Betting on quality over quantity, UK bubbly set to rise

(TaipeiTimes) - English sparkling wine makers are seeking to build their brand with high standards to take on industry leaders Spain and France.

With revelers raising a glass of bubbly to the New Year, England’s tiny sparkling wine industry is set for a lift this year as established brands step up export plans and newcomers join the party.

Internationally, England may be known for its ale, cider and gin, but it is also home to 432 vineyards and 124 wineries. These sit mostly along the southeast coast, which has a similar geology and climate to France’s Champagne region across the English Channel.

English sparkling wine remains a drop in the bucket compared with its continental cousins, but producers are determined to hang on to their premium positioning, selling at an average of ￡25 (US$40.89) a bottle, even as many cost-conscious Britons turn from champagne to cheaper cava from Spain and prosecco from Italy.

“We see ourselves as a luxury brand and we have to be judged on a world stage, not just an English stage,” said Julian Kirk, who is in charge of sales at West Sussex winemaker Nyetimber, one of the longest-established names in English sparkling wine and owner of 10 percent of the country’s vineyards.

“The British market is great, but we can’t depend on it for the long-term future,” Kirk added.

Those efforts have made the wine community sit up and take notice in recent years, earning British bubbly more than its fair share of awards.