Louis Pommery, Brut England, Hampshire, England

This is the first English sparkling wine from a Champagne house to hit the market - although it's the result of a collaboration with Hattingley Valley, using their facilities to make the wine from grapes purchased from Hampshire, Essex and Sussex. Pommery expect to be making wine from their own recently planted 40ha vineyard in Hampshire in the next 6-8 years. This has a fresh nose of green apple, chalk and dough, while the palate has a juicy lemon, lime and apple character, with subtle honeyed stone fruits in the background. The bubbles are well integrated, and there's a delightful saline finish. Well balanced.