Great Britain does not immediately come to mind when one thinks about wine production in the world. In fact only 2,000 ha (5,000 acres) of vineyard are planted in this part of the world. In 2015, there were 502 vineyards in both England and Wales, with an average surface area of 4 ha (10 acres). The number of wineries was of 133. That year, production was close to 5 million bottles, that is to say less than 1% of the total volume of wine sold in the UK.

 

Nevertheless, we hear more and more about English sparkling wines and about the fact that some great Champagne wineries are now investing and buying land in England, due to global warning. Over the last 10 years, the surface area planted with vineyards has more than doubled and experts expect it to rise by 50% by 2020. 

 

 

In December 2017, while staying for a few days in the city of Bath, in Somerset, I had the opportunity to visit Margaret and Tony Cox's vineyard and winery in the small village of Bannerdow, just a few kilometres outside Bath.  This couple, who is about to retire (within 2 years, from what they told me), settled in the region in 1976. They planted their fist vines in 1986 - 5,500 vinestocks at that time, and the number has not really increased since then. It is that same year that they came to visit the Loire Valley, Margaret told me, which caused her a lot of anxiety, as she was afraid something might happen to the young vines while they were away. The vines overlook the Avon river, that also goes through the beautiful Georgian city of Bath. 

For Tony and Margaret, the possibility of planting European grape varieties - which today have a large share in English production - did not arise. In the 1980s, global warming was not a hot topic. Their choice therefore fell on hybrids. The most widely planted grape variety on their estate is Madeleine Angevine. As its name suggests, it was developed in the Loire Valley, in Angers. It is particularly suitable for planting in northern regions, flowering occurring late and ripening being early (15 to 20 days before Chasselas, the reference variety). It gives wines with good ageing potential. Alone, this grape variety produces light wines with pronounced muscat aromas. It can be used for blends, its slightly marked acidity allowing it to contrast with grape varieties where it is more present. Tony also grows Reichensteiner, a cross between Müller-Thurgau, Madeleine Angevine and Calabreser Fröhlich, developed in Germany in 1939. It is a popular variety in England, with an early maturity, which is capable of producing large quantities of grapes, but quite neutral in aromatic terms and with a high sugar concentration. It is often used in blends both in the production of still or sparkling wines. Finally, the estate's rosé and red wines are made with Triomphe. Also known as The Triumph of Alsace, it was, when Tony and Margaret planted their vines, a popular grape variety in England. It gives good yields and ripens early, has low acidity and high sugar content. It is however sensitive to diseases, hence its decline in favor of other varieties of grapes.