England and Wales

Question 1

England overview

Answer 1

• traditional champagne varieties panted in the late 1980s
• Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier are 70% of plantings
• wines have very high acidity and just-ripe fruit characteristics
• Rose can also be made

Question 2

England Climate

Answer 2

• all vineyards are above 50 latitude
• long daylight hours and a cool climate
• southern England accounts for 85% of the vineyards - cool, maritime climate
• slow ripening, slow sugar accumulation, preservation of acidity
• global warming raising quality but has also brought concerns / increased risk of frost damage due to earlier budding (due to warmer springs)
• rain is the biggest threat to yields due to prolonged rain during flowering and fruit set
• rain also a concern during harvest
• top priority is managing the vineyard risks and financial threats due to fluctuations in yields and quality

Question 3

Site Selection

Answer 3

• south facing slopes needed for maximum exposure to sunlight
• sites with maximum shelter from prevailing winds from the south-west are needed as this can hinder flowering/fruit set
• good drainage required to avoid wet soils and root zone
• altitude below 125m above sea level needed

Question 4

Soil Types

Answer 4

• varied
• clay predominates in Kent and parts of Sussex, with high water holding capacity and fertility - wines have slightly lower acid and more pronounced fruit
• chalk in Sussex and Hampshire (similar to Champagne) offers good drainage providing more finessed wines with higher acidity

Question 5

Winemaking

Answer 5

• almost all are traditional method
• predominantly vintage wines
• majority of base wines are unoaked but some producers use a proportion of oak to add texture
• MLF widely used to balance racing acidity
• minimum 9 months lees aging required
• most are Brut

Question 6

English Sparkling Wine Laws

Answer 6

For PDO:

• only 6 varieties allowed: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Precoce (mutation of Pinot Noir that ripens 2 weeks earlier), Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris
• traditional method
• max yield is 80hL/ha but is rarely an issue

Question 7

English Wine Business

Answer 7

• only 8% exported
• major financial challenge is fluctuation in yields but this is improving as most producers can now work with 4-5 years of stock
• WineGB is the industry body