It’s been another brilliant month of English Wine adventures. I’ve tasted lots of superb new releases, many of which will feature in next month’s festive-themed round-up, but that’s not to say that this month’s selection is any less compelling.

On the sparkling side, I have two very different takes on rosé, beginning with the Bluestone Saignée Rosé 2020 (£55.00) and its beautiful deep, alluring textures. Rathfinny Rosé 2019 (£43.00) is a more delicate, understated take, which lends itself nicely to food pairing. And proving that big is always better, Busi Jacobsohn Magnum Cuvée Extra Brut 2020 (£89.00) is a first large format release from Busi, with precise orchard fruit and delicate softness.

For this month’s still wine selection, I was in search of England’s ‘next big thing’. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have already proven themselves in the hands of the right winemaker, but there is a growing diversity of both internationally known and lesser-known grapes being grown. I sampled everything from Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc to Solaris, Divico and Cabaret Noir. Some were more successful than others, and the three that I settled on for this article all left quite an impression. Woodchester Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (£27.00) once again impresses with its British take on the classic variety. Then Artelium Artefact #9 Cabaret Noir 2023 (£30.00) impressed with its deep inky hues, rich red and black fruit concentration and woody spiced notes. Winbirri Solaris 2022 (£19.50) is a more classic expression, with expansive peach and tropical notes as well as bursts of lime.

Bluestone Saignée Rosé 2020

Every so often, even in the increasingly crowded market of great English sparkling wines, something stops you in your tracks and commands your attention. This Saignée Rosé 2020 from Bluestone is one of those wines. It was one of the highlights of the WineGB trade tasting last month, so it was a joy to spend a bit more time with its deep, colourful and complex charms.

A blend of 60.5% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 2.5% Pinot Meunier, made in the Saignée method, this intensely coloured wine is bled off following contact with the skins. Saignée sparkling rosés often have deep colours and powerful, complex flavour profiles. And I happen to love this style.

The nose immediately draws you in, with wild strawberries and macerated red berry flavours that recall the very ripest red berries of the summer. There are also hints of cherry shortbread and winter spice.

And then the palate hits you like a strawberry explosion – the fruit is so ripe, rich and concentrated; this is not a rosé wine that holds back in any way. But then a low dosage of 4g/l allows the crystalline acidity and subtle minerality to shine, with leaner, crunchier notes of cranberry and pomegranate – sublime.

Busi-Jacobsohn Magnum Cuvée Extra Brut 2020

Made from a particularly ripe vintage (2020 was one of the best on record for England), this is Busi Jacobsohn’s first foray into larger format sparkling – and what a wine to start with!

This red grape-dominant cuvée is a blend of 30% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier. It is a precise and pure expression, with a dosage of just 2g/l to allow that lovely ripe fruit to speak.

On the nose there’s lots of orchard fruit, both red and green apples, with hints of riper stone fruit and lemon zestiness.

Low dosage English wines can be bracing at times, but what impressed me about this is how composed it was. The fruit was at the forefront and not the acidity. There are lots of crunchy apple flavours but also deliciously ripe peach and nectarine layers, as well as a chalky minerality, zesty lemon and a really appealing lingering smokiness.

Rathfinny Rosé Brut 2019

Rathfinny is one of Sussex’s most ambitious wine estates, and their Rosé has always appealed with its angular precision. The 2019 vintage is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 22% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier.

This vintage is a rosé of two halves. On the surface, this delicate, pale rosé is borderline austere when drank solo. But I found it really comes into its element when paired with food.

There are aromas of cranberry and raspberry on the nose, with delicate hints of grapefruit and rose petals.

The palate is crisp and lean; 2019 was quite a cool vintage and this wine stays true to Rathfinny’s house style of low dosage – 5g/l. I paired this with a creamy fish pie which brought taut, tangy red berry flavours as well as a juicier core of red apple to the fore.

Woodchester Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2023

I’ve always been impressed with Woodchester Valley’s still wines, particularly their whites, but even so this Sauvignon Blanc is a really pleasant surprise compared to many other examples I’ve tried. Harvested from just 2,000 vines from the steepest vineyard, Woodchester’s Sauvignon Blanc famously won a Master medal at the Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2022.

This begins with a brilliant, aromatic nose that’s full of grassy freshness with lime zest, gooseberry and tropical fruits.

The palate has a lovely crunch to it, lots of crisp green fruit and zingy lime, with touches of pungent tropical fruit. There are recognisable Sauvignon Blanc characteristics, but also a distinctive herbaceous edge and English hedgerow note, with a slightly smoky toasted lime grip on the finish.

Artelium Artefact #9 Cabaret Noir 2023

One of a trio of wines from Artelium’s latest Artefact series, a premium range of still wines that express profound texture and depth. This is a wine made from the little-known Cabernet Sauvignon cross called Cabaret Noir (not to be confused with the other grape variety with Swiss origins, Cabernet Noir, which is a Cabernet hybrid).

The wine was aged for six months in both American and Burgundian barriques, resulting in a nose that is packed full of blackberry, black cherry and mocha spiced oak.

The palate is punchy, with a pronounced tart black fruit and bright acidity, and the promised oak and mocha spice. There’s also a lovely perfumed violet and plum skin quality, with deeper notes of tobacco and a pronounced tannin that really gives the wine presence.

This is a really interesting wine and really demonstrates the potential of Cabaret Noir which, until now, was a relatively unknown entity for me. It will now be remembered for the depth, mysterious smokiness and intense black fruit that the Artelium exhibits.

Winbirri Solaris 2022

Solaris is starting to garner a lot of attention from me, particularly those coming from Norfolk. Winbirri has been one of the true pioneers of the grape; Lee Dyer’s Solaris has always been good, but this is particularly special thanks to the warmth and ripeness of the 2022 English vintage.

Light gold in the glass, the nose is a fusion of fleshy stone fruit, zesty citrus and ripe tropical fruit, with a distinct sprinkling of spice and orange blossom.

The palate is full and profound, beginning with a burst of lemon and grapefruit before plush peach and nectarine and tropical fruit take over. There’s also distinct acidity throughout that cuts through all the ripe fruit – this is both rich and accomplished.

It’s a versatile food wine, too: I served it with a sweet and salty chicken teriyaki dish and the wine danced perfectly around all that umami goodness.