Wine from the United Kingdom

{{Short description|Wine making in the United Kingdom}} {{Use British English|date=October 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{more citations needed|date=September 2021}}

The United Kingdom is a major consumer of wine, although a minor grower and producer. Wine production in the UK has historically been perceived as less than ideal due to the cool climate, but warmer summers and grapes adapted to these conditions have played a role in increasing investment and sale of wines. Most is English sparkling wine, from vineyards across Southern England. Vineyards are becoming common in counties such as Essex, Sussex and Kent, where more varieties of wine can be produced due to the drier and warmer climate.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |last=Asimov |first=Eric |title=Royal Wedding Wine May Be Bubbly and English |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/23/world/europe/23pour.html |access-date=23 April 2011 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=22 April 2011 |quote=southern England has become a source of excellent sparkling wines, made in the illustrious mode of Champagne.}}</ref>

== Geography ==

===Wine from England=== thumb|upright=0.5|A bottle of sparkling rosé from Fenny Castle in Somerset

There are currently 1100+ commercial vineyards across England.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WineGB-2025-Industry-Report |date=June 2025 |url=https://winegb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/WineGB-2025-Industry-Report.pdf |access-date= |language=en-GB|website=Wines of Great Britain}}</ref> All regions of England and Wales have vineyards and many are suitable for growing the grapes used to produce sparkling wine, and, particularly on south-facing slopes, the climate, at least in recent years, is warm enough.<ref name=NYT /> At the last official count, the Wine Standards Board reported that there were just over 450 vineyards producing wine throughout England.<ref>The Wine Standards Board's [http://www.wsb.org.uk/pdfs/english-welsh-wine-feb06.pdf Report on English and Welsh Wine] – February 2006</ref> The largest of these is Chapel Down in Kent, as of mid-2018 when they became the largest winery and vineyard in England.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-45454024 |title=Chapel Down to create 'largest vineyard' in England – BBC News |work=BBC News |date=7 September 2018 |access-date=2019-07-03}}</ref>

*'''English wine''' is registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the EU and the UK. The term may only be used for wine produced in conformation of the standards and using grapes grown in England at a maximum altitude of 220 m above sea level.<ref>{{cite book|ref={{harvid|English wine — Protected designation of origin (PDO)|2007}}|title=English wine — Protected designation of origin (PDO)|publisher=Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|year=2007|access-date=16 July 2014|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/271310/pfn-english-wine-pdo.pdf}}</ref> *'''English regional wine''' is registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the EU and the UK. The designation is limited to wine produced from grapes grown in England, although production does not have to be within a certain area. The product must conform to restrictions regarding alcohol content, acidification and sweetening.<ref>{{cite book|ref={{harvid|English regional wine — Protected designation of origin (PGI)|2007}}|publisher=Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|title=English regional wine — Protected designation of origin (PGI)|year=2007|access-date=16 July 2014|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/271309/pfn-english-regional-wine-pgi.pdf}}</ref> *'''Sussex wine''' is registered as a Protected Designation of Origin in the UK. It is limited to wine produced from grapes grown in Sussex. The wine should consist mainly of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier grapes, normally produced at 12 tonnes per hectares (with a maximum of 14 tonnes per hectare). The wine is available as a still wine and a sparkling wine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6138a9e1e90e070437d8ba4e/product_specification_Sussex__wine__PDO_UK_Scheme_W0006_v1.2_final__5_.pdf|work=UK Government|title=Product specification for Sussex|access-date=11 September 2022}}</ref>

The most northerly commercially producing vineyard is near Malton, Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/sep/26/martinwainwright |title=Vintage year for Leeds vineyard |first=Martin |last=Wainwright |date=26 September 2003 |website=The Guardian |access-date=2 November 2018}}</ref>

"English wine" is also a common generic term used in India meaning "Western spirits".

