Gutter & Stars Strange News From Another Star

Bacchus is a white wine grape that’s been created by crossing Müller-Thurgau with a Silvaner/Riesling cross. It’s a hardy variety that ripens early and does not require much in the way of specifics of its planting site.

Bacchus does particularly well in the UK climate and is considered the 'poster grape' for the UK wine industry. It is now also the 4^th most planted grape in the country after Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

The cooler climate in England means that grapes retain a higher acidity and yields are lower, giving varietal wines of decent quality, somewhat in a Sauvignon Blanc-like style. English Bacchus wines often fall somewhere between the typical French and New Zealand styles of Sauvignon Blanc.

It’s no secret that English Sparkling Wines can stand up to – and often beat – the likes of Champagne. In fact, some of the big Champagne houses are now buying plots of land in the UK for their own vineyards, which is certainly saying something! English still wines are now also gaining a reputation for their high quality – and rightfully so – being full of energy and vibrant acidity.

We’ve spent a lot of time visiting vineyards and winemakers around the country, getting excited about the wines they’re producing. So much so, that our range of English and Welsh wines at Tivoli Wines has grown from a handful of bottles to well over 100.

Just because it’s English, that doesn’t mean we’ll add it to our range. We search for wines that demonstrate quality, uniqueness and value for money.