Hot on the heels of English sparkling wine, English sparkling rosé is now competing at international level with more established winemakers.
Sparkling rosés offer a less intense, more delicate alternative to their white counterparts, but there is still a huge breadth of variety in what’s out there. We’ve taste-tested all these wines, and offered our interpretations of how they taste, along with the regions they are from, the grapes used and a little background on each vineyard so you can make an informed choice.
Looking for a different type of English wine? See our reviews of Best English sparkling wines, best English white wines, and Best English red wines.
Best English sparkling rosés 2022
Bolney Cuvée rosé
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This delicious wine is all a sparkling rosé should be – light, clean and subtley fragrant. It has notes of crisp apple and wild strawberries, with a hint of sweet pastry crumb. Delicious as an aperitif, or with something sweet.
- Grapes: Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
- Region: Sussex
- Vineyard: Bolney Estate is one of England’s oldest and most idyllic vineyards. The vines were planted in the early 1970s by the forward-thinking Lintner family, of which third-generation winemaker Sam is now in charge. And she’s doing an excellent job, with the winery swimming in awards for their sparkling and still wines.
Langham Rosé NV
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This English sparkling rosé from Dorset is not shy or retiring, with a dry, tart flavour and a tang of sharp, crunchy English apples. Grown on south-facing vineyards on fertile chalk soil, the wine blends Pinot Noir (46%), Chardonnay (36%) and Pinot Meunier (18%) grape to punchy effect. Langham recommends enjoying a bottle with light seafood dishes or on its own. MH
- Grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
- Region: Dorset
- Vineyard: Langham Wine Estate is situated on the vast estate of Bingham’s Melcombe manor house on the outskirts of Dorchester. The vines were planted in 2009 at Crawthorne farm on shallow clay loam. The vineyard won Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year at the IWSC 2020, beating renowned French Champagne houses Maison Mumm and Veuve Clicquot.
Buy now from Langham Wine Estate (RRP £32.25)
Balfour Pink Fizz, £4.99
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Fizzy wine in a can often tastes like, well, fizzy wine in a can. This semi-sparkling rose is not sickly sweet, however – it is pleasantly sparkling (not too wild) and mildly fruity, and it disappears quickly. Its real appeal is its convenience – take it on a train, drink it in the park, enjoy it in the bath. Balfour describes is as ‘playful’, and I think that’s right. MH
- Grapes: A blend of 7 varieties, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Bacchus.
- Region: Kent
- Vineyard: Balfour’s now-200 acres of vines were first planted in Hush Heath Estate in 2002 and have gone on to produce world-class sparkling and still wines. In 2007, Balfour’s Brut 2004 Rosé became the first English wine to win a gold medal and the trophy at the International Wine Challenge.
Buy now from Balfour Hush Heath Estate (RRP £4.99)
Chapel Down Brut rosé non-vintage
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This rosé brut is proof that non-vintage wine can be produced at high quality and consistently throughout the years. Light and fragrant, with a fine mousse, it tastes like wild strawberries and lemon tart. One bottle won’t be enough – I’d recommend one for the occasion you’re celebrating, plus one for the fridge, and one for the cupboard. TJ
- Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir
- Region: Kent
- Vineyard: Chapel Down is in Tenterden, one of the loveliest parts of the leafy Kent countryside. It’s most known for its sparkling wine, and is fast becoming a supermarket name.
Hencote Isodora Rosé
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Nicely light and refreshing, at first it felt as if there was not much sparkle to this sparkling rose at all. It is subtle though, and after a few sips it is very pleasant indeed. The flavour is dry and appley, more in keeping with a good cava than much sweeter Proseccos. This would make a nice tea time tipple. RE
- Grapes: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- Region: Shropshire
- Vineyard: Hencote vineyard overlooks the beautiful Shropshire countryside and its ancient woodlands. The first 160 vines here were planted as a hobby operation in 2009, and matured to produce excellent yields. By 2015, the vineyard had expanded to 24,000 vines, and now encompasses a glamping site, wedding venue and restaurant.
Buy now from Hencote (RRP from £35)
More related content:
- Beginner’s guide to English wine
- Best English vineyards to visit in 2022
- Guide to Kent: where to stay and eat, places to visit and best walks
Flint Vineyard, Norfolk
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Hindleap Rose 2016
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Sweet, fresh strawberry on the nose gives way to apricot and peach on the palate as you take your first sip of this refreshing sparkling rose from the edge of the Ashdown Forest in Sussex. The fruity flavours are perfectly balanced with a crisp, dry finish and delicate bubbles that transport you straight to an English summer garden. Made up of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier base wines from an award-winning estate, this is a classy bottle to bring along to any party, or keep it for yourself and indulge in a lazy, hazy afternoon in the sun. CS
- Grapes: Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
- Region: Sussex
- Vineyard: Bluebell Vineyard, at Ashdown estate, began as a pig-farming operation, which like many vineyards took its first tentative steps into winemaking as an amateur sideline. Its first commercial release was in 2007, and now the transition from farming to viticulture is complete with more than 100,000 vines across its estate. Chasselas grapes are more at home in Switzerland: Ashdown is the only vineyard where they are grown in the UK.
