Amir Mousavi

The latest WineGB tasting was another huge success with 80 producers, 350 wines & 600 visitors.   There are now 1,030 vineyards in the UK, a rise of over 9% in a year, while English & Welsh #wine sales grew by 10% from 2022 to 2023 reaching 8.8m bottles. Winery numbers have risen from 209 to 221 & the total area under vine is now 4,209 hectares, a growth of 123% in 10 years.   The percentage of sales from export is now 8%, doubling in just two years. GB wines are exported to 45 different countries with the top market being Norway, where sales of English still & sparkling wine have risen by 33% in the past year. Japan, USA, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Hong Kong & South Korea are the next largest export markets. WineGB’s Sustainable Wines of Great Britain scheme is one of 29 approved certifications recognised by Sweden’s alcohol monopoly, Systembolaget.   At the tasting, WineGB Chief Executive Nicola Bates said: "Today, we're using this as an opportunity to make a point to government. We're asking for additional support so that we can accelerate our overseas exports."   Many people comment on how expensive English/Welsh wine is. Yet, as I've argued many times, it's an artisanal product & cannot just be compared against mass-market offerings produced at economies of scale simply not possible in the UK.    What does good value mean? Surely £40 for a boutique wine is better value than the same price for a mass-produced, branded name. Companies such as Nyetimber & Gusbourne have always set out to produce premium wines & their prices compare well with top Champagne producers & others.   Chapel Down Group successfully straddles the divides between accessibility, affordability & world-class excellence with a large portfolio of wines at difference price points that include award-winners, such as the superb Kit's Coty range.    Simpsons Wine Estate fabulous Railway Hill Rosé 2023 at £20 & their other wines are priced at levels that justifiably, but not excessively, reflect their high quality. Langham Wine Estate is another case in point. A winery that keeps on improving year on year, their Corallian Classic Cuvée NV is only £34.99 & worth every penny!   My first taste of Leonardslee Family Vineyards was well worth waiting for, particularly the elegant Blanc de Blancs 2020. Also good to discover low-intervention winery, The Wharie Experience, who make beers & ciders too. Emma Rice's first wines made under her own name, Oastbrook Estates Ltd The Grange DIGBY FINE ENGLISH All Angels Vineyard & Oxney Organic make up my selection of highlights.   … and all this came a day after Tim Wildman MW's excellent Brit Nat tasting, showcasing Pét-Nat innovation in England and Wales.   Cherie Spriggs Brad Greatrix MSc MIET Jonathan White Mary Bridges Josh Donaghay-Spire Susie Goldsmith Christian Smith Ruth Simpson America Brewer Nick Brewer Zam Baring Trevor Clough Mark Darley Kristin Syltevik Guillaume Lagger   #englishwine #winebusiness

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