Vineyards of Great Britain
A few years ago who would have thought Australian wine could have been so popular and revered as it is now? Well now wine growers in the UK are trying to change perceptions in a similar way for UK wine and make it into a best seller.
Up to Medieval times the UK and the southern part of England in particular had a similar reputation in the production of wine as many of the popular wine regions of France. However partially due to the isolation England faced from the continent after the fall of its European processions and partly because of the slight change in temperature the wine industry in the UK slowly died away.
However with the increasing love of wine from the British, vineyards are once again being encouraged to open to reach this vast and expanding market. The different types of soil diversity in the UK offer vine growers are variety of tastes and styles of wine to be grown. Over 2 million bottles are now produced every year in the UK with the most popular being sparkling wine.
Some vineyards such as Denbies based in Dorking in Surry actually allow you to visit and tour around their estate, as a result of this and death of “wine snobbery”, tours of wineries and vineyards have also experienced a resurgence in popularity (see here to learn more about wine tasting experiences).
Denbies frequently host wine tasting tours which allow you to sample some of the wines they produce. Many vineyards are set in areas of outstanding natural beauty and therefore are a great day out, not only for the wine but to appreciate the setting in which the grapes are grown.
Another interesting vineyard to visit is Coddington Vineyards which is based near Hereford on the English Welsh border. You can explore the vineyard there, which was founded in 1985 and like many British vineyards is family run. With the lovely setting of the Black Mountains in the background you can also explore the wonderful gardens which are free to walk in.
A popular vineyard to visit is the Tenterden Vineyard which is based in Kent and claims to be England’s largest wine producer. Whilst you are there you can not only look at its lovely vineyard but look around their landscaped garden and visit their food store. Also onsite is a traditional herb garden so you can pick up a sprig or two of your favourite herbs whilst you are there.
There are even plans to set up vineyards north of the border in Scotland, with vines planted in Fife just this year, expect bottles of Chateau Largo to appear on your shelves very soon!
By Daniel from Wish.co.uk.
