For English Wine Week, we’ve got all the need to know facts and numbers on the English wine industry in our infographic below…
Click to enlarge our infographic of key facts about English wine. Design: Annabelle Sing
The English wine industry is booming, making £78 million in 2014, and predicted to reach £100 million for 2015. According to English Wine Producers, there are 470 registered vineyards in England and Wales (22 in Wales and 448 in England), for 135 wineries and 1884ha under vine. In the past seven years, English vineyard area has more than doubled.
‘This is a truly exciting time for English wine – our vineyards are rapidly expanding with more people than ever before enjoying our finest English bubbly… helping [to] power our growing economy’, said Elizabeth Truss, Environment Secretary.
Interest in English wine outside of the UK is also on the rise, and ‘the export market [is] growing in importance for English wines…’ according to Julia Trustram Eve, Marketing Director at English Wine Producers. Export markets have been growing year on year, and English wine is now exported to 14 different countries.
In 2014, production of English wine reached 47,433 hectolitres – the equivalent of 6.3million bottles, up 42% on the already record-breaking 2013 production. This was predominantly due to the successful growing season in 2014, with a long, warm spring and summer, with 1427 hours of sunshine across the year and slightly higher than average temperatures for both summer and winter.
Around two thirds of the wine made in England and Wales is sparkling, and comparisons are often drawn between English sparkling wine and Champagne – particularly as the climate and chalky soil in the South East of England are so similar to Champagne. The two most popular grapes grown in England are the Champagne grapes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, followed by Bacchus in third.
See here for the latest on English wine
UK Sparkling: panel tasting results
Written by Ellie Douglas
