It’s hugely encouraging that, for the English wine producers, English (and Welsh) wine has made incredible gains in both quality and visibility over the past decade. What was once a niche curiosity is now a serious category on restaurant lists and from independent wine merchants up and down the country.
Yet success has not come easily. Producing world-class wine in a marginal climate demands patience, technical skill, careful site selection and, occasionally, a little luck. Today, however, English wine is firmly on a roll, driven by advances in vineyard technology, gradual climate warming and farmers increasingly diversifying beyond traditional agriculture. Vineyards now stretch from Cornwall to Fife, occupying a remarkable patchwork of microclimates, slopes and sun-trapping pockets across England. Somewhere near you, someone is growing grapes!
Sparkling wine remains the most visible and successful style. Much of this success is thanks to the chalk seam that runs beneath southern England, the same geological formation that continues under the Channel into Champagne. This chalk is dramatically exposed at the White Cliffs of Dover and runs through Kent, Sussex and Hampshire. Chalk soils provide excellent drainage while retaining enough moisture to support vines during dry spells - ideal for premium sparkling wine production.
Nyetimber Blanc de Blanc is a superb example of English sparkling finesse from Sussex, often mistaken for and certainly on a par with good champagne. Made entirely from Chardonnay, it typically shows fine, persistent mousse, aromas of lemon zest, green apple and toasted brioche, and a palate combining creamy texture with razor-sharp acidity. It’s a brilliant aperitif and pairs beautifully with oysters or smoked salmon - perfect for an Easter celebration.
Still wines are improving rapidly, too. Three Choirs Hand Harvested Willow Brook, white from Newent in Gloucestershire, has been in production for decades. It’s an approachable, fruit-forward style, often showing orchard fruit, elderflower and citrus peel, with gentle acidity and a soft finish. It’s ideal for lighter Easter dishes such as spring vegetable tarts or grilled white fish.
Rosé is another fast-rising category in English and Welsh wines. Folc Rosé captures a modern, Provence-inspired English style - pale, dry and refreshing. Cleverly made by combining fruit from many producers to reflect the vintage, expect wild strawberry, clean pink grapefruit flavours and delicate floral notes, with a clean, saline finish. It works well with Easter lamb when you don’t want to go all out for a full red.
Top of the tree for white wine in England, it’s hard to ignore Chapel Down Kit’s Coty from Essex which delivers real depth and structure. Chardonnay-led, it tends to show ripe stone fruit, hazelnut and subtle oak spice layered over trademark English acidity. It’s a fine match for roast chicken or richer seafood dishes over the Easter weekend.
Finally, English reds - once considered experimental - are gaining real credibility, particularly from Pinot Noir Précoce. This early-ripening mutation of Pinot Noir is well suited to the UK climate and can produce charming, elegant reds. Several producers are now making great examples, often showing bright cherry, cranberry and red plum fruit, with light spice and soft tannins. Styles range from fresh and Beaujolais-like to more Burgundian in structure, depending on vintage and winemaking approach. Some producers are also experimenting with oak ageing. This grape also shines in sparkling blends, with Rowton’s Pink Fizz being a fine example – a moreish, fruit-forward sparkling produced on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, home to Tanners HQ. It’s early days for English reds, but in warmer years and as vineyards become more established, expect to see quality on the rise in the years to come.
Rowton Wines
Almost at the mid-point between Tanners HQ in Shrewsbury and our warehouse in Welshpool, twin sisters Zoë and Melissa Evans decided to diversify the farm that has been in their family for three generations. In addition to farming Limousin cattle and growing various crops, they created a B&B and a cellar door tasting and sales area from two old barns; and, most importantly to us, decided to plant a vineyard.
In May 2020 they identified a 5 acre site, southeast facing, on a gentle slope and chose to plant PIWI grape varieties. PIWI is a contraction from the German pilzwiderstandsfähige and means fungus resistant; these include the white grapes Solaris and Seyval Blanc, as well as the red variety Pinot Noir Précoce. By choosing these rather than more conventional varieties the twins need to use less intervention and chemicals in the vineyard, better for them, the planet and the wines! As they get started the wines are made for them at Halfpenny Green nr Stourbridge, but the goal is to build their own winery at the farm and do it themselves. Their first vintage was the very successful 2022 and as the vines mature the wines will get even better in the future.
Historically, and perhaps loyally, we have often supported local producers with their efforts, taking pride in wines produced on our doorstep. While this local bias will probably continue to drive the sector for a generation, English and Welsh wine today is moving forward at speed, offering remarkable diversity and quality across the UK. From world-class sparkling wines to expressive still whites, elegant rosés and increasingly serious reds, there has never been a better time to explore what ‘homegrown’ can offer.
