKLING SUCCESS - tasting delicious and in a supermarket near you...

Leckford Estate Brut 2012, Hampshire (£24.99 from £29.99, now until May 31, Waitrose)

With sales of English and Welsh wine rising by 22% at Waitrose, the supermarket has expanded its already extensive range by a quarter. Leckford Estate is available in 57 branches and has the toasty champagne nuances you may be looking for, but in a crisper, English style. Along with nutty, floral aromas, there's a creamy ripeness to the apple and peachy fruit with a good, fresh finish.

Camel Valley Classic Cuvee 2013, Cornwall (£28, Marks & Spencer)

A Cornish corker, Camel Valley produce consistently good, medal-winning wines and their Classic Cuvee is one of 20 new English wines on the shelves of Marks & Spencer, boosting its range to a total of 37 wines from 14 counties. The Classic Cuvee displays ample apple and citrus fruit flavours with fresh acidity on the crisp, clean palate.

Denbies Broadwood's Folly Brut, Sussex (£14.99, Lidl)

Lidl partnered with Denbies (the UK's largest single vineyard) to introduce their first range of English wines in March and Broadwood's Folly offers excellent value. There are attractive baked apple aromas with a lemon twang and it's fresh and citrusy, but not too tart. Interestingly, the German grape reichensteiner (which fares well in England's cool climate) accounts for 61% of this blend which is topped up with pinot noir and chardonnay.