TWO DATES FOR THE DIARY…
• Thursday 23rd April is the annual English Wine Producers St George’s Day Tasting
• 23rd – 31st May is the 2009 English Wine Week

English Wine Producers are looking forward to another busy year of activity in 2009, which include their trade tasting, English Wine Week, and putting a focus on wine tourism. The St George’s Day Tasting will take place on Thursday 23rd April at Chelsea Football Club, with key producers showing their latest releases and commercially available wines alongside quality smaller volume producers from the regions to illustrate the range and diversity now available. The tasting will also introduce some vineyards and wines new to the English wine scene.

English Wine Week takes place this year 23rd-31st May. This campaign provides a great opportunity to highlight and promote English wines to the wine buying public for both the industry and on and off trade alike. EWP will co-ordinate a central media drive and supply point of sale material and any promotional assistance to all participants. English Wine Week marks the start of the tourism and summer drinking season, and with domestic tourism predicted to increase this year, visiting an English vineyard is set to become a popular activity.

The industry is at a turning point, experiencing a continued growth in planting, most of it for sparkling wine production. 2008 has proved to be a significant year for sparkling wines, which included new production from some of the latest vineyards to be planted. The resulting wines, of course will not be available for at least another 2-3 years.

English wines are maintaining a steady rate of sales, although growth has been limited by the lower volume of still wines from the last two harvests. Nonetheless, vineyards continue to report an ongoing demand for their wines and with the euro currently maintaining a strong position against the pound English wine prices offer even greater value for money. Consumer awareness in English wines continues to grow, with media coverage in every direction.