Celebrate English Wine Week with Majestic!

21st - 29th June 2025

What is English Wine Week?

English Wine Week is an annual celebration of the quality and excellence of English wine. From trend to triumph, English wine has gained recognition and acclaim both locally and internationally, meaning there has never been a better or exciting time to drink English wine than now. So celebrate this homegrown brilliance by raising a glass of your favourite English wine this English Wine Week!

English Wine: An Evolution

Winemaking in England has fluctuated over the centuries with periods of decline and revival. However, records show grapes were introduced as far back as 43 AD, during the Roman times, when Emperor Claudius began his conquest of the British Isles. In addition, the Domesday Book, in 1086, recorded over 40 vineyards in England. Now there are over 1000!

Rising temperatures, exceptional vineyard sites, and world-class winemaking have combined to create ideal conditions for cultivating some grape varieties, such as the classic Champagne varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier), but also the likes of Pinot Gris and Albariño, resulting in distinctive and complex wines. As a result of these factors, alongside an ever-growing interest in home-grown wines, the English wine industry has grown and prospered, now with over 200 vineyards and 4209 hectares under vine, representing a growth of 123% in 10 years. This figure will continue increasing, meaning the future of home-grown wine is getting more exciting by the day.

At a time when global wine consumption is falling, English wine is thriving and here to stay. Not only are we seeing growing numbers of English vineyards appearing in the wine section in stores, but we are also seeing this same increase with the amount of English wine on wine lists in pubs and restaurants. Meaning there’s no excuse for not picking up a bottle or trying a glass!

Recognition internationally is clear with Champagne house Taittinger purchasing vineyard land in 2015, investing in the future of English wine. Furthermore, English wine is now available in over 30 different countries, with Norway leading the way as the largest export market at the moment for English wine. This growing interest expands further from Europe with attention from Japan, where English wines make for great pairings with their cuisine, and is landing on wine lists across the US as well.

Where are the vineyards in England?

With plantings in England on the incline, key regions have emerged. These are Sussex, Kent, and Surrey, with Sussex being awarded the first and only PDO accreditation in 2022. However, plantings in England expand beyond these regions and are still creating wines of exceptional quality.

What these regions have in common is also what they have in common with Northern French regions, notably Champagne. This is a combination of the cool climate and the infamous limestone chalk soils, which mirror those of Champagne. As a result of this, over 68% of plantings in England are made of the three key Champagne varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.

What makes English sparkling so great?

Due to the similarities with Champagne, 91% of English sparkling wine is made using the same method as Champagne. This is called the Traditional Method. You can spot wines made like this by their labels, as if they have ‘English Sparkling Wine’ on the label, they must be made using this method and undergo ageing in bottle for a minimum of nine months. Furthermore, to satisfy these criteria, the wines can be made from grapes within 6 different varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir Precoce, and Pinot Blanc).

The Traditional Method is a laborious process which involves the primary fermentation in tank, and the secondary fermentation and ageing in their individual bottles. Therefore, it is normally the longest method used when making sparkling wine. However, the resulting wines are of an exceptional quality, with characteristics of fresh apples and crisp acidity, enough to rival and stand up to the likes of Champagne.

What about the English sparkling that’s not made this way?

Notoriously used when making Prosecco, the Charmat or Tank Method, as it’s also known, is also being adopted by English winemakers. The difference between this and the Traditional Method is the vessel that which secondary fermentation occurs. This is the fermentation that gives your sparkling wine its sparkle! As in the name, the vessel used here is a large stainless steel tank, rather than individual bottles.

This process produces fantastic sparkling wines and is valued for its ability to preserve delicate aromas of the grapes, and the wines are usually deliciously fresh and fruit-driven, which can even rival Traditional Method sparkling wines.

Another way of making English sparkling wine is by using carbonation. This involves injecting a still wine with Carbon dioxide to give it a light and refreshing sparkle. This is perfect for grape varieties like Bacchus as it allows the wine to retain its youthful and aromatic qualities.

Don’t forget English still wine!

English still wine currently makes up nearly 25% of wine production, and therefore plays an important role within the world of English wine. The cool climate in England allows the grapes to ripen more slowly, which helps concentrate the fruit flavours and retain their fresh acidity.

There is incredible versatility within English still wines, with a large variety of different grape varieties being used to produce a range of different styles of still wines. Bacchus is becoming a staple for English still wine with its aromatic characteristics and notes of citrus, pear, hedgerow and elderflower. However, winemakers are also using varieties such as Pinot Gris, which is a variety that thrives in a cool climate and is full of tropical flavours and aromas with a crisp acidity and full body, and Albariño, which displays as deliciously zesty and fresh, with floral notes.

The options don’t stop there, with English rosés impressing as well. From grapes such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, they are incredibly vibrant, with notes of ripe strawberries and a refreshing acidity, making them perfect for a sunny day.

With such a large range of choice, there is an English still wine for every occasion, so why not give it a try?