===Wine from Wales=== [[File:Welsh wine.jpg|thumb|Welsh wine for sale in Cardiff]] Welsh vineyards were first planted by Romans, and, in the 1970s, modern vineyards were planted in South Wales with the intention of creating Welsh wine. Despite a slow start, by 2005, Wales had 20 vineyards, producing 100,000 bottles a year, primarily white wines, but also a few reds.<ref>{{cite book |last=Davies |first=John |author2=Jenkins, Nigel |author3=Baines, M |title=Vineyards |publisher=The Welsh Academy encyclopedia of Wales. |edition=Online |url=http://literati.credoreference.com/content/entry/waencywales/vineyards/0 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> According to the Wine Standards Board, by September 2015, there were 22 operational vineyards in Wales.<ref>{{cite web |title=UK Vineyard Register: Full list of commercial vineyards, Updated September 2015 |publisher=food.gov.uk/ |date=19 April 2015 |url=https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/commercial-%20vineyards.pdf |access-date=19 April 2016 |archive-date=12 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412223405/http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/commercial-%20vineyards.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> By 2024, this number had increased to 48. *'''Welsh wine''' is registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the EU and the UK. It is to wine produced in Wales from grapes grown in the designated area, using prescribed methods. Products must use grapes from vines growing at a height of less than {{cvt|220|m}} above sea level. The product may be vinified outside of the designated area provided it is contiguous to Wales and prior authorisation has been granted from the Food Standards Agency. The product must conform to restrictions regarding alcohol content, acidification and sweetening.<ref>{{cite book|ref={{harvid|Welsh wine — Protected designation of origin (PDO)|2007}}|title=Welsh wine — Protected designation of origin (PDO)|year=2007|publisher=Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|access-date=16 July 2014|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/271312/pfn-welsh-wine-pdo.pdf}}</ref> *'''Welsh regional wine''' is registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the EU and the UK. The designation is limited to wine produced with at least 85% of the grapes used being harvested in Wales; production has to be within Wales or a derogated area contiguous with the border with England. The product must conform to restrictions regarding alcohol content, acidification and sweetening.<ref>{{cite book|ref={{harvid|Welsh regional wine — Protected designation of origin (PGI)|2007}}|title=Welsh regional wine — Protected designation of origin (PGI)|publisher=Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|year=2007|access-date=16 July 2014|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/271311/pfnwelsh-regional-wine-pgi.pdf}}</ref>

===Scottish wine===

In 2015, Scotland's first home-grown wine was produced by Christopher Trotter, in Fife, at a vineyard he started in 2012. One merchant described it as sherry-like with "nutty" notes, and thought that it might complement a "very strong cheese".<ref>{{cite news |title=Scotland's first home-grown wine 'undrinkable' |first=Xanthes |last=Leatham |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=13 July 2015 |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/scotlands-first-home-grown-wine-undrinkable-1500065 |access-date=9 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609200326/https://www.scotsman.com/news/scotlands-first-home-grown-wine-undrinkable-1500065 |archive-date=9 June 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> After four successive very difficult wet seasons, he abandoned and uprooted the vineyard in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ex-winemaker is not toasting the summer |last=Horne |first=Marc |newspaper=The Times |date=9 July 2018 |url= https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/ex-winemaker-is-not-toasting-the-summer-g965jsxsp |access-date=10 June 2022 }}</ref>

In 2016, another attempt at creating a vineyard in Scotland was made by Dr Alan Smith, an honorary research fellow at the University of Durham's Earth Sciences department, who had moved to Aberdeenshire 15 years previously to start a permaculture project.<ref>{{cite news |title=Scotland's wine future is rosé, claim growers |first=Karin |last=Goodwin |newspaper=The Herald |date=29 May 2016 |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14523234.scotlands-wine-future-rose-claim-growers/ |access-date=17 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250517213535/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14523234.scotlands-wine-future-rose-claim-growers/ |archive-date=17 May 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref> The site used in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire is further north than Moscow and Russian and Ukrainian grape varieties such as Golubok were used and grown in trenches to protect them from north east Scotland's cold climate.<ref>{{cite web |title=Could the north-east of Scotland become the next Bordeaux? Perhaps, with a little help from Russia... |publisher=BBC Scotland |date=11 October 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/P7Gr6csL96K4KXvnj5hhvz/could-the-north-east-of-scotland-become-the-next-bordeaux-perhaps-with-a-little-help-from-russia/ |access-date=17 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023172321/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/P7Gr6csL96K4KXvnj5hhvz/could-the-north-east-of-scotland-become-the-next-bordeaux-perhaps-with-a-little-help-from-russia |archive-date=23 October 2017|url-status=live }}</ref>

