UK wine-making industry enjoys sparkling good health and growth
English wine-makers have enjoyed a vintage year, and are set to double in capacity and production over the next seven years.
According to figures from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association released today, English vine-yards have grown, on average, 11 per cent a year over the last 10 years.
There are currently 135 wineries producing an average of 6.3m bottles a year in the UK. Last year there were 470 vineyards open in the UK, measuring more than 4,500 acres, up from 1,879 in 2004. That’s the equivalent of 2,645 full sized football pitches, producing enough wine to fill the London Aquarium three-times over.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs predicted at the end of last year home-grown-wine sales would be worth £100m in 2015.
Sparkling wines are particularly popular, accounting for 66 per cent of total production, and are shipped to over 13 countries.