First British sparkling arrives at Dan Murphy's

Move over French Champagne, English sparkling wants to be the foreign fizz of choice in Australia.

Digby Fine English is the first English sparkling wine brand to embark on a major entry into the Australian wine market, securing a listing at Dan Murphy’s.

Dan's is selling Digby’s Non Vintage Brut at $89.99 in 40 of its stores.

Trevor Clough, CEO of Digby, told Drinks Business: “What an amazing few weeks, my hair is on fire! We won our first-ever three Michelin starred listing at Alinea in Chicago just after our US launch and now we are leading the English wine movement into Australia. We hear Dan Murphy’s is one of the best drinks retailers in the world. What an honour!”

Michael Jackson, General Manager of Buying and Marketing for Endeavour Drinks Group, said: “The growth of Champagne and sparkling wine over the past five years has really surprised us. This trend has become a regular purchase for our customers, they are now more engaged with the category and are looking for new and interesting regions. We feel the quality now coming from England will add to the choice we currently have in our Dan Murphy’s stores.”

The reputation of English sparkling wine is rapidly spreading.

Earlier this year, a team from Britain’s Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) travelled to Paris and invited some of the biggest names in the French restaurant and bar trade to a blind tasting.

Many were convinced that some of the UK sparkling wines were from their own country, and in most cases preferred it to champagne.

“We have successfully slayed the myth that English wine cannot compete with the best in the world,” WSTA chief executive Miles Beale said when the results came out.

Earlier this month, Drinks Business declared: "No longer a little-known enterprise skeptically dismissed by critics as an eccentricity, English sparkling wine has emerged from its chrysalis into one of the most exciting and promising developments in the wine world today."

Australia is the sixth largest export market in the world for Champagne, with sales growing by more than 24% last year, so we're not surprised British winemakers are seeking a piece of the action.