Fruit wine has been produced in Carse of Gowrie in Perthshire since 1987, an area known for fruit growing and where vines may have been growing during the Middle Ages.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCulloch |first=Scott |url=https://www.insider.co.uk/news/scotlands-oldest-winery-celebrates-30-9867946 |title=Scotland's oldest winery celebrates 30 years in business |work=Scottish Business Insider |publisher=Insider Publications Ltd |date=2017-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928125232/https://www.insider.co.uk/news/scotlands-oldest-winery-celebrates-30-9867946 |archive-date=2021-09-28 |access-date=2025-05-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.taylp.org/galleries/timeline.php |title=Story of the Tay Landscape |publisher=Tay Landscape Partnership |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810214043/https://www.taylp.org/galleries/timeline.php |archive-date=2020-08-10 |access-date=2025-05-17 }}</ref> Since 2001, fruit wine has also been produced on the Orkney island of Lamb Holm.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.orkney.com/listings/orkney-wine-company |title=Orkney Wine Company |publisher=Orkney.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125193956/https://www.orkney.com/listings/orkney-wine-company |archive-date=2025-01-25 |access-date=2025-05-17 }}</ref>

===British wine===

The term '''British wine''' is used to describe a drink made in Britain by the fermentation of grape (or any other fruit) juice or concentrate originating from anywhere in the world. It cannot be used for :wine in the legal sense, which must be produced from freshly pressed grapes. The most common style is a medium or sweet high-strength wine that is similar to sherry,<ref>English-wine.com – [http://www.english-wine.com/confusion.html English or Welsh but not "British"!]</ref> and was formerly known as British Sherry.

==History==

=== Roman era to 19th century ===

The Romans introduced winemaking to the UK, in a period with a relatively warm climate. Their vineyards were as far north as Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, with others in Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire, and probably many other sites. The wines were most likely fruity and sweet, fermented with added honey, and drunk within six months.<ref name="Keys 1999">{{cite news |last1=Keys |first1=David |title=Veni, vidi, viticulture – remains of Roman vineyards found in UK |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/veni-vidi-viticulture-remains-of-roman-vineyards-found-in-uk-738723.html |access-date=17 September 2021 |work=The Independent |date=16 November 1999}}</ref> Winemaking continued at least down to the time of the Normans, with over 40 vineyards in England mentioned in the Domesday Book; much of it was communion wine for the Eucharist.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

From the Middle Ages, the English market was the main customer of clarets from Bordeaux, France, helped by the Plantagenet kingdom, which included England and large provinces in France. When Henry VIII was crowned in 1509, 139 vineyards were recorded, 11 of which produced wine for the royal household. In the early 16th century, wine was expensive for most commoners, therefore an Act from 1536 decreed that wine imported from France would have a price ceiling, with those imported from Greece and especially Spain with an even higher maximum selling price,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ridley |first=Jasper Godwin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3yKfBAAAQBAJ |title=A brief history of the Tudor age |publisher=Robinson |year=2002 |location=London |pages=156|isbn=9781472107954 }}</ref> most likely due to its better perceived quality.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In the 18th century, the Methuen Treaty of 1703 imposed high duties on French wine. This led to the English becoming a main consumer of sweet fortified wines like sherry, port wine, and Madeira wine from Spain and Portugal. Fortified wine became popular because unlike regular wine, it did not spoil after the long journey from Portugal to England.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Just as English wine began to recover from the epidemics of phylloxera and powdery mildew in the mid-19th century, brought back by the explorers of America, commercial English wine was dealt a heavy blow. In 1860, the government, under Lord Palmerston (Liberal), supported free trade and drastically cut the tax on imported wines from 1 shilling to twopence, a decrease of 83%. English wine was therefore outcompeted by superior foreign products that could be sold at a lower cost to the customer.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

