The Pig hotel group launches first-ever Pig sparkling wines

Boutique hotel group the Pig has entered the English sparkling wine category with the launch of its first ever bottles of English fizz.

The two new wines, a 2018 sparkling rosé labelled the Pig Lobster Shed Pink and a 2019 sparkling cuvée called the Pig Reserve, will be available to drink across the Pig's eight hotels.

The wines have been made with grapes from Bee Tree Vineyard in East Sussex, a winery spanning 1.35 hectares and was founded in 2015 by husband and wife team Dermot and Ana Sugrue. Lobster Shed Pink is a blend of 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier while the Pig Reserve is a union of 78% Pinot Noir and 22% Chardonnay.

Founder Robin Hutson said: "As long-term supporters of English Sparkling wine, our wine team at the Pig have been talking about creating our own label for some time. After considerable time spent searching, we are very excited to have now found delicious, mature South Downs stock that will last us for the next couple of years.

"Starting with Bee Tree Vineyard in East Sussex and then moving over to Northbrook Springs from Hampshire next year, both of these vineyards have the quality of fruit and provenance we were looking for."

Sugrue added Bee Tree Vineyard is "a fantastic site for producing rich, opulent, fruit-forward wines" and the team is "delighted with the result" of the two new creations.

The boutique hotel chain's entry into the English sparkling wine category comes as English wine‘s popularity increases; production has more than doubled over the past five years, growing 130% to 12.2 million bottles last year. Sparkling wine accounts for 68% of that production, a figure that has remained consistent over the past five years.

Image credit: Home Grown Hotels