English still working on it – with one exception

It is often observed that the occasional non-sparkling wines of the Champagne region provide a most compelling argument in favour of bottle fermentation. The same is largely true for England: while English fizz routinely sparkles, English still wine too often falls flat.

Many of the wines I tasted at the recent English Wine Producers' generic tasting in London did nothing to benefit the category, being aromatically underripe and punishingly acidic. However, many more were perfectly well made with modern, ripe fruit and refreshing balance – but usually a price that simply does not stack up on a global scale. It...