===20th century===

The twilight of British winemaking tradition was brought to an end with the onset of the First World War, as the need for crops and food, and the rationing of sugar, took priority over wine production. For the first time in 2000 years, English wines were no longer being produced.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In 1936, George Ordish planted vines in Wessex and the South of England. With many individuals keen to produce their own wines from home, and with equipment and methods becoming available, the government outlawed the production of homemade alcohol at the beginning of the 1960s, only to retract the law after five years as the homebrew fashion escalated considerably.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Other small commercial vineyards in Britain followed in the 1960s with growers such as Joy and Trevor Bates in Kent, Norman Cowderoy in West Sussex, Nigel Godden in Somerset, Gillian Pearkes in Devon and Philip Tyson-Woodcock in East Sussex. Wales also had George Jones, Lewis Mathias and Margaret Gore-Browne.<ref>UK Vineyards Guide by Stephen Skelton MW P70 {{ISBN|0951470337}}</ref>

Viticulture was revived in the 1970s onwards, possibly helped by a rising local temperature due to global warming, making many parts of Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Essex, Suffolk, Berkshire, Nottinghamshire and Cambridgeshire dry and hot enough to grow grapes of high quality. The first English wines were influenced by the sweet German wines like Liebfraumilch and Hock that were popular in the 1970s, and were blended white and red sweet wines, called "cream wine" (creams). The largest vineyard in England was Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey, which has {{convert|265|acre|km2}} under vines.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

From a peak of over 400 vineyards in the late 1980s, by 2000 one third of these had given up, but plantings have since accelerated, helped by the growing success of English sparkling wines. In 2004, a panel judging European sparkling wines awarded most of the top ten positions to English wines – the remaining positions going to French Champagnes. Similar results have encouraged an explosion of sparkling wine plantings. English still wines too have begun to pick up awards at big wine competitions, notably Decanter, and the IWSC.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Winemaking has spread from the South East and South West and also to the Midlands and North of England, with Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lancashire boasting at least one vineyard each as of 2007.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

===21st century===

Significant plantings have been made across the south of the country, with a number of farmers contract growing vines for major English producers. Farmers are looking at the potential benefits of growing vines, as the return per tonne for grapes over more traditional crops is substantial. A field of wheat might yield 3 tonnes per acre at around £120 per tonne. Growing grapes could yield 3 to 4 tonnes per acre at around £950 to £1100 per tonne. One concern is that growers need to invest money for no initial return, as crops tend to come in the third or fourth year. Another concern is that grape production in the climate is highly variable: "In England, it is only in about 2 years in every 10 that grape production will be really good, 4 years will be average and 4 years poor or terrible – largely due to weather and/or disease exacerbated by weather."{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} However, English vineyards share European weather patterns, so 2006 was a bumper year, 2007 saw ripe grapes but low volumes, 2008 was very poor, but both 2009 and 2010 were good years. 2011 was average, 2012 dreadful, and 2013 good.<ref>{{cite web |title=The History of English Wine |first=Robert |last=Tarr |access-date=26 June 2010 |url=http://www.english-wine.com/history.html}}</ref> Total British cereal production is not so variable.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cereals and oilseed rape production |publisher=Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK) |url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/food/cereals/cerealsoilseed.htm |access-date=26 June 2010}}</ref>

Another explanation for the growth in viticulture in the UK is the local food movement, and the desire by consumers to cut the amount of food miles connected with the produce that they buy, including locally produced wine.

