| English wine? Oh! You might say. Most Indians and indeed other wine drinkers including many in UK would raise an eye brow at the thought. But, aided by global warming, a bane for many wine producing areas in the world, English wine may have already come of age.
Traditionally, England might have been considered an ale and cider drinking country. Apples have been growing in the Garden of England for centuries. But name of the game is diversification. And there are other reasons why wine is on the lips of earthy farmers accustomed to handling root vegetables, hops, wheat or apples.
English sparkling wines have left behind their amateurish image to become a critical success, even outclassing wines from France and the New World in blind tastings.
Global warming, a potentially catastrophic force, has improved conditions for growing wine in Britain significantly. Viticulture has also developed, enabling agronomists and winemakers to give precise and accurate information to farmers wishing to move into grapes. Wineries keen to exploit the popularity of English wine are encouraging farmers to plant new vines to satisfy the demand.
The East Anglican Growers Association says the acreage devoted to wine production in its area is up by 150 per cent in the past two years. One of the biggest wineries, Chapel Down in Kent , has increased its supply from 140 acres five years ago, to 180 acres now. A further 180 acres of vines are growing but not ready to harvest.
Down in Cornwall , a winemaker is obliged to turn down contracts with supermarkets because he cannot make enough.
To grow grapes, farmers must be adventurous, have good south-facing slopes, and an investment of around £100,000 to start a substantial vineyard of 15 acres. Even in a poor year, an acre of vines can fetch £2,000, compared with £300 for an acre of wheat.
With sales of £16m, English wine accounts for less than one per cent of the UK market - but demand is growing briskly. "At the moment, demand for English wine is excellent and some vineyards are finding it hard to fulfill demand," said Julia Trustrum Eve, of English Wine Producers.
Generally, English wine is grown in the south, in a swath stretching from Cornwall to Cambridgeshire, and is particularly prevalent in the counties of Kent , Sussex and Essex . Although the Romans had vineyards here, modern-day wine-making increased in the 1960s and 70s. Now, scores of growers and wineries exist, from amateurs with a few acres to commercial wineries which win awards. Among the better-known producers are Camel Valley in Cornwall , Chapel Down and Nyetimber and Ridgeview in Sussex .
At first, English growers planted German grapes that were thought to be the most suitable for the soil. But because of the similarity between the chalk hills and climate of southern England to the Champagne region, producers have begun to concentrate on sparkling wines, already popular in Britain and commanding premium prices.
Sales of sparkling wine at Chapel Down have risen from 30,000 in 2001 to 100,000 this year despite big price rises.
Veteran winemaker Bob Lindo, of Camel Valley Wines, who has been making wine for 20 years, is well-placed to comment on the change to English wine. He makes 200,000 bottles a year, a vast increase on even five years ago. "We have doubled capacity every year for the past three or four years. But maintaining it will be difficult because demand has been growing so quickly," he said.
For a comprehensive report and a Guide to the best English wines by wine critic Richard Erlich, visit http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk
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