Light up your winter with zingy fizzes and floral rosés made from home. From premium gift options to value offers, from classic favourites to alternative varieties – here are 30 of the Decanter team’s top-pick English and Welsh wines tasted in 2024.
Our highlights
Our top-scorers of the year, including Sugrue South Downs’ ZODO MV and Kit’s Coty Chardonnay from Chapel Down, are unmistakable choices for any festive occasion.
The latest release of Nyetimber’s prestige cuvée ‘1086’ range, the 2013 vintage, makes for a solid premium gift option. The rosé of the pair, in particular, adds a splash of romantic colour.
For something new to discover, try out UK’s cool-climate still wine offerings including Coastal Reach’s tropical-style Bacchus, Denbies’ juicy Orange Solaris and a refreshing dry Ortega from Biddenden Vineyards.
Our top value recommendations among the sparklers (under £35) include Greyfriars Vineyard’s Non Vintage Cuvee NV, Hidden Spring’s Classic Cuvée 2019 and Woodchester Valley Vineyard’s Reserve Cuvée 2019.
Rathfinny’s 50cl Mini Cuvée, on the other hand, offers an affordable ‘perfect pour for four’.
A fast-growing sector
In 2023, 21.6 million bottles of wine were produced in Great Britain, a 77% increase from 2022, according to data compiled by the Food Standards Agency Wine Team and cited by industry body WineGB.
Britain has 4,209ha of land under vine, a total of 1,030 registered vineyards and 221 wineries, the data showed.
Chardonnay (1,331ha), Pinot Noir (1,157ha) and Pinot Meunier (379ha) remained the most planted grape varieties according to the data, while cool-climate varieties such as Bacchus (324ha), Seyval Blanc (127ha) and Solaris (110ha) were increasingly valued for their ability to produce quality still wines.
Separate WineGB data found that 76% of total UK production in 2023 was to be used for sparkling wine, mostly made (91%) via the traditional method. Meanwhile, 23% of production would be used for a wide range of still wines, of which 66% would be white, 13% red and 20% rosé. The final 1% would be dedicated to other products.
Best English and Welsh wines to try this Christmas
