English Sparkling Wine: Hold, Drink, or Sell?
Updated
Deciding whether to hold, drink, or sell your English sparkling wine requires understanding its characteristics and market dynamics. While specific data for English sparkling wine varies, insights from the broader fine sparkling wine market, particularly Champagne, offer a valuable framework for your decision-making. Factors such as production method, optimal storage conditions, serving recommendations, and market performance all play a role. For example, the traditional method of production, common to many fine sparkling wines, dictates aging potential and quality. Proper storage ensures the wine retains its attributes, and understanding market trends helps assess its value for potential sale or investment. Consider these principles as you evaluate your collection.
How does the production method influence aging potential?
The production method significantly influences a sparkling wine's aging potential. A traditional method, formerly known as méthode champenoise or méthode classique, produces Champagne. This involves a secondary alcoholic fermentation occurring in the bottle after primary fermentation and bottling. Adding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and rock sugar to the bottle induces this second fermentation, though each brand has its own recipe. The appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) rules for Champagne require a minimum of 15 months for non-vintage Champagne to fully develop its flavor. For exceptional harvest years, a millésime is declared, and vintage Champagne, made from grapes of a single vintage, must mature for at least three years. During this time, the Champagne bottle is sealed with a crown cap, similar to those used on beer bottles.
After aging, a process called remuage (riddling) manipulates the bottle, either manually or mechanically, to settle the lees in the neck. The neck is then frozen, and the cap removed in a process called disgorgement. The pressure in the bottle, which Is six bar (90 psi), forces out the ice containing the lees. Some wine from previous vintages and additional sugar, known as le dosage, is then added to maintain the bottle's level and adjust the finished wine's sweetness. The bottle is then quickly corked to maintain carbon dioxide in solution.
These labor-intensive steps contribute to the complexity and longevity of Champagne. For this style, you can assess the aging potential by considering whether it follows similar methods and by weighing its specific vintage characteristics.
What are the optimal storage conditions for sparkling wine?
Optimal storage conditions are crucial for preserving the quality of any fine sparkling wine, including this style. Comité Champagne advises that bottles of Champagne can be stored upright or on their sides in a cool place, at a constant temperature between 10 and 15°C. Humidity must be high and constant, between 60% and 80%, according to Comité Champagne. The bottles must also be protected from light, vibrations, and odors, and the storage place must be well ventilated. If these conditions are met, Champagne will keep its attributes for a long time, Comité Champagne states.
The grower or house already ages Champagne for at least 15 months in the cellars before selling it, so it is ready to enjoy. You can still keep it for several more years by following these rules, Comité Champagne notes. Applying these principles to your English sparkling wine collection will help ensure its longevity and quality. For more detailed guidance on preserving your collection, explore our comprehensive guide on how to store wine.
When is English sparkling wine ready to drink, and how should it be served?
Knowing when your English sparkling wine is ready to drink and how to serve it properly enhances the experience. Champagne, having already been aged for at least 15 months, is ready to be enjoyed when purchased, Comité Champagne explains.
For serving, Champagne should be drunk chilled to appreciate its finesse and aromas fully, but not ice-cold, according to Comité Champagne. The ideal temperature for a bottle of Champagne is between 8-10°C, a range also cited. To achieve this, Comité Champagne suggests placing the bottle in an ice bucket half-filled with water and ice for 20 to 30 minutes before serving, or in the bottom of the fridge a few hours prior. Chilling in an ice bucket also helps ensure the Champagne is less gassy and can be opened without spillage.
Regarding glassware, Comité Champagne advises choosing a tall, bulbous glass with a narrow top, shaped like a tulip, as these are best suited to expressing Champagne's full character and allowing its aromas and fine bubbles to deploy. The traditional flute's purpose is to reduce surface area, preserving carbonation and maximizing nucleation. While flutes or coupes can be used for their sophistication, Comité Champagne does not consider them best for expressing the wine's full character.
When opening a bottle, take care not to hurt anyone, as the pressure can send the cork flying, Comité Champagne warns. The expanding gases are supersonic. To reduce risk, hold the cork firmly and rotate the bottle gently, removing the cork from the neck without letting it escape, Comité Champagne advises. We also suggest holding the bottle at an angle to allow air in and prevent geysering. Napoleonic Guard's hussars originally performed sabering, a risky and potentially dangerous technique, according to Comité Champagne. If attempting sabrage, protect the hand holding the bottle with a napkin or glove and ensure the Champagne is very cold, Comité Champagne states.