Buy now from Waitrose Wine Cellar (RRP £27.99)
Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé Brut 2019
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This faintly pink wine is crisply fruity upfront. The surge of fresh, subtly berry-ish tones is nicely balanced: neither tart nor sweet. This zesty opening burst quickly gives way to a clean, dry finish. Made from Pinot Noir grapes on a hillside west of Bodmin. JP
- Grapes: Pinot noir
- Region: Cornwall
- Vineyard: Tucked away in a beautiful part of Cornwall near Bodmin Moor, Camel Valley has been established since 1989 – long before English sparkling wine swept the boards internationally. Two decades and several awards later, founders Bob and Annie Lindo are still creating wines with the same passion that initially had them up all night crushing the grapes by hand. Its “Cornwall” sparkling wine won gold at the International Wine Awards in 2005 – the only gold medal awarded to a non-Champenoise wine that year.
Buy now from Camel Valley wine shop (RRP £36)
Terlingham Pink (organic)
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Joyful and delicate, this organic sparkling rosé opens with a taste of cherry blossom that gives way to gooseberry and lime flavours. The mousse is fine and consistent, making this an extremely drinkable wine for special occasions, you know, like it being Sunday. Highly recommended. TJ
- Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir
- Region: Kent
- Vineyard: Terlingham vineyard is an organic, biodiverse vineyard that prides itself on its wildlife-rich plantation and ecological viticulture. In its lovely location on the Kent Downs, the owners work in harmony with the environment, using traditional low-intervention methods to produce award-winning wines.
Buy now from Terlingham wine shop (RRP £28.50)
Flint Charmat Rosé
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This delightfully light rosé has notes of cherry and lemon, with a fine mousse and a faint pine finish. Would pair well with nocellero olives, subtle seafood such as monkfish or scallops, and gooseberry tart. TJ
- Grapes: Rondo, Solaris, Reichensteiner, Bacchus, Cabernet Cortis, Pinot Noir
- Region: Norfolk
- Vineyard: Flint vineyard was founded by Ben Witchell and his wife Hannah in 2015. Witchell gave up a job in IT to study winemaking, spending time working in wineries in Sussex and France to learn the craft. It’s his passion and experience that drives the wines at Flint – and makes it an exciting new English producer, and definitely one to watch.
Buy now from Flint Vineyard (RRP £25)
Balfour Hush Heath Estate Brut Rosé 2018
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Very easy drinking on a sunny day, this pale-pink sparkling rosé has a delightful crisp acidity and is refreshingly light. The 16th vintage of this wine from Balfour, it’s made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, all grown in their own Kent vineyard. The wine’s high price reflects the small batch size and the fact 2018 was one of the best years in English viticultural history. One for a special occasion, it’s delicate with a floral aroma, with notes of cranberry, redcurrant and other ripe red fruit flavours on the palate. Delicious! MB
- Grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
- Region: Kent
- Vineyard: Balfour’s now-200 acres of vines were first planted in Hush Heath Estate in 2002 and have gone on to produce world-class sparkling and still wines. In 2007, Balfour’s Brut 2004 Rosé became the first English wine to win a gold medal and the trophy at the International Wine Challenge.
Buy now from Waitrose Wine Cellar (RRP £40)
Roebuck Estate Rose de Noirs 2016
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Delicious aperitif that has notes of apricot and strawberry, and jasmine and rose on the nose. Light enough to be drunk before a meal, but would pair well with gooseberry tart or creme brulee. TJ
- Grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Précoce
- Region: Sussex
- Vineyard: Roebuck planted its first vines in 2006 on a vast slope near Petworth, looking down towards the South Downs. Since then, it has expanded its area to several other sites across the South-East, making the most of the flint, clay and sandy soils that make this area so perfect for winemaking.
Buy now from Roebuck wine shop (RRP from £42)
Maud Heath pinot noir
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Fresh and zesty, with aromas of fuzzy peach, raspberries and warm baked bread. It has a fine mousse and is wonderful paired with seafood. TJ
- Grapes: Pinot Noir
- Region: Wiltshire
- Vineyard: Maud Heath vineyard is nestled in its own little microclimate on the bucolic hillside that overlooks Maud Heath’s causeway near Tytherton village, Wiltshire.
Buy now from Maud Heath (RRP £38)