English sparkling wine is excellent. Expensive, yes, and difficult to get outside of the UK, but lots of appeal, especially from the established names (Nyetimber, Ridgeview, etc). I like the standard NV of this Pommery England Brut, and I like the Louis Pommery England Brut Rosé NV, too. Now, I hate reviewing NV wines with no disgorgement date because it’s a lottery of what you’ll get in your bottle, but this is a new release, so you can expect freshness. Cool lifted pink fruit, in that powdered pink soft mode you see in good sparking rosé. Interestingly, the blend here is Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier + Pinot Gris, which is unexpected (the Gris part in particular), but hey, it works. Classy, light and delicate with a little red fruit, it’s not intense or profound (hence the score), though fresh and generous enough without feeling sweet. It’s a little too clean and linear for really big points, but it is a more than viable Champagne alternative with excellent vitality.

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: now
• Score (out of 20): 17.5
• Score (out of 100): 91
• Alcohol %: 12.3
• RRP (in $AUD): 84
• Winery website: https://www.louis-pommery.com/
• Would I buy it?: I’d go several glasses