Sixteen Ridges Vineyard, Signature Cuvee, England

Pale for its age. Light, unpleasantly lactic aroma, almost cheesy. Okay taste, broad and generous, moderate acidity which builds. Mousse a little coarse. Juicy finish. A strong lime juice character. I expected more of a vintage English sparkler with nearly ten years under its belt, this is subpar and overpriced. The next day, a clean but almost imperceptible nose, much diminished mousse, a better balanced taste. [Composite cork + cage; 10.5% abv; Sainsbury's, £23].

Distinctive scent on the nose - elderflower soda is the closest. Large bubbles. Undoubtedly a function of the grapes - pinot noir and serval blanc but the implementation is left quite 'watery', like soda. Got better as it warmed up - more fruit on the palate but in a nutty kind of way. It's an IWSC silver and Decanter bronze. Well, we're allowed to disagree.