London, though, is far from alone in its love of the home-grown stuff. In Exeter, chef Michael Caines has planted a huge vineyard at Lympstone Manor, his much-praised five star hotel. The fizz it produces is served across the property and in the Manor’s Michelin-starred restaurant; so too the rose and award-winning red. Meanwhile, up Scotland, English sparkling is held in high esteem among other prominent restaurateurs. Stuart Ralston, chef founder of Edinburgh-based restaurants Lyla, Aizle, Noto and Tipo has been pouring Roebuck Blanc de Noir for years. “It’s a single site in West Sussex, and it’s replaced Champagne at all our restaurants,” he says.
Emily Roux and Michel Roux Jr. duped their guests with English sparkling wine — quite right too
