Is British Wine the Next Big Thing?

EuroWeekly News ^ | 16 Apr 2024 | John Ensor

[nickcarraway]

Confidence in the British wine industry is at an all-time high with the UK Government pledging new funding of £1.5 million to complement its rapid growth.

On Tuesday, April 16, Steve Barclay, the Environment Secretary, unveiled significant new financial backing for the wine sector during the annual WineGB conference at Plumpton College in East Sussex.

This support aims to propel the ongoing success of the rapidly growing English and Welsh wine industry.

British wine employment figures

The government has allocated £1.5 million this year for the Future Winemakers’ Scheme (FWS). This initiative will concentrate on education, training, and upskilling opportunities, with the industry forecasting the creation of thousands of new vineyard roles in the forthcoming years.

Barclay highlighted the potential for expansion within the UK’s wine production and trading sectors. ‘The UK has a long tradition of producing and trading wine, and the sector has significant scope to expand,’ he remarked.

‘Around 2,300 people work in the British wine industry with a further 8,300 people employed part time, with numbers expected to grow by 50 per cent next year,’ he added.

UK wine reforms

The scheme will roll out new courses at Plumpton College, aiming to enhance skills and knowledge in viticulture. Additionally, it is designed to expand training capacity, ensuring a sufficiently skilled workforce to meet the industry’s anticipated growth.

Further reforms were also disclosed, aimed at simplifying the regulatory environment for wine producers and traders.

These include new regulations allowing the production and sale of no and low-alcohol wine under the wine category, and more flexible rules for transforming imported wine.

UK wine industry future

Nicola Bates, CEO of Wines of Great Britain, emphasised the significance of this educational fund. ‘The launch of this important educational fund is hugely significant and will ensure that we can train more British winemakers and viticulturists to staff our growing industry,’ she stated.

She added: ‘We are the fastest growing agricultural industry with 4,200 hectares under vine, which is forecast to rise by 85 per cent by 2032.

‘After a bumper harvest of almost 22 million bottles last year, we need greater backing to ensure sustainable and transformative growth.’

Sam Linter, Director of Wine at Plumpton College and Chairman of Wine GB, also supported the strategic focus on training.

‘By prioritising training and development initiatives, we are nurturing a talent pipeline that will shape the landscape of winemaking and vine growing, elevate quality standards, and reinforce the UK’s position to becoming a key player in the global wine market,’ Linter explained.

Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, commented: ‘We welcome consultation on further reforms to the inherited EU rules for wine.

‘There is an opportunity to introduce greater flexibility for wine producers and importers, which could allow businesses to innovate and so help to boost the UK’s status as a global hub for wine.’

UK wine statistics

The UK is a major global wine trading hub, with a market value over £10 billion in 2022.

The number of vineyards in England and Wales has grown significantly, reaching nearly 1000.

Vineyard area in the UK has quadrupled since 2000.

Viticulture is Britain’s fastest-growing agricultural sector, employing about 2,300 people full time.

Employment in this sector is expected to grow by 50 per cent by 2025.

2023 saw Great Britain’s largest-ever grape harvest, with an estimated production of 20-22 million bottles.

English Sparkling Wine is increasingly popular, producing 8.3 million bottles in 2022, largely due to ideal growing conditions in southern England.

[Veto!]

Their food isn’t bad enough?
Now, rain soaked, fog shrouded grapes,

[Political Junkie Too]

What is a British wine?

Is it something like "We want our priiiiiiiivacyyyyyy!!!"

-PJ

[MeganC]

England used to be noted for Claret. Perhaps it can be again.

[ArtDodger]

In a word... Ugh!
Right up there with the warm beer.

[Terry L Smith]

British w(h)ine:

“I wanna go to Bermuda!”

[Joe 6-pack]

Their food isn’t bad enough?

As the old saying goes, in heaven the engineers are German, the police are British and the chefs are French.

In hell, the engineers are French, the police are German, and the chefs British...

[Clutch Martin]

Wine...

Which British wine do I drink with my pork liver pudding, or my ploughmans lunch?

The sad thing about wine is if you have to spend some big money to get a bottle that tastes anything close to what wine is supposed to taste like.

But... open a budget cabernet, put a plastic baggy over the top, secure with a twist tie, put it in cool dark closet for about 6 months and the end result is a nice vinegar.

[Tell It Right]

During the Medieval Warm Period, the UK became more respected for wine than France. Looks like we might be repeating that in the Modern Warm Period. The political class tells us to fear global warming. But people like you and me who know history know that the Modern Warm Period is just a repeat of prior warm periods.

[mewzilla]

Nothing screams confidence like giving something taxpayer money, eh?

[maddog55]

If it’s anything like their breakfast I’d pass.

[Menes]

Yes, but claret was not grown in England, despite it being one of the most popular drinks there in the Middle Ages - for those who could afford it.
It was from Aquitaine, i.e. Southwest France, which was a fief of the English King for centuries. Thus, while not being techniclly part of the Kingdom of England, both territories had strong economic ties to each other.

English wines were considered very good, too, during the Medieval Climate Optimum, but they were mostly white, as far as I know.

White grapes, actually, can abide slightly cooler climates than red ones, and they can even benefit (when growing-conditions are right) from the weather not being too hot.

[FreedomPoster]

There are also strong economic ties between the UK and Portugal, and several of the big port houses were started by Brits/Scots. Cockburn’s, for instance, was started by a Scot who’s been there with Wellington fighting the French during the Napoleonic Wars. Sandeman, Dow, Taylor, there are several others that fall into this category.

[Menes]

Very interesting. I hadn’t been aware of that.

What I have read, however, is that in the Middle Ages as well as later, Portuguese wines were popular in England as well.
Furthermore, Portuguese and Spanish wine exports to England intensified after England had lost Aquitaine, for obvious reasons.

:-)

[Ezekiel]

Well, if they must.

[Red Badger]

That and British cuisine..........

[Right Brigade]

“Which British wine do I drink with my pork liver pudding, or my ploughmans lunch?”

Scrumpy 8% abv.

[Red Badger]

So the UK is to blame for Mateus?.........................

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks nickcarraway.

• Bedfordshire A428 dig: Evidence of Roman beer production found [04/05/2022]
• Britain's cold, wet summer yields poor quality grapes [10/16/2012]
• Can British wine grapes resolve a global warming question? [12/13/2006]
• Facing wine glut, Europe's vintners distil wine into industrial alcohol [11/30/2006]
• Grapes of wrath for French vineyards as millions of bottles are destroyed [11/27/2006]
• English Elm 'Brought By Romans' [10/28/2004]
• Wine now prescribed in British hospital [07/03/2003]

[Red Badger]

I’ll have to ask for it at my local British Restaurant.
.

.

.

If they ever build one...........