WineGB, the trade association for the UK wine sector, was keen to shine a spotlight on the rise of English red wines at its annual trade tasting yesterday.
Now more common thanks to a warmer climate alongside the improving technical skill of winemakers, an increasing number of producers are turning to the darker side.
Still, Pinot Noir dominates as the most common red grape in the UK. Yet there was some variety in grapes being showcased on the Rise of the Reds themed table at the tasting.
Notably, Artelium Wine Estate’s Cabaret Noir 2023 and Hidden Spring Vineyard’s Alchemy – The Catalyst 2022 are both made with 100% Cabaret Noir, leaning more into dark cherry and plum notes compared to the fresh fruit associated with Pinot Noir.
Meanwhile, other offerings on the table incorporated blends of red grapes. Halfpenny Green Wine Estate’s Penny Red 2024, for example, is made with 74% Rondo, 9% Pinot Noir, 1% Frühburgunder, 12% Divico and 4% Triomphe. Likewise, Denbies Redland NV is created with 69% Rondo, 15% Regent and 16% Pinot Noir.
According to Denbies and Halfpenny Green – both of which were present at the WineGB tasting – this blend allows them to keep consistency in their red offerings, which can be difficult to achieve with a single varietal red wine in Britain’s inconsistent climate.
Anne Denny, tour and front-of-house manager at Denbies, told Drinks Retailing that they do make a single varietal red, but it can’t be guaranteed every year. “When we have a good year like this, we’ll make a single variety Pinot Noir. We did in 2022, and this year we will again.”
However, for that, the winemaking team must wait and see how warm the summer is. This decision is made “basically in about July, following the flowering in June”.
The unpredictable nature of the British weather impacting reds is a common theme at the tasting. This year, following the warm and largely dry summer, multiple producers seemed eager to talk about the fact that they will be making a red in 2025. However, many also echoed Denny’s thoughts that this isn’t a given.
Oenologist Guillaume Lagger, who makes red wines for his project The Wharie Experience as well as acting as winemaker for B58 Winery – where he makes reds made of Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Jura and Pinotin – is among those who agree.
According to Lagger, it is more often the small producers who are leading the red revolution, for this exact reason. “They have more room to play,” he said, because there isn’t the same pressure to produce the exact same wines each year.
A perfect example, Jean du Plessis, winemaker at Ancre Hill Estates, referencing Pinot Noir, said: “We don’t make it every year. We very much let the vineyards guide us.”
Of course, there are ways around the inconsistent climate for producers committed to making reds on a yearly basis. As mentioned, blending grapes and across vintages is one way of doing this. “Each year, we create a wide blend of probably six different varieties,” explained Julian Sollom, head of sales at Halfpenny Green. “We also oak age a fraction and add it to next year’s vintage.”
Polytunnels are likewise useful, according to Lagger, to have slightly more control over the climate. “They help us get extra ripeness.”
Still, there is a fear, if producers aren’t very careful, of accidentally creating green or grassy-tasting red wines, a product of unripe tannins in cooler vintages. “English reds are a little bit more complicated,” Denny from Denbies explained, and because of this, “historically there are people who have tried English reds and thought they were a bit rough and stalky.”
This is changing though, most producers at the tasting agreed, and with it, consumer perceptions are starting to shift too. Imogen Vickers, vineyard assistant at Halfpenny Green, said that the Penny Red now accounts for around 30% of sales, despite the estate producing significantly more white sparkling, indicating clear demand.
Similarly, Rory O’Connor, WineGB ambassador at the Rise of the Reds table, said he’s noticed more consumers being surprised at the quality of English reds, happening in parallel with the improving technical skill of winemakers.
An imperfect category within British winemaking but one that is quickly improving, red wines are something to watch – especially true of the impressive selection showcased by WineGB members yesterday.
