Welsh Wine

  • WineGB Trade and Press Tasting

    WineGB Trade and Press Tasting

    At a time when France, Spain and Italy are reducing their vineyard areas, Britain, though far smaller, is expanding. Over the past year registered vineyards have risen by 74 to reach 1,104, while 25 new wineries have been added, bringing the total to 238. The planted area has grown from 4,209 hectares to 4,841 hectares,…

  • New WineGB Industry Report 2025

    New WineGB Industry Report 2025

    The new WineGB Industry Report 2025 highlights continued resilience and growth in the English and Welsh wine sector, despite economic pressures and regulatory challenges. The number of vineyards has risen to 1,104 and wineries to 238, with land under vine expanding to 4,841 hectares, a 510% increase since 2005. Kent remains the leading county for…

  • WineGB Awards 2025

    WineGB Awards 2025

    The ninth edition of the WineGB Awards marked a significant milestone, with still wines surpassing sparkling wines in both entries and total medals awarded for the first time. Still wines made up 54% of the entries and won 161 medals, compared to 151 for sparkling wines. However, sparkling wines continued to dominate in terms of…

  • UK Vineyard Visits

    UK Vineyard Visits

    Wine tourism is rapidly becoming a major trend in UK travel, with over 1.5 million visits to vineyards and wineries recorded in 2023, marking a 55% increase from 2022. In response, WineGB has released the Visit a Vineyard Guide 2025 (pdf), a comprehensive resource promoting the diverse and distinctive experiences available across the country. There…

  • WineGB Trade and Press Tasting

    WineGB Trade and Press Tasting

    The WineGB Trade and Press Tasting, in early September 2024, offered an impressive selection, showcasing over 300 wines from 80 producers. The event featured individual exhibitor stands, regional vineyard association stands and themed tasting tables. English sparkling wine has reached an exceptional level of quality, frequently rivalling and occasionally surpassing some of the finest Champagnes….

  • WineGB Awards Winners

    WineGB Awards Winners

    The eighth WineGB Awards saw a record-breaking number of entries and gold medals, with wines from 33 counties across England and Wales receiving accolades. Over 350 medals were awarded: 177 for sparkling wines and 174 for still wines, with a significant increase in gold medals for still wines compared to 2023. Notable categories included Classic…

  • WineGB Trade & Press Tasting

    WineGB Trade & Press Tasting

    On the 5th of September 2023, I went to the annual WineGB Trade & Press Tasting, where 312 wines from English and Welsh producers were on display. The event had separate stands for individual exhibitors, stands that represented regional vineyard associations with smaller commercial producers on display and special tables emphasising the diverse wine styles…

  • WineGB Industry Report

    WineGB Industry Report

    The wine industry in England and Wales has been experiencing great growth, as evidenced by the recent WineGB Industry Survey (PDF). The WineGB Industry Survey received 155 responses, capturing 91% of wine production in Britain. This comprehensive data provides a clear snapshot of the current state of the industry and its potential for future growth….

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Did You Know?

In 2024, the UK was the second-largest export market for Champagne globally, after the United States. More

Local UK bottling of wine which represents about 40% of imported wine. More

Around 1% of people, typically severe asthmatics, have a sulphite sensitivity. More

A large 80% of Australian wine arrives in the UK in bulk. More

Only about 0.02% of Australia’s landmass is dedicated to vineyards. More

In 2024, New Zealand produced only 1% of the World’s wine. More

In 2024, the US imported 37% of World production of Pinot Grigio and the UK was is in second place at 27%. More

In 2024, the UK was South Africa’s largest export market, with 40% of total exports. More

In 2024, the United Kingdom imported 22.3 million bottles of Champagne, a decline of 12.7% compared to the previous year. More

Larger Champagne producers source grapes from as many as 80 different vineyards throughout Champagne. More

Champagne houses and growers collectively produce around 300 million bottles annually. More

In 2025, the Champagne region was home to about 2,124 Champagne houses and approximately 19,000 growers. More

Provence is one of the leaders in the conversion to organic viticulture, with 61% of vineyards certified. More

8% of the South Africa’s grape production is Fairtrade-certified. More

Up to 80% of wine aroma compounds come from grape skins. More

Glycerol is the third-largest component of most dry wines after water and alcohol which is why they so often feel ‘smooth’ or ‘silky’ in the mouth. More

Humans are more than 400 times more sensitive to bitter than sweet. More

Humans can detect the earthy molecule geosmin at about 100 parts per trillion and camels are so sensitive to it they can locate damp ground from roughly 50 miles away. More

During the phylloxera crisis of the nineteenth century, 90% of Europe’s vineyards were destroyed. More

In 2025, for La Vieille Ferme, also known as “The Chicken Wine”, sales surged by 49.4% to £110.8 million. More

In 2025, in the UK, Yellow Tail held the top position with sales, marking a 9.8% increase over the previous year. More

In 2024, the UK was the second-largest wine importer in volume and value. More

In 2024, the UK was the fifth-largest wine-consuming country globally. More

In 2025, global wine consumption continued its downward trend, estimated at 214.2 million hectolitres, the lowest since 1961. More

In 2025, online alcohol sales had a 20% increase in value over five years. More

In 2025, the number of UK vineyards rose to 1,104 and wineries to 238, with land under vine expanding to 4,841 hectares, a 510% increase since 2005. More

Moët Hennessy alone commands nearly 46.66% of the Champagne market, with the top three producers together holding about 61%, and the top five controlling over 72%. More

In 2024, the Champagne market was worth roughly €3.92 billion. More

In the marketing year 2023/24, white wine accounted for roughly 55% of Spain’s output, whereas red and rosé together made up about 45%. More

In the UK, 92% of wine is consumed within 48hrs of purchase. More

The majority of wines, 95%, use commercial rather than wild yeast. More

Between 0.5 and 10 litres of water, per litre of wine, are needed for cleaning during winemaking. More

Machine harvesting can achieve up to 100 tons of fruit per day vs 1 ton for a human. More

In Germany, 2025 was the smallest wine vintage since 2010. More

The majority of vineyards, 90% in 2019, are farmed with heavy chemical interventions. Only 6% are organic. More

90% of low and coastal areas in south Europe and California will no longer be able to produce good wine by the end of the century. More