English wines for St George’s Day

By Hamish Anderson

2011 Three Choirs 'Regalia’ £6, Asda 

Sales of British wines surged in 2012 with the jubilee and the Olympics, but more important was the boost to their credibility – they are no longer oddities. Regalia, an exclusive blend for Asda, epitomises the white wines from these shores, with elderflowers and cut grass jumping from the glass. Ideal warm-weather quaffing. 

2011 Biddenden Gamay, Kent £9.45, Biddenden Vineyards 

Now this is an oddity – an English red that I can wholeheartedly recommend. Getting red grapes sufficiently ripe on these shores is tough. Gamay is the grape responsible for Beaujolais, and Biddenden has fashioned a delicate, strawberry-and-spice infused beauty. Lightly chill and drink at a summer picnic. 

2008 Nyetimber Rosé, West Sussex £45, Waitrose 

The sign of a great bottle is how it is drunk, and this stopped my dinner guests in their tracks; everyone wanted to know what it was. Scented with redcurrants and raspberries, it unfolds into a round, creamy, citrus-laden glass that is simultaneously very serious and a joy to drink. The best English sparkling rosé I have tried. /Telegraph