It’s English Wine Week and there’s now one more reason to raise a glass of Sussex sparkling wine. It has just been awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status from the Ministry for Farming, Fisheries and Food.
A product with a PDO means that it’s made in a particular way and comes from a specified region. It represents a guarantee to consumers that the product they’re buying is the real thing and prevents imitations.
Top wineries including Nyetimber, Bolney Estate and Rathfinny Estate all make wines in the region and will soon have another layer of protection in the form of the Sussex Sparkling Wine PDO that they can add to their bottles.
Sussex currently has just under 50 wineries and – like many of the extraordinary English sparkling wines out there – has gained well-deserved international recognition. Its still wines are gaining momentum too. As the region gains accolades, awards and wineries, the only way is up and it continues to produce some of the finest sparkling wine in the world, giving top Champagne cuvées a run for their money.
Another element the Sussex PDO highlights is the difference in terroir in English winemaking by drawing a clear line between them and others made in Kent or Surrey.
Simon Thorpe, CEO of WineGB, commented on the new PDO: ‘The approval of a PDO for wines grown and made in Sussex comes at an important time for English and Welsh wines… There has never been more interest in and demand for our wines and the reputation they have gained in both domestic and international markets is based on high quality viticulture and winemaking excellence.’