Saturday 15th November 2025 • Promotional Content
Festive Travel, Days Out & Attractions Christmas Unwrapped
Forget prosecco — this English fizz is the new Christmas essential
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Flint Vineyard Charmat is an English sparkling wine that feels different and is different. It’s not from a supermar- ket and not on everyone’s table. It’s for the host who wants something more interesting. For the guest who doesn’t want to arrive with the same bottle as everyone else.
WHAT IS ENGLISH CHARMAT? It’s difficult to find a sparkling wine that’s both affordable and special enough to suit any occasion. Let’s be honest, all too often we find ourselves going for the easy option: that well known, reliable Italian fizz. But there’s an alternative choice.
most English sparkling wines. Te bubbles
Charmat is made differently are
naturally
to produced
by yeast in a tank, locking in the bright, crisp and juicy character of the fruit. Charmat is lively, fruit- forward and meant to be enjoyed young — it tastes amazing.
WHY IS FLINT VINEYARD CHARMAT SO GOOD? Flint Vineyard was the first English winery to make a sparkling wine in the Italian way, using its namesake, the charmat method. Wine writer Matthew Jukes says of the Flint Charmat: “Tis is by far and
Tis beauty tramples over a wagonload of traditional-method fizz with its perfume, palate and lip- smacking finish
away the most thoughtful and enticing charmat in the land. And before you cock a snook at this style of sparkler, this beauty tramples over a wagonload of traditional-method fizz with its per- fume, palate and lip-smacking finish.” Flint’s winemaker, Ben Witchell
has a growing reputation for creating some of the UK’s most exciting wines and has been described as a ‘bal- ance maestro’, referring to his knack of creating magic through the care- ful selection and blending of grapes. Te blend in the charmat is diverse but
harmonious, including less-
er-known but beautifully aromatic va- rieties such as solaris, sauvignac and cabernet cortis.
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY CAPTION/CREDIT
IT’S GENUINELY SUSTAINABLE, TOO Tese grape varieties come from a spe- cial family named PIWIs (short for the German word pilzwiderstandsfähig, meaning fungus-resistant) and could well be the biggest hope for growing vines in an environmentally conscious way. Te abbreviation PIWI means the grapes are resistant to mildew, which can potentially spoil an entire harvest. Established varieties such as pinot noir and chardonnay have a very low resistance to mildew and need to be sprayed with pesticides. But with PIWIs, the winemaker can reduce and sometimes eliminate spraying, meaning that the vines are grown without intervention and in the most sustainable way possible.
ADD IT TO YOUR LIST AND BUY DIRECT Tere are so many reasons to pick charmat this Christmas. Buying direct from the producer not only supports social and cultural sustain- ability but gives you the chance to show off something that few other people will have on their table. It’s not from the supermarket, it tastes wonderful and every time you open it, you’ll experience something distinc- tive and beguiling. A case of six will definitely not last.
Resist the urge to reach for prosecco — there’s always an occasion to crack open a bottle of Flint Charmat.
CAPTION/CREDIT
*Shop
flintvineyard.com/char99 using CHAR99 at checkout
Christmas charmat case special, £99 (RRP £120) free shipping* Offer ends 2 January 2026
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