'Finally we can come to England and drink the local stuff'

English wine - can it pass muster with the experts? A blind tasting was set up by Stephen Spurrier, the legendary wine expert who organized the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, which promoted the expansion of wine production in the new world.

In that remarkable tasting session the experts chose Californian wines in favour of French and caused an absolute uproar. This time, Mr Spurrier invited members of the influential Académie du Vin to Sussex, to blind test sparkling wines from local vinyards Nyetimber and Ridgeview.

Could they compete with their continental rivals? See for yourself what the experts said.