Ridgeview Fitzrovia Brut Rosé England NV 750ml

Before Dom Pérignon, there was Christopher Merret. In 1662 — more than thirty years before the legendary Benedictine monk is traditionally credited with the discovery of méthode champenoise — an English scientist, doctor, and glassmaker named Christopher Merret presented a paper to the Royal Society in London in which he set down, for the first time in recorded history, the process of adding sugar to wine to provoke secondary fermentation in the bottle. The English, in other words, invented sparkling wine. They simply forgot to take credit for it.

Ridgeview's Merret cuvées — the range of traditional-method sparkling wines named specifically in Christopher Merret's honor — exist as a direct tribute to that overlooked history. Fitzrovia, the brut rosé, carries the name of a London neighborhood known for its artistic, bohemian, and creative energy — a fitting tribute for a wine that is, as Decanter describes it, "gorgeously floral and inviting," as soft, creamy, and complex as it is approachable. The blend is Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier — the same three varieties that define Champagne, grown in the South Downs of East Sussex on the same geological limestone formation that continues through the east of France all the way down to the Marne Valley.

Wine Enthusiast awarded 92 Points, finding something unexpected and specifically memorable: "something savory and soy-like creeps into the red hedgerow fruit on the nose of this pale-pink sparkler. The palate comes in with mouth-filling strawberry fruit and that same wonderful savoriness. There is pepper and ample lemon freshness. The finish resonates and spells pleasure, spice and refreshment." Anne Krebiehl MW, also writing for Wine Enthusiast, called it "a perfect English aperitif with a clean, dry finish." The restaurant team at Gordon Ramsay Group called it "a beautiful, engaging nose with superb definition in the mouth." The sommelier at Claridge's — one of London's most exacting five-star hotels — called it "a lovely expression of English sparkling rosé, perfect on its own, or to pair with a range of dishes." And when Barack Obama dined at Buckingham Palace on a state visit, it was on the table.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Ridgeview Estate Winery was founded in 1994 by Mike and Christine Roberts in Ditchling, East Sussex — 40 miles south of London at the base of the chalky South Downs, on limestone and sandstone soils that sit on the same geological formation that extends northeast through the east of France to the Champagne region. Seven miles from the sea, with the South Downs creating a rain shadow that keeps the vineyards comparatively dry and sheltered, the Roberts family established one of England's first serious sparkling wine estates with an exclusive focus on traditional-method production from the three classic Champagne varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.

The Merret cuvée range is named in honor of Christopher Merret, who in 1662 became the first person to document the process of secondary fermentation in bottle — a discovery made three decades before Dom Pérignon's famous moment in Champagne. Fitzrovia is the brut rosé expression in the Merret range, named after the creative London neighborhood known for its artistic energy and bohemian spirit.

The Fitzrovia Rosé is a blend of all three Champagne varieties, drawing from Ridgeview's own estate vineyard at Ditchling alongside fruit from partner vineyards across the south and east of England. Chardonnay brings freshness and finesse — the structural backbone of acidity and the elegant mousse character that defines Ridgeview's house style. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier add the classic red fruit character — raspberry, strawberry, redcurrant — that gives Fitzrovia its distinctive pale salmon color and its fruit-driven personality. The wine is made using the traditional method, with secondary fermentation in bottle and extended lees aging in Ridgeview's underground cellars, producing the brioche complexity and creamy texture that distinguishes it from simpler rosé sparkling expressions.

Critics Reviews

Wine Enthusiast — 92 Points (Anne Krebiehl MW, confirmed):
"Something savory and soy-like creeps into the red hedgerow fruit on the nose of this pale-pink sparkler. The palate comes in with mouth-filling strawberry fruit and that same wonderful savoriness. There is pepper and ample lemon freshness. The finish resonates and spells pleasure, spice and refreshment."

Wine Enthusiast (separate review — Anne Krebiehl MW):
"Rose hip and tart strawberry notes on the nose promise refreshment. The palate follows up and adds a sprightly, aromatic note of rhubarb to the effervescent mix. The slender palate fizzes with liveliness and freshness. A perfect English aperitif with a clean, dry finish."

Tim Atkin MW — reviewed (confirmed)

Decanter (confirmed):
"Gorgeously floral and inviting, this red berry-focused rosé is an elegant partner to most occasions. It's soft and creamy, with subtle hints of toasted nuts, fresh raspberry fruit and refined bubbles that create amplitude and texture in the mouth. Beautifully balanced and complex."

DWWA Gold Medal — International Awards panel:
"Great light red currant fruit with soft bubbles and plenty of citrus fruits. Elegant and long."

Gordon Ramsay Group (Emmanuel Pesqueira, confirmed):
"A delightful, radiant pink hue, with subtle, delicious aromas of raspberry and wild strawberry, and a bright, fruit-driven palate with honey and hints of brioche."

Angela Reddin (confirmed):
"A beautiful, engaging nose with citrus, minerality, floral notes and some wild strawberry, and some superb definition in the mouth, with a well-defined, classy palate. Great stuff."

Emma Denney, Claridge's (confirmed):
"Lovely expression of English sparkling rosé, perfect on its own, or to pair with a range of dishes."

Ridgeview official tasting notes:
"Our Fitzrovia Rosé is a delicate salmon color with an abundance of fine bubbles. Chardonnay brings freshness and finesse, whilst the Pinots add the classic red fruits for which England is so acclaimed. A raspberry and redcurrant nose carries through to a fresh fruit-driven palate."

The Wine Society (confirmed extended note):
"Raspberry and cherry fruited, creamy elegant, slightly honeyed. Chardonnay-dominant cuvée with additional Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for colour and body. Very approachable in style. Once served to Barack Obama at the Buckingham Palace state banquet."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Pale delicate salmon, with an abundance of fine bubbles. Raspberry and redcurrant lead with vivid, fresh red fruit expressiveness. Rose hip and tart strawberry add the most specifically English and the most memorably wild secondary fruit quality. Something savory and soy-like — the most specifically unusual and the most immediately memorable aromatic note in the Wine Enthusiast review — creeps into the red hedgerow fruit, adding genuine complexity to what might otherwise be a purely fruit-forward nose. Wild strawberry, citrus, mineral, and floral notes round out an engaging, beautifully balanced aromatic profile.

Palate
Mouth-filling strawberry fruit leads the entry, with that same wonderful savory quality carrying through from nose to palate. Soft and creamy, with subtle hints of toasted nuts and fresh raspberry adding depth and texture. Redcurrant flavors add a bright, slightly tart mid-palate dimension. Pepper and ample lemon freshness add the most specifically refreshing and most food-compatible secondary qualities. Refined bubbles create amplitude and texture — a full, rich palate with enough weight, as The Wine Society specifically noted, to stand up to a range of food occasions.

Finish
The finish resonates and spells pleasure, spice, and refreshment — Wine Enthusiast's own characterization and the most specifically accurate description available. Long, clean, and dry, with red fruit freshness and gentle spice carrying through to a satisfying close.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Smoked salmon — the classic English sparkling rosé pairing
• Strawberries and cream — the most specifically and most memorably British
• Light canapés and hors d'oeuvres
• Soft cheeses and charcuterie
• Picnic fare of all kinds — "sandwiches and sunshine, or a barbeque in the rain," as The Wine Society specifically and most memorably put it
• Aperitif on its own