Wine Lover's Guide to the UK

borro Wine Lover 's Guide TO THE U.K. HIS MAP HAS BEEN CREATED TO GIVE WINE LOVERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE I A VISUAL LOWDOWN OF THE UK WINEMAKING INDUSTRY. As you browse our interactive map you'll find many of the symbols can be clicked to find The map includes a selection of the UK's top producers, particularly those with awards from prestigious international Finally, for those living or travelling in the UK, there is local information on leading wine festivals and shops across additional information. competitions. the country. UK VINEYARDS IN NUMBERS Latest figures show the UK boasts 419 VINEYARDS and some 124 WINERIES (UKVA; May, 2012) SPARKLING LEADS THE WAY In 2009, estimates showed that sparkling wines made up 50% OF UK PRODUCTION. A GROWING INDUSTRY According to Stephen Skelton, there is an estimated 1,500 ACREAGE planted in the UK - the highest ever total, and almost double that of 2004. A SCOTTISH FIRST The cross of St Andrew you can see on the Scottish where, as of 2014, we are told to expect part of the map marks the spot SCOTLAND'S FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE: CHATEAU LARGO. (Note: The purple dot indicates the Exel Wines store) BRITISH VS. ENGLISH English & Welsh wine (grown and made in the UK) is not to be confused with 'British wine', which is made from imported • Award-winning Vineyards Wine shops grape juice concentrate. Wine festivals SOUTH EAST ENGLAND Zooming out of this infographic clearly shows the importance of England's South East to UK wine production. In fact, make sure to look out for the 5 numbered flags, marking the key historical events that converted Britons into wine-drinkers and producers. HUSH HEATH ESTATE DENBIES Kent Headed up by Richard Balfour-Lynn, Hush Heath's vision is to create English Pink Sparkling Wine to rival the finest from Champagne and the rest of the world. WINE ESTATE Surrey Denbies Wine Estate currently has 265 acres under vine and is England's largest vineyard. It's Surrey Gold wine is the best selling English wine in the UK. Balfour Brut Rosé, 2010 Rosé - sparkling Decanter Gold 2013 Chalk Ridge Rosé, 2010 Rosé - still IWC Gold 2013 Oxford Gusbourne Estate SOUTH EAST ENGL. ND Kent The fine wines of Gusbourne Estate are crafted from the Stanlake Park, Brightwell, Oxfordshire considered combination of their Berkshire own Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grape yield. Wyfold, Oxfordshire Blanc de Blancs, 2008 White - sparkling IWC Gold 2013 LONDON Plumpton Estate, East Sussex The only vineyard in Britain where the wine is made on a Litmus Wines, Surrey Jenkyn Place, Hampshire Biddenden, Kent University course by students! Bluebell, East Sussex Hoffmann & Rathbone, West Sussex Breaky Bottom, East Sussex Wooldings, Hampshire 8 Davenport, East Sussex Springfields, East Sussex Meonhill, Hampshire O Nutbourne, West Sussex Henners, East Sussex Wickham, Hampshire Seddlescombe, East Sussex Brighton Glynde Food & English Wine Festival East Sussex English Channel NYETIMBER held annually: 2nd full weekend of July West Sussex This 152 hectare vineyard was the first in the UK to be devoted exclusively to the holy trinity of Champagne grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. CHAPEL DOWN Rosé, 2008 Rosé - sparkling IWC Gold 2013 RIDGEVIEW WINE ESTATE East Sussex Kent Another vineyard dedicated solely to making sparkling wines, Ridgeview will celebrate its 20 year anniversary next year (2014). Tim Atkin, once wrote: "If the Champenois get to taste this .. they will be booking their seats on the Eurostar." WINE SHOPS 1. Oxford wine, Oxfordshire 2. Bibendum VWine, London 3. Berry Bros & Rudd, London 4. The Wine Pantry, London 5. English Wine Centre, East Sussex 6. The Secret Cellar, Kent Producing both still and sparkling, such has been the growth of Chapel Down over recent years that their winery can now accommodate a crush of 600 tonnes. Ridgeview Marksman, 2009 White - sparkling IWC Gold & English Sparkling Trophy 2012 Chardonnnay Reserve, 2010 White - still, dry 7. Hennings Wine Merchants, West Sussex 8. Sparkling English Wine, West Sussex Decanter Gold 2013 HISTORICAL EVENTS 1. Roman Origins LERER 2. The Royal Treasury, 3. Hatfield House, 4. Oxted Research 5. First Modern Vineyard, Hambledon Following the Oxted vine trials, Major General Sir Guy Salisbury Jones planted a small vineyard in 1951. By 1954, the first