🗺️ British wine

British wine is wine made in the United Kingdom, mainly in England and Wales. In recent decades it has been gaining fame quickly, especially the sparkling wine.

Vineyards lie in southern England: in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and other counties. The climate is cool, but in warm years grapes ripen well. English sparkling wine is made by the traditional method, as in Champagne, from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Soils are chalky in places, as in the Champagne region. In Wales, Solaris, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Noir and Phoenix are also grown.

The history of viticulture in Britain is long: grapes were grown here by the Romans and in the Middle Ages. The old word "claret" is what the English call red Bordeaux, which was imported from France for centuries. In the past, greenhouse varieties such as Muscat Hamburg were grown too. British wines receive protected names under the national geographical indication schemes. The country is part of the wines of Europe geographically but is developing its own way, with a focus on sparkling and fresh whites.