Pouring should be done in two stages: first a small quantity to allow aeration, then slowly and regularly filling the glass two-thirds full, Comité Champagne recommends. A study by scientists from the University of Reims, cited, found that pouring sparkling wine while tilting the glass at an angle and gently sliding the liquid along the side preserves the most bubbles, as opposed to pouring directly down. Colder bottle temperatures also result in reduced gas loss.
If you have an unfinished bottle, seal it using a stopper cap designed for sparkling wines and put it in a cool place, upright or on its side, Comité Champagne advises. An open bottle will not keep for long, and the idea that a spoon in the neck preserves bubbles is not true, Comité Champagne clarifies.
What market factors affect the value of English sparkling wine?
Various market factors influence the value of any fine wine, including this style. For Champagne, we identify several general factors influencing its price: the limited land of the region, the prestige it has developed worldwide, and the high cost of the production process.
The Comité Champagne industry trade group expects the Champagne industry to sell 314 million bottles in 2023, a 3.7% decrease from the previous year, as reported by Bloomberg News. While nightclub markets remain strong, consumption of Champagne in the home is losing ground. Total Champagne shipments reached 325.5 million bottles, valued at 6.8 billion EUR, Comité Champagne reports. Of this, 42.5% of the volume and 34% of the value are from sales in France, while exports account for 57.5% of the volume and 66% of the value, according to Comité Champagne.
The top ten external markets for Champagne, by volume, are:
| No. | Country | Volume (million bottles) | Value (million EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 34.1 | 793.5 |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 29.9 | 503.6 |
| 3 | Japan | 13.8 | 354.5 |
| 4 | Germany | 11.1 | 201.9 |
| 5 | Belgium | 10.3 | 200.1 |
| 6 | Australia | 9.9 | 166.9 |
| 7 | Italy | 9.2 | 159.9 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 6.1 | 125.6 |
| 9 | Spain | 4.4 | 94.0 |
| 10 | Netherlands | 3.9 | 79.7 |
This data, from Comité Champagne, illustrates the global demand and market distribution for Champagne. For this style, understanding its position relative to these established markets, and its own unique supply and demand dynamics, is key. You can track the broader market performance of fine wines, including this style, through our live fine wine market index. When considering selling, our guide on how to sell fine wine offers further advice.
How do sweetness levels and bottle formats impact sparkling wine?
Sweetness levels and bottle formats are important characteristics that can influence the appeal and aging of sparkling wines. For Champagne, adding liqueur de dosage or liqueur d'expédition after disgorgement adjusts the sweetness of the finished wine. That liqueur is a blend of typically cane sugar and wine. This mixture can contain up to 750 grams of sugar per liter, though today, dosage is used to fine-tune acidity rather than for sweetness itself. Caroline Latrive, cellar master of Ayala, states that dosage is the final touch and must be subtle to achieve the right balance. Benoît Gouez, cellar master of Moët & Chandon, notes that sugar helps Champagne recover from the oxidative shock of disgorgement and contributes to its aging potential.
Sugar levels classify sparkling wines:
| Sweetness Level | Sugar per Litre (Champagne) |
|---|---|
| Extra Brut | Less than 6 grams |
| Brut | Less than 12 grams |
| Extra Dry | Between 12 and 17 grams |
| Sec | Between 17 and 32 grams |
| Demi-sec | Between 32 and 50 grams |
| Doux | More than 50 grams |
Comité Champagne provide this classification. Brut is the most common style today. Wines labeled Brut Zero have no added sugar and are very dry, with less than three grams of residual sugar per liter. Historically, 19th-century Champagne was much sweeter, with terms like Goût anglais (22-66 grams), Goût américain (110-165 grams), Goût français (165-200 grams), and Goût russe (200-300 grams) describing sweetness by destination country.
Bottle sizes also play a role. Champagne is mostly fermented in standard (750 milliliters) and magnum (1.5 liters) sizes. Magnums are generally thought to be higher quality due to less oxygen in the bottle and a favorable volume-to-surface-area ratio for bubble creation, though There is no hard evidence for this view. Other larger bottle sizes, often named after Biblical figures, are generally filled with Champagne fermented in standard bottles or magnums. These include Jeroboam (3 liters), Methuselah (6 liters), Salmanazar (9 liters), Balthazar (12 liters), Primat (27 liters), and Melchizedek (30 liters). The House Drappier exclusively offered the latter two as of 2002.
For this style, understanding its sweetness level and bottle format can inform your decision to drink or hold.
Explore the diverse world of fine wine producers, including those crafting exceptional English sparkling wine, with our producer atlas.