Kent wine communicator Natalia Suta on why homegrown wines are the fizz to choose this festive season

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There was a time when celebrating Christmas in style meant one thing: Champagne. If you wanted to toast the season, impress your guests or survive your in-laws with dignity, only a French cork would do.

But the times, as they say, are a-changing and the fizz coming out of England is now more than holding its own. At this year’s London Wine Fair, a blind tasting dubbed the Battle of the Bubbles quietly made history. English sparkling wines went head-to-head with several top Champagnes and came out on top, proving that our home-grown producers are officially playing in the big leagues.

Kent, in particular, has become a fizz-lover’s paradise. Its chalky soils and rolling south-facing slopes share the same geological DNA as Champagne, while its temperate climate mirrors what the French region enjoyed a couple of decades ago. In other words, Kent is making the kind of wines Champagne once did, only with a distinctly English edge. So, if you’re planning to raise a glass this season, here are three brilliant bottles to make your festivities sparkle for all the right reasons (@_winerocks )

The Classic Route: Gusbourne Brut Reserve

If one was to capture the spirit of an English Christmas in a single bottle, it would surely be Gusbourne Brut Reserve. Based in Appledore in south Kent, Gusbourne has been setting the benchmark for English fizz since 2004, amassing global acclaim and rather audibly giving Champagne a run for its money along the way.

Made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the Brut Reserve is crafted using the traditional method where the second fermentation happens inside the bottle, giving the wine that fine, elegant bead of bubbles. It then spends about 26 months resting on its fine lees - the spent yeast left after fermentation, which slowly breaks down over time to enrich the wine with creamy texture and aromas of brioche, pastry and roasted nuts. In the glass, it’s poised and polished, with notes of baked apple, lemon zest and toasted cobnut unfolding into hints of shortbread and spice.

It’s a wine made for celebration, with a wonderful versatility that’s tailor-made for the festive table. The bright acidity will cut beautifully through the richness of roast turkey and buttery sides, while nutty notes will echo the flavours of stuffing and roast potatoes. It will be equally at home with smoked salmon blinis or oysters to start, with the fine bubbles refreshing the palate between each bite. Later on, when the cheese board makes its appearance, that gentle creaminess will soften the tang of Cheddar or the saltiness of blue cheese.

Charmat Chic: Silverhand Estate Silver Reign

If you like your festive fizz with a playful kind of energy, Silverhand Estate Silver Reign is one to have chilling and ready to pour. Silverhand Estate, near Maidstone, is the largest single organic vineyard in the UK and part of a new generation of Kent producers doing things differently, championing a modern, fruit-forward style that celebrates purity and place.

The wine is made using the Charmat method, better known for its role in creating Italy’s most joyful Proseccos. Instead of fermenting in the bottle, the second fermentation takes place in a sealed, pressurised tank, preserving the pure, vibrant fruit character and producing a brisk, lively sparkle. The wine is brimming with ripe strawberry, white peach and pink grapefruit, lifted by a hint of blossom and a crisp, refreshing finish.

It’s the sort of fizz that was made for grazing and good company. Its lively sparkle and fresh fruitiness make it the perfect match for party canapés - anything crisp, salty or a little indulgent. It will happily cut through the sweetness of glazed festive ham, while a handful of salted nuts will bring out its juicy, peachy side. In fact, it’s just the thing to have open when the board games come out and the snacks appear.

Pretty in Pink: Squerryes Sparkling Rosé

There’s something irresistibly festive about a glass of pink fizz, and Squerryes Sparkling Rosé captures that feeling with grace and joy. From their family estate high on Kent’s North Downs, the Warde family produce wine guided by their motto Licet Esse Beatis - ‘it is permitted to be joyful’ - and this bottle feels like a pure expression of that spirit.

Made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, it’s produced using the traditional method and spends an impressive 29 months on its lees for extra depth and finesse. The delicate pale pink hue comes from gentle whole-bunch pressing, which allows a brief moment of contact between the juice and the red grape skins (which is where all the colour hides!) before fermentation.

It’s just enough to lend a hint of colour and subtle structure while preserving the wine’s hallmark freshness. In the glass, it’s elegant and precise, with aromas of redcurrant, ripe strawberry and raspberry, lifted by notes of pink grapefruit and a touch of cream and minerality.

It’s a beautifully versatile choice for festive entertaining. The wine’s bright acidity and fine bubbles will cut through the richness of roast duck and its red-berry fruit will mirror the sweetness of a cranberry glaze. The creamy texture makes it a natural companion for soft, mellow cheeses, while those juicy berry notes will come alive alongside fruity desserts like pavlova or poached pears.