British sparkling wine tops world list

LONDON, June 30 (UPI) -- An offering from a little known English vineyard has beaten contenders from 50 countries and was proclaimed the best sparkling wine in the world.

Ridgeview Estate's 2002 Merret Bloomsbury, created from a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, won the title at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Michael Roberts, 61, who founded the estate in the village of Ditchling, East Sussex with his wife, Christina, 12 years ago and now runs it with his two children, said he was "delighted" to have won. "I had to go back to them and ask four times to make sure we had actually won," he told the Guardian newspaper.

The 16-acre estate, which produces a 60,000 bottles of wine a year, has in the past five years won 44 medals and 12 trophies, including English wine of the year in 2000 and 2002.

Roberts said the title of best in the world was "a lovely award to win". He said: "It gives us that extra status and puts English sparkling wine on the map as a world-class product that should be taken seriously."