English wine was given added prestige when Queen Camilla (then Duchess of Cornwall) became the new President of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association on 25 July 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Royal President for UK Vineyards Association |url=http://ukva.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88 |work=Press Release |publisher=United Kingdom Vineyards Association |access-date=7 June 2012 |date=25 July 2011}}</ref> In June 2012 there was also a boost for English wine during the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.<ref>{{cite web |last=Emmas |first=Carol |title=Boost for English wine around Jubilee |url=http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/news-headlines/12315-boost-for-english-wine-around-jubilee.html |work=Harpers Wine & Spirit Trades Review |publisher=William Reed Business Media |access-date=7 June 2012 |date=7 June 2012}}</ref>

Since Brexit and law change, labelling of geographical origin is no more needed and it is possible to have wine with less than 8.5% of alcohol including wine without alcohol.<ref> Vin anglais : les maëstrichtiens devront boire la coupe du Brexit jusqu'à la lie, Le vin anglais s’émancipe du carcan des lois et règlements de l’Union européenne, Thierry Martin, 13 Nov 2023 https://www.latribune.fr/opinions/tribunes/vin-les-maestrichtiens-devront-boire-la-coupe-du-brexit-jusqu-a-la-lie-983059.html</ref>

==Grape varieties==

According to WineGB, over {{convert|1300|ha}} had been planted by 2009, and with further major plantings of sparkling wine varieties the total was likely to be in excess of {{convert|1500|ha}} by 2012. As of 2004, Seyval blanc was the most grown variety, with Reichensteiner next, with Müller-Thurgau and then Bacchus following closely behind. However, Müller-Thurgau, which was one of the first to be grown during the 20th century renaissance (see below), has recently lost favour, dropping from {{convert|134.64|ha}} (1st) in 1996 to {{convert|88.1|ha}} (3rd) in 2004. Other widely grown varieties of white grape include Chardonnay, Madeleine Angevine, Schönburger, Huxelrebe and Ortega. Red varieties include Dornfelder, Pinot Meunier and Pinot noir, and a few others, but red grapes tend to be grown less often, with {{convert|20184|hL}} of white wine and only {{convert|5083|hL}} of red wine made in 2006.<ref>English wine producers – [http://www.englishwineproducers.com/grapes.htm Grapes info]. (Retrieved 16 August 2007).</ref><ref>English wine producers – [http://www.englishwineproducers.com/stats.htm Production statistics]. (Retrieved 16 August 2007).</ref><ref>[http://www.ukvines.co.uk/wine/grapemenu.htm UK Vines – Grapes]. Retrieved 16 August 2007.</ref>

== Consumption == {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! colspan="2" |Wine imported into the United Kingdom (thousands of imperial gallons); 1800 - 1910<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |last1=Burnett |first1=Proffessor John |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203019856/liquid-pleasures-proffessor-john-burnett-john-burnett |title=Liquid Pleasures: A Social History of Drinks in Modern Britain |last2=Burnett |first2=John |year=2012 |isbn=9780203019856 |doi=10.4324/9780203019856}}</ref>:148 |- !Year !Total wine imported |- |1800 |7,472 |- |1810 |10,819 |- |1820 |5,170 |- |1830 |6,880 |- |1840 |9,311 |- |1850 |9,304 |- |1860 |12,475 |- |1870 |17,775 |- |1880 |17,385 |- |1890 |16,194 |- |1900 |16,804 |- |1910 |13,735 |} {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! colspan="2" |Wine consumed in the United Kingdom (millions of gallons); 1920 - 1938<ref name=":9" />:148 |- !Year !Total wine consumed |- |1920 |15.0 |- |1931 |16.4 |- |1938 |21.6 |} {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! colspan="2" |Consumption of wine in the United Kingdom; 1960 - 95<ref name=":9" />:154 |- !Year !Consumption |- |1960 |3.6 |- |1964 |5 |- |1968 |6.5 |- |1971 |7 |- |1972 |7.9 |- |1973 |9.3 |- |1975 |11.3 |- |1980 |17.9 |- |1982 |19.1 |- |1985 |23.5 |- |1987 |25.9 |- |1990 |27.5 |- |1993 |30.2 |- |1995 |32.1 |}

