“Jacob Leadley and Zoë Driver have slam-dunked it yet again with another glorious, head-tossing, racy yet rich and iridescently colourful wine.” –JancisRobinson.com, 17.5 points

“Very stylish.” - Jamie Goode, 92 points 

Lucia writes: Over the past decade, English sparkling wine has gone from curious upstart to serious contender — and not by accident. With chalk soils strikingly similar to those of Champagne and a warming climate, a new generation of ambitious, technically brilliant winemakers in the southern chalk belt have quietly closed the gap on their French counterparts. The result? Wines with beautifully pure fruit and a precision that feels distinctly English rather than imitative. Blind-tasted, they increasingly hold their own against top cuvées from Champagne — and occasionally outshine them. Which is precisely why, when a milestone birthday for my better half rolled around last month, the (entirely self-imposed) pressure was on to deliver something suitably memorable. Sensibly, I decided that any celebration worth its salt should begin with a glass of fizz — but then thought, why stop there? Better, surely, to build the entire weekend around it. So rather than play it safe, I went all in — and made Black Chalk Winery, in Hampshire, the centrepiece.

Things got off to a flying start with a bottle of their delicious Classic Brut 2022, enjoyed while barbecuing on the balcony of our treehouse hideaway, looking out over Black Chalk’s prized Hide vineyard — not a bad way to set the tone. The following day, we leaned in properly: a tour through the vines and winery, followed by a leisurely tasting (with charcuterie and cheese doing their bit) in the café-cum-tasting room, working our way through both still and sparkling wines. And then, the pièce de résistance: a surprise party in Black Chalk’s loft-like event space, fuelled by free-flowing glasses of their glorious Wild Rose Brut 2022.

I was already a fan before that weekend, but it would take something very special indeed to knock Black Chalk off its perch at the very top of my English sparkling tree. In my humble opinion, these are among the finest English sparkling wines on the market, and we hope you will agree when you taste them.


Press reviews:

Jancis Robinson MW: “Very pale peachy pink. Opulently fruity nose. There’s some real delicacy and complexity to this thoroughly satisfying wine with no shortage of fruit but truly refreshing acidity. A suggestion of rose petals. Beautifully balanced. I’ll be proud to show this at the 2026 Weekend FT Festival at Kenwood. Drink now-2031” 17.5 points

JancisRobinson.com (Tamlyn Currin): “Pale pink but there is nothing pale about the nose! It smells remarkably intense, of guava and membrillo. And it tastes just as gorgeously ripe and intense, silky succulent with flavour. Jacob Leadley and Zoë Driver have slam-dunked it yet again with another glorious, head-tossing, racy yet rich and iridescently colourful wine. It’s a wine that manages to be unapologetically bold while retaining innate elegance. As with previous vintages, the dosage is pitch-perfect. I was so impressed at how well this went with a Korean pork-belly kimchi jjigae – a dish ferociously loaded with all the kinds fiery and intense ingredients that wine tends to be terrible with: anchovies, gochugaru chilli spice, gochujang chilli paste, green onions, kimchi… Wild Rose simply leaned in, laughed and danced. It is also one of my favourite pink sparkling wines for roast beef or lean venison fillet. You can play fast and loose and daring with food pairings here.” 17.5 points

Jamie Goode: “Very pale in colour. This is bright and fresh with nice redcurrant and lime character. Pure and linear with great acidity, showing amazing precision and focus. Tart, but beautifully balanced, this is such a chiselled wine.” 92 points

Vinous: “The 2022 Brut Rose Wild Rose is a blend of 57% Pinot Noir, 36% Pinot Meunier and 7% Chardonnay from Hampshire, grown in chalk. The wine spent just under two years on less. It comes in a pale pink colour and presents fresh citrus on the nose. Smooth, cool, brisk balance defines the slender palate where supple, smooth but tart berries slumber, teasing with their aroma. What an elegant, light-footed, beautifully aromatic and understated wine. Savour it slowly so you catch all the delicious nuances. Dosage is 6 grams per litre. Disgorged April 2025.” 91 points

Grape Blend: 47% Pinot Meunier, 28% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir