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, an increase of around 15 per cent, and there are now 99 different grape varieties recorded across the country.
WineGB, the national trade association representing Britain’s vineyards and wineries, has had to adapt to this growth too. Their annual London tasting had outgrown its previous venue and this year took place across two halls near Trafalgar Square. It showcased 424 wines from 86 producers, with 67 exhibitor stands manned by the winemakers themselves.
What stood out most at this year’s event was not simply the scale, but the quality. I have found myself highlighting more wines than at most other tastings, simply because there were more exceptional examples. The range on offer highlighted both the maturity of established producers and the ambition of new names, reflecting a dynamic industry that continues to expand its reputation at home and abroad.
Cobham House Rosé 2024 £42
From Cobham in Kent, this WineGB 2025 award-winning wine, made entirely from Gamay, delivers a generous burst of red fruit in both aroma and taste, carried by a lovely mouthfeel that makes it especially enjoyable.
Black Chalk Wild Rose 2021 £45
Produced in the vineyards of Hampshire, this award-winning wine reveals delicate apple, pear and floral notes that evolve gracefully into a biscuity finish, giving it both freshness and complexity.
Leonardslee Brut Reserve 2021 £38
As part of their very first releases, this award-winning sparkling wine shows remarkable depth with a long, lingering brioche character that makes it stand out among its peers.
Domaine Hugo HUGO 2021 POA
One of my personal favourites of the tasting and an award winner, this wine combines an intense and deep expression of brioche with a rounded apple ending, and its layered aftertaste continues to develop long after each sip.
Langham Wine Estate Blanc de Blancs NV £49.99
Crafted from a 34-hectare vineyard in rural Dorset, this minimal intervention sparkling wine, left unfined and unfiltered, impresses with bold, toasty and yeasty aromas that give it a distinctive richness.
Langham Wine Estate Perpetual NV £110
An award winner and another of my top wines at the tasting, this exceptional sparkling wine offers especially intense brioche character balanced with a honeyed apricot depth, resulting in a wine of remarkable quality.
Hambledon Blanc de Blancs NV £53
Made in Hampshire at the heart of the South Downs, this elegant sparkling wine shows a harmonious combination of brioche and apple notes, lifted by a slightly sweeter style that enhances its charm.
Walgate Blanc de Blancs 2020 £65
Created with low-intervention winemaking and made from 100% Chardonnay grown at the Peasmarsh vineyard in East Sussex, this wine has an appealingly different orangy quality alongside flavours of toasted almonds, browned butter and baked apple.
Abingworth Vineyard Sunken Stones 2024 £23
This Sauvignon Blanc from West Sussex is bright and refreshing, offering tropical fruit character in a style reminiscent of New Zealand more than France, with good acidity that keeps it fresh and lively.
Simpsons Wine Estate The Roman Road Chardonnay 2023 £32
A well-judged Chardonnay that is not overly oaked, it shows ripe fruit and a soft rounded texture which lead into a well-balanced and satisfying finish.
Biddenden Rosé 2024 £15.40
Produced at one of Kent’s pioneering vineyards, established in 1969, this blend of Ortega, Dornfelder and Pinot Noir has an inviting aroma and juicy red fruit character, supported by a pleasing mouthfeel that adds to its appeal.
Vale Vineyard Robin Goch 2023 £23
This red wine combines a subtle leather and cherry fragrance with blackcurrant flavour, while the light tannins emerge towards the end, giving it structure without overwhelming its freshness.
Balfour Winery Signature Pinot Noir 2022 £45
A beautifully made Pinot Noir, this wine has smoky and earthy undertones balanced by fruit and savoury character, with slight tannins and dryness that give it elegance, and it reminded me of a fine New Zealand savoury Pinot, making it one of my favourites of the tasting.
Artelium Wine Estate Artefact #9 2023 POA
Made from Cabaret Noir, this striking wine layers black cherries and plums with hints of cocoa and a gentle savoury note, all wrapped in a soft texture that makes it especially enjoyable.
Walgate Pinot Noir 2022 £32
Aged for 12 months in neutral Burgundian barrels, this Pinot Noir offers a red cherry fragrance and, of all those tasted, stood out to me as the most fruit-driven example.
Chapel Down Grand Reserve 2019 £48
This is a sparkling wine of real excellence, the most champagne-like of the tasting, with brioche and apple flavours supported by a refreshing acidity that lifts the entire experience.
Nine Oaks Chardonnay 2023 £25
From a boutique Kent vineyard, this Chardonnay shows a lovely interplay of apple and honey with a rounded mouthfeel and a lingering finish that adds refinement.
Folc Dry English Rosé NV £21.99
Reminiscent of a fine Provence rosé, this carefully blended wine, made from multiple vintages and seven grape varieties, is crisp, dry and flavoursome, combining freshness with a mouthfeel that gives it both body and elegance.
B58 Gewürztraminer 2023 £22.50
Made by fruit farmers who turned to winemaking, this excellent Gewürztraminer recalls those of Alsace, grown innovatively under polytunnels, and it delivers fragrance and flavour that feel both traditional and forward-looking.
Beaulieu Red 2023 £20
Another strong wine from B58, this elegant and fragrant red, made from 75% Pinotin and 25% Cabernet Jura, is reminiscent of a Fleurie with its supple style and inviting charm.
B58 Red 2023 £27.50
Yet another impressive offering from B58, this blend of Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Jura is oaky and smoky, showing rich black fruit with an impressive length that lingers.
Louis Pommery Brut NV £32
As the first Champagne House to establish vines in England, Louis Pommery has produced a wine in the South Downs that blends Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, resembling French Pommery but with a fresher edge of acidity.
Louis Pommery Rosé NV £45
Made in a similar style to the Brut, this rosé has a rounder profile and less acidity, making it slightly smoother and more approachable.
Lyme Bay Brut Reserve NV £26.99
Blended from six different grape varieties, this sparkling wine has a softer profile with less acidity than most English sparkling wines, resulting in a lovely and easy-drinking style.
Lyme Bay Bacchus 2023 £14.99
This excellent Bacchus is rich yet crisp and fresh, showing elderflower aroma with flavours of lychee and apple that give it vibrancy.
Lyme Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2024 £19.99
Full of flavour, this rosé offers redcurrant fruit carried on a silky finish, while the unusual presence of slight tannins adds interest and balance.
Vagabond Night Tripper 2024 £30
Made almost by accident at the UK’s largest urban winery in Canada Water, London, this rosé, composed of Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc, delivers a unique fusion of flavours that works beautifully.
LDN CRU Vintage 2021 £35
Produced in a historic Victorian warehouse in London SW6, this sparkling wine has champagne-like qualities with a touch of sweetness, combining brioche character with crisp red apple.
There is no shortage of traditional method sparkling wines, many of which have become both dependable and premium, yet it remains an open question whether this represents the true longer-term future of British winemaking or if the real interest and opportunities for expansion lie elsewhere.
Red wines are beginning to establish themselves more firmly, with excellent examples here from Vale Vineyard, B58 and Balfour. Some of the larger producers I spoke to are still reluctant to pursue them, preferring instead to concentrate their efforts on the safer, lucrative, sparkling market. Rosé, meanwhile, is showing extraordinary promise, with standout wines from Cobham House and Folc that rival the very best from Provence. Perhaps most inspiring of all are the pioneering innovators such as B58 and Vagabond, whose willingness to experiment and push boundaries is resulting in some of the most exciting and original wines being made in Britain today.
