Wimbledon season is here, which means one thing: strawberries and cream, endless glasses of Pimm's and any excuse to sit outside pretending the British summer is here to stay. 30-LOVE.
But this year, M&S is making a strong case for swapping your usual Wimbledon tipple for something a little different.
It's already getting plenty of attention on social media, and after trying it for ourselves, we can see why.
The retailer has just launched its new Red Diamond Strawberry Royale (£15), an English sparkling that genuinely tastes just like ripe strawberries.
It's made with English sparkling wine – 50% chardonnay, 31% pinot meunier, 19% pinot noir – and blended with concentrated strawberry juice and natural strawberry flavour from the same English Red Diamond strawberries used in M&S' viral strawberry sando.
Yes, it's flavoured, making it more of a cocktail than a straight up English sparkling wine – but it doesn't taste artificial or overly sweet. Instead, it's bright, juicy and remarkably fresh, making it one of the most summery bottles we've tried this year.
If the idea of strawberry-flavoured wine makes you sceptical, there's another reason to pay attention. It’s made by Balfour, one of England's most respected wine producers. So, this isn't just a novelty bottle with a clever name – it's a proper English sparkling with some serious winemaking credentials behind it.
We genuinely weren't expecting it to taste this much like fresh strawberries.
If you're imagining something sickly, think again. The strawberry flavour is immediate and unmistakable – think freshly picked, sun-kissed strawberries rather than strawberry syrup. It reminded us of a grown-up strawberry fizzy pop, but with enough crisp sparkle and traditional-method brioche notes to stop it veering into alcopop territory.
It's playful without feeling childish, and surprisingly easy to drink. Don't let the strawberry flavour fool you, either. At 12% ABV, it's as strong as a regular bottle of wine, so this isn't a light spritz – it's the real deal.
How we'd drink it
Of course, the obvious answer is well chilled while watching Wimbledon in the sunshine. Don’t be afraid to add ice if you fancy it.
M&S recommend drinking it alongside chocolate, fruit (presumably strawberries!) or sweet desserts – it would be amazing with Eton mess.
It would also work brilliantly with a summer cheeseboard, grilled chicken fresh off the BBQ or a picky bits spread. And if you're fully embracing strawberries-and-cream season, M&S has already done the hard work for you. Pair a glass with its new Strawberry & Cream Fruity Dip, designed for dunking fresh strawberries, marshmallows or shortbread, for what might just be the ultimate Wimbledon snack.
Not drinking alcohol?
You don't have to miss out on the strawberry fun.
M&S has also launched its Red Diamond Strawberry Still Lemonade, an alcohol-free alternative that delivers the same juicy strawberry flavour in a refreshing soft drink. It's ideal if you're hosting a mixed crowd, making a Wimbledon picnic or simply fancy something fruity without opening a bottle of fizz.
Between the strawberry-tasting fizz, the fruity dip and the matching strawberry lemonade, M&S might just have nailed this year's Wimbledon spread.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
