England and Wales Flashcards
Tell us about English and Welsh Sparkling Wine?
Modern grape growing in England and Wales started after the Second World War, mainly using German crosses and hybrid varieties. However, traditional Champagne varieties were planted at several estates in the late 1980s (e.g. Nyetimber in 1988) with a view to making traditional method sparkling wine. The finished wines received positive responses. As a result, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier now account for 70 per cent of all plantings and production in England and Wales. Sparkling white wines have high acidity, medium alcohol and a light to medium body. Flavours for white wine tend to be apple and lemon along with autolytic notes. This very high acidity and just-ripe fruit are distinctive characteristics. The quality is generally very good with some outstanding examples. Prices are premium to super- premium. Rosé sparkling wine is also made.
Explain the climate in England and Wales for Sparkling Wine?
The northerly latitude – all vineyards are located above 50°– results in long daylight hours and a cool climate, a combination highly suitable for traditional method sparkling wine.
Climate
There are vineyards in Wales and other parts of the UK; however, the vineyards of southern England account for 85 per cent of all production. This area has a cool, maritime climate. The average growing season temperature has risen from 13°C (55°F) in the middle of the last century, marginal for successful commercial grape growing, to 14°C (57°F) in this century, still cool but less marginal. Cool temperatures result in slow ripening, slow sugar accumulation, preservation of acidity and the creation of medium intensity fruit characters.
The warming of the climate has helped producers to ripen fruit in more years than was previously possible, raising quality. However, a greater number of extreme weather events, for example, heavy rain, has accompanied this. Two factors have increased the risk of frost damage: earlier budding due to warmer springs and the big increase in the planting of the early budding varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, in contrast to the hardier German and hybrid varieties.
However, the biggest threat to yields is that of prolonged rain. In this maritime climate, rain and cool temperatures in June and July can affect flowering and fruit set and can drastically reduce yields. To take an extreme example, 2012 had the wettest June for 100 years. Some top estates picked no fruit at all in this year and, in general, yields were down. In addition, rain during the harvest month of October can be a threat to quality. Managing the vineyard (e.g. timely spraying against fungal diseases) and managing the financial risks of fluctuations in yields and quality are the highest priorities.
Explain Site Selection for English and Welsh Sparkling Wine?
Site selection is of great importance to grow and ripen fruit. The factors to be considered include:
- Grape growing at northern latitudes means that south-facing slopes are best for maximum exposure to sunlight.
- Site selection should concentrate on finding sites with maximum shelter from prevailing winds that are generally from the south- west. Strong winds and rain can hinder flowering and fruit set and disperse heat. Former apple orchards or hop fields with aspects other than south may be preferred if they offer shelter.
- Good drainage is essential to avoid regularly wet soils and root zone; the best sites are either naturally free draining or will need to have drainage installed, which adds to cost.
- Altitude below 125 m above sea level.
Explain soils for English and Welsh Sparkling Wine?
Soil types vary across southern England. Clay predominates in Kent and parts of Sussex, with high water-holding capacity and fertility. The soils in Sussex and Hampshire have significant amounts of chalk, often claimed to be a key quality factor as in Champagne. They offer good drainage and lower fertility. However, chalk soils tend to be on slopes at higher elevations, making them more vulnerable to adverse weather. Clay soils give slightly lower acidity and more pronounced fruit; chalk can give more finesse, but with higher acidity and a leaner body.
New vineyards are typically planted at medium density (4,000–5,000 vines per hectare) to increase root competition and contain the vigour of the canopy. As in most cool-climate northern European viticulture, the Guyot system with vertical shoot positioning is often preferred. Narrow rows with canes trained relatively close to the ground helps to retain heat in the fruiting zone. Thin canopies are important to allow air and light to reach buds and the fruit, to reduce disease pressure and to allow sprays to reach the leaves, maintaining healthy grapes and raising quality.
Explain yields for English and Welsh Sparkling Wine?
The variable, cool and damp climate results in marked vintage variation and in fluctuating yields. Low average yields are due to the marginal climate and the increased planting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that can flower poorly in wet and cool weather. While the overall average yields are a modest 24 hL/ha (in the five years to 2016; one third to one quarter of that achieved in Champagne), the best vineyards can achieve twice this figure. Some years have seen tiny yields. As a result, production has been highly variable. Due to the low and variable yield, prices are premium and super-premium.
Explain the winemaking for English and Welsh Sparkling Wine?
The majority of sparkling wine production (white and rosé) is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – and some Meunier. A few sparkling wines are made from German crossings and hybrids.
Almost all sparkling wines are made by the traditional method and are predominantly vintage wines. Length of time on the lees varies, but the minimum must be nine months in line with EU regulation for quality sparkling wine with a PDO. Some producers use a portion of oak maturation to add texture, but the majority of base wines are unoaked. Malolactic conversion is widely used to reduce the very high acidity that results from a cold climate. However, producers with the most-sheltered sites and those willing to risk waiting for fuller ripeness
can pick at acidity levels ideal for traditional method sparkling wine. Recently, some of the larger producers have moved to non-vintage wines with the use of reserve wines to create a consistent style. (Most producers are only just building up a library of reserve stock to be able to do this.) Having reserve wines is useful in a marginal climate where yields and quality can vary each year, though it also increases costs.
A few producers also make Pet Nat sparkling wines.
Explain the wine law and wine business for English and Welsh Sparkling Wine?
For PDO English sparkling wine, only six varieties are allowed: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Précoce (a mutation of Pinot Noir that ripens two weeks earlier than Pinot Noir), Meunier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.
Wines must be made by the traditional method. All other varieties, for example, German varieties and hybrids, can be labelled with a protected geographical indication (PGI). The maximum yield for PDO wines is 80 hL/ha, but, as has been seen, this is rarely going to be an issue. Wines are labelled using EU terms for sweetness, most being Brut.
English sparkling wine is at an early stage of development. The plantings are still small by world standards at around 3,600 ha (all varieties), if growing rapidly (by more than 80 per cent since 2015). By comparison with Champagne, agricultural land is much less expensive, a key factor attracting new entrants, including major Champagne houses. Significant producers include Nyetimber and Wiston Estate.
Virtually all English sparkling wine is consumed in England, with only 8 per cent currently being exported. One-third of the wine is sold at the cellar door, with wine also being sold in specialist wine shops, premium supermarkets and the hospitality sector, including by the glass. With prices in the premium and super-premium ranges, the wines compete with very good quality Champagne. Planting is continuing rapidly. For example, 2019 saw double the plantings of 2018.
As previously discussed, a major financial challenge is to deal with fluctuations in yields from year to year, though such fluctuations are becoming easier to deal with as most producers can now work with 4–5 years of stock. This helps producers cope with poor years and good years.
The industry body has recently rebranded itself as WineGB and seeks to act as a point of reference for, and to represent, vineyard owners and producers in technical services, regulation, marketing and education.
