English Sparkling Wine, like other bubblies, is best served chilled. It’s one of our bugbears that a producer can have spent months slaving away in the vineyard and winery, and the wine left maturing in the bottle for years, only for its potentially delicious aromas and flavours to be masked by being served at totally the wrong temperature.
However, serving English Sparkling Wine straight out of the fridge is not the optimal solution! Most fridges are set at around 5 degrees Celsius, which is too cold. At that temperature, a lot of the aromas and flavours are not revealed. The wine can seem blander than it really is.
On the other hand, if you served an English Sparkling Wine at room temperature, it wouldn’t have the trademark freshness that is one of its most delightful feature.
The sweet spot depends on the style and quality of the wine. Lighter English Sparkling Wine, often those with a higher Chardonnay content or with less time on lees, are best served at 8-10 degrees. For more complex, richer styles, perhaps with a higher percentage of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, 10-12 degrees might be more appropriate. Sparkling Rosés and Blanc de Noirs are normally best served in this higher temperature range.
Glassware for English Sparkling Wine
Another factor in serving English Sparkling Wines is the glassware. Currently, the Champagne flute is the default option for serving sparkling wines, including English Sparkling Wines. This is certainly better than the “coupé” glass that was fashionable centuries ago. The enormous surface area of these glasses means that the bubbles dissipate far too quickly. Also, the aromas aren’t concentrated in one spot.
It’s worth trying a standard wine glass for your English Sparkling Wine. The wider glass and space above the liquid allows for more aromas to gather than the Champagne flute, without being as open as the coupé. Additionally, you will want to consider what food, if any, to serve alongside your English Sparkling Wines! Without exception, English Sparkling Wines are great aperitifs, fabulous to drink alone before food. However, they are also delightful with lots of vegetarian and fish canapés. Try it with crab sandwiches! And, believe it or not, they are the perfect accompaniment for that classic English dish, fish and chips!
