Although the UK does not produce vast quantities of wine itself, it is one of the largest importers in the world and as a result has a thriving wine industry. It has been estimated that consumers in Britain will spend more on wine than any other European country by 2010. It is supermarkets that take most of the wine sales with over two thirds of the market. Despite the popularity of wine in the UK, English and Welsh wines account for less than 1% of the total wines sold in the UK.
Growth of the UK Wine Industry
However, demand for local wine is currently high and growing year by year. The UK wine industry has gained increased credability with more press coverage on the subject and more events such as the UK wine show to attend. The local food movement has arguably contributed to this new interest as increased concern with the environment has led to consumers wishing to cut down food miles and consume locally produced products.
In 2007 there were 383 registered vine yards around the UK mostly scattered around southern England. Since the 1970′s there has been a dramatic increase in the popularity of wine producing in the UK. It has been predicted that global warming could help the UK wine industry, producing longer warmer summers.
In addition to this the monetary benefits of growing vines over traditional crops are becoming increasingly appealing to farmers. A field of wheat is likely to yield 3 tonnes per acre at around £120 per tonne. However, grapes are likely to yield 3 to 4 tonnes per acre at approximately £950 to £1100 per tonne.
Limitations of the UK Wine Industry
As the industry is still relatively small, there is a lack of large volume production and prices are higher than in more traditional wine producing areas of the world. As may be expected, there are variations in the industry from year to year due to weather fluctuations and the resultant quality of grapes. Wine production in the UK is generally limited to Southern England due to weather conditions.
Quality of UK Wines
It is important to differentiate between British wine and English and Welsh wine. British wine is manufactured from imported grapes or grape juice. These products are not governed by the EU wine regime and are typically of much lower quality. English and Welsh wine, on the other hand, is produced from fresh grapes grown in the UK.
The quality of English and Welsh wines is extremely high. In recent international wine tasting competitions English sparkling wines have beaten many French Champagnes in blind testing. In 2003, Theale Vineyard Sparkling Chardonnay made it into the world’s Top Ten Sparkling Wines at the world’s only dedicated Sparkling Wine competition in France.
The UK wine industry is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and also the European Commission, as part of the European Union. Amongst the official EU recommended varieties of UK wine are Seyyal Blanc, Huxelrebe and Reichensteiner.
Grape Varieties
Seyall Blanc is currently the most commonly grown variety in the UK followed by Reichensteiner and Bacchus. Although over 90% of wines are of white varieties, there has been a recent increase in red grape varieties due to the identification of varieties of black grapes that are feasible in the UK climate. Most wine varieties produced in the UK come from German origin due to weather limitations. However, more successful varieties have been identified and this had lead to greater diversity in the UK wine industry.
Quality Wine Scheme
The Quality Wine Scheme was introduced in 1991 to find the best English and Welsh wines and give them support in the market. Before this scheme, all wines produced in the UK were classified as Table Wine. Now, wines meeting the strict criteria can display the name ‘English Vineyards Quality Wine p.s.r’ or ‘Welsh Vineyards Quality Wine p.s.r’ on their label.
UK Regional Wine Scheme
This scheme was introduced in 1997 and the criteria is less strict than the Quality Wine Scheme. Wines meeting the criteria are permitted to show where the wine originated from on the label. For example, Sussex Regional Wine. The Regional Wine Scheme is concerned solely with the production of still wines produced in the UK. It does not cover sparkling varieties. Sparkling wines can be labelled ‘English Quality Sparkling Wines’. However, they are not subject to strict criteria and this label is not therefore an indication of quality. Instead it should be regarded as an indication of the production method.