==Effect on the British economy==

Most of the wine consumed in Britain is imported from other countries, though consumption of English wine is increasing. Production doubled from 1.34 million bottles to 3.17 million from 2008 to 2009,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/7672388/English-wine-production-doubles-to-3-million-bottles.html |location=London |work=The Daily Telegraph |first=Harry |last=Wallop |title=English wine production doubles to 3 million bottles |date=3 May 2010}}</ref> and in 2010 4 million bottles of English wine were produced.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/12/english-wine-best-year |location=London |work=The Guardian |first=Malcolm |last=Gluck |title=Will this be English wine's best ever year? |date=12 May 2011}}</ref> While UK wine production hit a record 21.6 million bottles in 2023, the 2024 harvest yielded approximately 10.7 million bottles due to more challenging weather conditions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2025 |title=WineGB-2025-Industry-Report |url=https://winegb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/WineGB-2025-Industry-Report.pdf |website=Wines of Great Britain}}</ref>

{{image frame | caption = British annual production of wine (1990–2022), in thousands of hectolitres. Sources: Wine GB statistics.<ref name="winegb-stats">{{cite web |work=WineGB |title=Industry Statistics & Insights |publisher=Wines of Great Britain |publication-place=Market Harborough |url= https://winegb.co.uk/who-we-are/industry-stats/ |access-date=21 January 2025 }}</ref> | align = center | width = 650 | content = 650px  }}

==Rules of wine labelling==

Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) is the top category official category of wine in the UK. PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) is next and then varietal wine. PDO and PGI wines must have a full post bottling analysis and pass a tasting panel (or win an award at a recognised competition). These are established via the UK Vineyards Association (UKVA) and the UK Government's Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).<ref>{{cite web |title=English Wine – Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) |date=December 2011 |url=http://ukva.org.uk/images/documents/Wine_Scheme_2010/english_pdo.pdf |publisher=The UK Government's Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). |access-date=7 June 2012}}</ref>

English sparkling wines are made from grapes grown close to the limit for viticulture. All vineyards are positioned at above 49.9 degrees north leading to long daylight hours in the growing season. The climate is temperate with few summer days above 30 °C. The diurnal temperature range is high.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

These wines are made from the classic sparkling wine grape varieties. In England these varieties reach full phenolic ripeness at moderate sugar levels and with high acid levels. Wines from this PDO are made entirely from must containing only natural acid. These wines exhibit stronger aromatic flavours of the underlying grape varieties than wines from the same varieties grown at warmer latitudes.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The northerly latitude of the vineyards in this PDO creates the long growing season and long daylight hours that are key to the development of strong aromatic flavours. The moderate temperatures lead to the high acidity and low pH which is the backbone of fine sparkling wines.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

English sparkling wines are made from the following vine varieties: * Chardonnay * Pinot noir * Pinot Noir Précoce * Pinot Meunier * Pinot blanc * Pinot gris * Seyval blanc * Reichensteiner

Where the conditions for the use of the terms "bottle-fermented", "traditional method" or "bottle fermented by the traditional method" have been met, the term "traditional" can be used on the label.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography==

{{refbegin}} * {{cite book|last1=Freeman|first1=Bobby|title=First catch your peacock : her classic guide to Welsh food|date=1996|publisher=Y Lolfa|location=Talybont, Ceredigion|isbn=0862433150|edition=Rev. paperback |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-gwkXuzJOPQC}} * {{cite book|last1=Skelton|first1=Stephen|title=Wine Growing in Great Britain, A complete guide to growing grapes for wine production in cool climates|date=2014|publisher=S. P. Skelton Ltd|location=London|isbn=9780951470367|edition=First|url=http://www.englishwine.com/winegrowingingreatbritain.htm}} {{refend}}

==External links== * [http://www.gbvg.uk The Great British Vineyards Guide] * [https://englishwinecentre.co.uk/ The English Wine Centre] {{Portal bar|Wine|United Kingdom}}{{Wines}}{{United Kingdom topics}}{{Wine by country}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wine From The United Kingdom}} Category:British wine * United Kingdom

Wine from the United Kingdom

Connections

Linked from (29 total)

Links to (89 total)