The Judgement of Reims? Chapel Down goes to Champagne and wins taste test

English wine producer Chapel Down has won a sparkling wine taste test amongst locals in Champagne as part of a marketing stunt by the brand ahead of English Wine Week.

The brand took its best-selling Chapel Down Brut onto the streets of Reims in May, and asked locals and tourists to blind taste the sparkling wine against what it described as a ‘leading branded Champagne’.

According to its “le verdict”, 60% of consumers preferred Chapel Down, disguised under the brand of ‘Chapelle en Bas’, to the branded Champagne.

The firm undertook the move ahead of English Wine Week to “reinforce the quality of English sparkling wine”, it said

It said that ‘Chapelle en Bas’ was praised by locals and tourists alike – describing the wine as “fresher” and “crisper” – but there were “several shocked faces and raised eyebrows after revealing this mysterious cuvée hailed from England”.

According to Chapel Down, some consumers “couldn’t believe the vines are grown and the grapes hand-picked and harvested in the Garden of England”.

Chapel Down Chief Marketing Officer, Liam Newton, said: “The French know a thing or two about sparkling wine, with their centuries of winemaking heritage, so what better place than Champagne to sample our Chapel Down Brut?

“We are incredibly proud of the exceptional quality of our English sparkling wine, and it was great to have this affirmed by the French themselves. A 60% result like this propels us even further in changing the way the world views English wine.”