English Sparkling Wine Sales Soar

It was expected that English sparkling wine would be many people’s choice of drink this festive season and it seems it was true!

Waitrose reported record Christmas sales of English sparkling wine,  up 188% from the previous years. Marks & Spencer also revealed a 300% increase in sales of Chapel Down English Sparkling Brut and Rosé.

Waitrose is currently the leading supermarket when it comes to English and Welsh wine, accounting for 60% marketshare, compared to an overall market share for wine of just 7.7%.

In 2015 Waitrose launched their own Leckford Estate Brut sparkling wine, produced in the Waitrose vineyard in Hampshire. They have had to increase production to meet the high demand for this bottle.

With the popularity of English bubbly on the rise, some winemakers are questioning whether it needs a catchy name, similar to ‘Cava’ ‘Prosecco’ and ‘Champagne’.

The French have apparently started calling it Crémant d’Albion, referencing the country’s ancient name. Some suggestions put forward are Britagne, Merret and Bubbleigh, but no name in particular has seemed to take off yet.

Overall, 2015 was a good year for English sparkling wine, with Taittinger even acquiring land in Kent to grow their own vineyards. 2016 promises to have exciting things in store for the industry.