UK Wine Industry

Denbies sparkling wine is Britain's most dynamic, tourist-friendly winery. UK is one of the smallest wine producers in the EU. UK is often considered to be the hub of the international trade in wine and as a result has a thriving industry stretching from importers and bottlers through to freight forwarders and retailers. The Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) was established in 1824 representing all elements of the supply chain.

Grape Varieties of UK

Main grape varieties grown in England and Wales are Reichensteiner, Bacchus, Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Muller Thurgau and Seyval Blanc. Out of the top ten countries of origin for UK imports six are third party countries i.e. outside the EU. Australia is the largest exporter to the UK, accounting for 2.5 million hl in 2004. This is followed by France which accounts for 2.3 million hl and the USA which accounts for 1.5 million hl. UK is the second largest importer by volume in the EU, very closely behind Germany. There are currently a total of 362 registered vineyards comprising of 923 hectares in England and Wales, English and welsh wines account for less than 1% of total wine sold in the UK

UK Quality Wine Scheme

UK introduced its Quality Wine Scheme in 1991. The motive was to help market the best English and Welsh wines. Wines submitted to this scheme must meet strict criteria covering demarcation of production areas, vine varieties cultivation, winemaking methods and maximum yields. They must also be subjected to an analytical test assessing physical and chemical components of the wine, as well as an organoleptic tasting.

Wines meeting these strict criteria can show the phrase on their label ‘English Vineyards Quality Wine psr’ or ‘Welsh Vineyards Quality Wine psr’ that is similar to the French Appellation Controllé quality system. PSR means Produced in Specified Regions.

UK Regional Wine Scheme

UK Regional Wine Scheme was introduced on 1st April 1997. According to that scheme wines must meet certain analytical and organoleptic criteria but the rules are less strict on use of vine varieties.

UK produces on the rules of both the UK Quality Wine Scheme and the UK Regional Wine Scheme. The United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA) is the main producer association representing the majority of UK vineyards. English Wine Producers (EWP) is a voluntary group of leading English vineyards working in close association with the UKVA.