Sussex sparkling wines to fill your glass with festive cheer

It’s that time of year again. As the leaves fall from the trees and the nights draw in, the annual traditions of untangling fairy lights and unpacking decorations begin.

Christmas is coming and with it comforting and glorious festive nostalgia: the crackle of the fire, the crunch of roasted nuts and, of course, the pop and pour of sparkling wine. 

From opulent Blanc de Noirs with umami richness to finessed Blanc de Blancs with refreshing sorbet, sparkling wines are synonymous with celebrating the season.

There are many options out there. But this year, you shouldn’t look any further than Sussex for a sparkling wine to toast the day - many of which can be found in our 2023 Christmas Case. 

If you like rich and complex sparkling wine

There are a few ways wine can catch a sparkle. But there are none more worthy of celebration than the traditional method.

It is a process that should not be rushed. Time and patience are required. The best wines are left on their Lees for months and in the case of Artelium’s wines up to five years. This ageing in the cellar gives richness and texture to the wine that you simply cannot achieve through other methods. 

All of Artelium’s sparklings are Traditional Method. And none capture the indulgence of the style quite like our Blanc de Noirs 2014. 

The time in the cellar gives this wine aromas of warm, fresh bread and wild raspberries, whilst on the palate crunchy red apples and juicy pears come to the fore. The age of the sparkling gives gentle and persistent bubbles.

Go for the most awarded - it’s Christmas after all 

We are blessed that Sussex is home to some world-class sparkling wines. A combination of South Down chalk and talented makers means this emerging Wineland is fast gaining a reputation internationally as an exciting cool climate wine region. 

But no wine captures the beauty of the county like our Blanc de Blancs 2015. Regarded as one of the greatest English wines, this sparkling was awarded the Supreme Champion trophy at the WineGB 2022 awards. 

It’s soft mouse and delicate mouthfeel, comes with concentrated and refreshing lemon sorbet flavours and a long finish. Good to drink now but could be aged for years to come. 

Make it memorable. Make it pink.

Winemakers are masters of manipulating grapes into delicious drink. But nothing comes out quite as eye-catching and glorious as a Rosé Sparkling wine. 

Taking the black grape varieties in from the vineyard, the grapes are pressed and then rest for a period with the clear juice picking up colour and flavours from the skins. 

Our Makers Rosé 2015 captures the colours of the festive season in a glass, with an intense strawberry colour, and bold yet nuanced red fruit flavours. 

Pair it perfectly with Christmas Day 

If like many of us you start your Christmas morning with an indulgent breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, you can't go wrong with our beautifully fresh Curators Cuveé 2018 having the perfect level of acidity to handle the saltiness of smoked salmon.