English Pinot Noir – the next big thing?

The excellence of English sparkling wine is barely even newsworthy now. But whither non-sparkling? White has long been presumed to be the logical choice for our cool climate – but on the evidence of the annual English Wine Producers recent generic tasting, many whites are disappointing for their price. International varieties are underwhelming, and while crosses such as Bacchus can do well, they would probably flounder in comparison with similarly priced Loire Sauvignon or German Riesling.

The Pinot Noir reds, however, were impressive. Not all them excel, of course – but that is true of Pinot Noir from anywhere. Generally...