English wine is getting bigger by the day
As the UK wine industry prepares for its annual trade and press tasting tomorrow (Thursday 5th May), the production figures for the 2010 harvest have just been announced, which reveal the highest production on record. 30,346 hectolitres was produced, equating to just over 4 million bottles. This is the highest volume ever produced, breaking a previous record of 3.5m bottles.
This substantial increase reflects the rise in planting that the industry has experienced in the last 5 years and indications are that sparkling wine has become the most widely produced wine style. In 2009 approximately 50% of total production was intended for sparkling wine. Sparkling wines are becoming a regular feature on restaurant lists and wine merchants’ shelves, and the industry eagerly awaits the arrival of a number of new names to the scene in addition to the award-winning range of wines already available.
