English, Welsh & British Wine

OK, so Britain isn't exactly renowned for its wines, we all know that. With our dodgy climate and unpredictable weather we're always going to struggle to compete with the likes of France, Australia, South Africa and Chile.

Yet, there seems to be a resurgence in producing good quality red, white and sparkling wines Britain. Even though British wine accounts for less and one percent of the total volumes consumed by wine drinkers, vineyards across the UK are enjoying record sales and consumers are increasingly looking to purchase red, white and rose wines produced from some delicious grapes built here in blighty.

British Wine - A word of warning

Wine that is produced in Britain is classed as either Welsh wine or English wine. Using the phrase 'British Wine' generally refers to wines that are produced from imported concentrates from anywhere in the world, so if you think you're drinking wine produced from British vineyards, you may not be. Look out for the phrase English Wine or Welsh Wine - then you'll know what you're drinking is grown, produced and bottled in Britain.

Plenty of good quality English and Welsh wines available to choose from

New Vineyards across Britain

With over 400 vineyards in operation producing red, white and rose wines, there are plenty of good quality English and Welsh wines to choose from. The rising temperature of Britain over the last 30-40 years has seen a large rise in the number of vineyards in operation. Before this time Britain was generally considered to be too wet to grow good quality grapes for wine production. Southern counties in the UK, in particular Cambridgeshire, Berkshire, Kent, Essex and Hampshire have all seen wine production thrive due to the milder and drier climate.

In more recent years winemaking has spread to counties in the South West of Britain, including Devon, Somerset, Cornwall and Wiltshire, as well as more unusual areas of the country, including the West Midlands, Yorkshire, Shropshire and Derbyshire amongst others.

British White Wine Varieties

Some 90 percent of wine production is for white wine, and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, with vineyard planting increasing over the last few years.

White grapes: Seyval Blanc, Reichensteiner, Muller-Thurgau, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Medeleine Angevine, Schonburger, Huxelrebe, Ortega

British Red Wine Varieties

Around 10 percent of English wine production is for red and rose wines. Pinot Noir has been the most successful so far in England, which generally tends to produce a lighter style than the traditional French red wines.

Red grapes: Dornfelder, Pinot Noir, Regent, Rondo, Triomphe d'Alsace, Cascade, Leon Millot, Pinot Meunier

British Sparkling Wines

Using traditional methods of producing sparkling wines, vineyards have been producing some award-winning sparkling wines, some of which have beaten top French Champagnes in blind tastings. The climate allows good quality sparkling wines to be produced, which have a crisp white English taste.

Where to buy British Wines

There are plenty of specialist wine shops dotted in our towns and cities that can supply English and Welsh wine. It may be worth avoiding supermarkets for these wines as the quality of the wine may be impaired due to the quantity the supermarkets purchase. Internet shopping for good quality British wines is growing rapidly, there are many online wine stores that supply English and Welsh wine:

Cellar and Kitchen
Operated by Adnams, Cellar and Kitchen have a good range of red, white and rose wines. They deliver directly to your door, and offer free delivery on orders placed before the 1st of December 2009.

Vintage Wine Gifts
One of the internet's largest retailers, Vintage Wine Gifts supply a range of wines and related gifts across the UK. Free delivery on orders over £39.

Where to buy - Mail Order

Festival Wines
www.festivalwines.co.uk

The Wine Society
www.thewinesociety.com

Useful websites:

For further research about English and Welsh wines, the following websites will be able to give you more information and advice about wine production in Britain and the UK:

English Wine Producers
www.englishwineproducers.com

The Wine Guild of the United Kingdom
www.wineguilduk.org

Wine Standards Board
www.wsb.org.uk