1950s onwards · England and Wales
The modern English wine industry
A restarted industry that found its footing by concentrating on traditional-method sparkling wine.
What happened
Vineyards existed in medieval England — the Domesday Book records them — but commercial viticulture had essentially disappeared for centuries.
The modern revival began in the 1950s with small plantings, largely of German crossings and hybrids chosen for cool-climate reliability.
The decisive shift came from the 1990s with the move to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for traditional-method sparkling wine. In a marginal climate, high acidity and modest ripeness are exactly what a sparkling base needs.
Those three varieties now account for roughly two-thirds of plantings in England and Wales, which is a direct consequence of that single strategic decision.
Growth has been rapid and continues. Still wine is becoming viable in the warmest sites as growing-season temperatures rise.
How firmly this is dated
Documented. Recorded contemporaneously. The date is not in question.
WineGB and government statistics on planted area, holdings and production.
Sources
Sources consulted
- WineGB industry data — Wines of Great Britain (WineGB)
- UK wine standards and GI schemes — Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs / Food Standards Agency