successful crop had been The Romans ivaded Winchester Hertfordshire Station Despite a serious decline after the dissolution of the UK in 43 AD, In 1946, Ray Barrington The Domesday Book (initially named the "Book of Winchester', and first held in the city's Royal Treasury), tables where it is reputed they Brock established introduced Britons to the monasteries, a viticultural research station in Oxted, Surrey. Later joined by Edward Hyams and George Ordish, their findings wine for the first time. vineyards did not become extinct. In the 17th century, John Tradescant planted Indeed, a recent archaeological discovery has found deposits of grape pollen 42 definite locations of vineyards, mainly belonging to monasteries harvested and 20,000 vines on the led to the foundation of Hambledon became the estate of his employer, Lord Salisbury. at a Roman estate in and the estates of the first commercial UK's first modern Northamptonshire. English noblemen. vineyard (see point 5). commercial vineyard. SOUTH WEST ENGLAND Vineyards of the South West of England are the second largest contributors to Britain's ever-growing wine industry. Benefiting from a warmer climate than the rest of the country, and an abundance of south facing slopes, the region boasts a number of regional and gold Decanter & IWC award winners. Three Choirs, Gloucestershire WALES Strawberry Hill,S Gloucestershire Bristol Channel Great Western Wine Company, Somerset Bristol SOUTH WEST ENGLAND CAMEL VALLEY Oatley, Somerset O Cornwall "Camel Valley is the most impressive estate on our shores and without a doubt the number one winery in the Country. Matthew Jukes, The Wine List; Daily Mail columnist. Pinot Noir Brut, 2010 Rosé - sparkling Bournemouth Decanter Gold 2012 Pebblebed, Devon Sharpham Wines, Devon FURLEIGH ESTATE Plymouth Dorset Four years of careful planning and investment transformed this former dairy farm into a modern and productive vineyard and winery. Winner of the 2013 IWC ESW trophy. Ellis Wharton Wines, Cornwall Classic Cuvée, 2009 White - sparkling IWC Gold 2013 THE MIDLANDS & EAST OF ENGLAND Another reminder of Britain's long association with wine can be found in the Midlands, where the area is more commonly described in wine circles as the 'Mercian' region (an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom). Also noteworthy are the still relatively untapped plains of East Anglia, boasting some of the driest climatic conditions in the UK. North EAST se a MIDLANDS Nottingham WEST MIDLANDS A Tanners, Shropshire Eglantine, Nottinghamshire EAST OF Eglantine Vincyard North Star, 2006 White - sweet ENGLAND Halfpenny Green, Staffordshire Decanter Silver 2010 Cambridge Chilford Hall, Birmingham Cambridgeshire O Bedford Astley, Worcestershire Noel Young Wines, Cambridgeshire Astley Bacchus, 2009 White - still IWC Silver 2011 English Wine Festival and Open Day Purleigh, Essex held annually: 1st full weekend of September Warden Abbey, Bedfordshire Warden Abbott Sparkling Brut, 2007 White - sparkling IWC Silver 2011 WALES Wales has played an integral part in the history of UK wine. Indeed, the Marquis of Bute planted a vineyard on his estate at Castell Coch in 1873. While the vineyard ceased to exist after WW1, a number of other vineyards, particularly in the south east of the country, have continued to flourish. Irish Sea ENGLAND James Fearon Wines, Anglesey Ancre Hil11 Estates Blas ar Fwyd, Conwy Welsh Wine Week Venues across Wales Monmouthshire held annually: last week of May/ first week of June Wales' premier vineyard, while winning international awards for its sparkling wine, has recently embarked on a journey to further the course of red wine in the UK, with its latest Pinot Noir bottles. Ancre Hill Estates Vintage, 2008 White - sparkling Best Sparkling Wine in the World Bollicine del Mondo International Competition, Italy 2012 WALES Ancre Hill received full biodynamic accreditation in 2013 - a first for Cardigan Bay Welsh wine production. Mumbles Fine Wines, Swansea A Monnow Valley, Monmouthshire Swansea CARDIFF Parva Farm, Gwent Bristol Chan nel Arth Wine, Vale of Glamorgan TOP 10 GRAPE VARIETIES GROWN IN THE UK Chardonnay 284.83 Pinot Noir 257.65 Bacchus 133.11 Seyval Blanc 94.61 Reichensteiner 83.73 Muller Thurgau 58.19 Pinot Meunier 56.24 Madeleine Angevine 47.62 Rondo (GM 6494/5) 44.49 Schonburger 41.59 Hectares Total Hectares in Production 1384.31 (all grape varieties) Source: UKVA; May, 2012