While England has built a strong reputation for producing sparkling wine, the pendulum may be starting to swing, with an increasing number of still wines now emerging from our shores.
Thanks to climate change, warmer growing seasons in the UK are allowing grapes to achieve higher levels of ripeness, and therefore sugar, that was previously uncommon. As a result, still wine production, which typically requires these conditions – in contrast to the more acidic grapes suited to sparkling wines – is gaining momentum.
At present, still wine remains in the minority. Two-thirds of the wine produced in the UK is sparkling, according to the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) at the end of June this year. However, as reported in WineGB’s 2025 Industry Report, sales of still wine increased by 10% in 2024 compared to the previous year. In addition, for the first time in the competition’s history, the WineGB Awards received more entries for English still wine than for English sparkling, with the former making up 54% of all entries.
This hasn’t been a sudden spurt, Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB, tells Drinks Retailing. “The stills have been gradually increasing over time.” However, both production and sales are hitting a peak. This is true across all the emerging wine regions, though, according to Bates, “East Anglia and particularly Essex is establishing a reputation in national and international circles for still wines.”
As for grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Bacchus remain important. Yet, the most exciting developments right now are being made with Chardonnay, says Bates, evidenced by the gold medals the grape is growingly receiving in international competitions.
Winners of Best Still Wine and Best Chardonnay at this year’s WineGB Awards, Lyme Bay Winery, based in East Devon, is leading the charge in still production. Still wine makes up around 85% of the winery’s offerings, according to Clem Yates MW, consultant winemaker.
“Ten or fifteen years ago, England’s reputation was almost entirely built on sparkling, and for good reason,” Yates says. “But as growers have gained experience, planted better sites, and adapted vineyard management, there’s been a growing confidence in producing still wines of real quality.”
Alongside this, consumers have also become more curious about English still wines, Yates explains, creating scope for further exploration. This includes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but also more experimental varieties and styles, according to Yates, citing the arrival of Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño in some English vineyards.
Aside from starting an exciting conversation around quality, there are also potential benefits to still wine when it comes to price. Currently, price is a barrier to many consumers when it comes to English sparkling, with an average bottle retailing for around £30. Still wine, on the other hand, has the capacity to be produced at a lower margin.
Most recently, this was shown to be true by the release of Covepoint, an affordable range of still wines by Lyme Bay launched this month (August), which retail at just under £15 rrp a bottle.
The same desire to create accessible wines was expressed by Tom Wedgery, sales, marketing and operations manager at Sandridge Barton in South Devon, which won Best Alternative White and Best Innovative White at the WineGB Awards. He explains the team wants to keep a focus on still wine because of its ability to be “accessible every day” rather than “just celebratory special occasion wines or expensive bubbles”. The winery is now split between 70% still and 30% sparkling in production.
It can help producers with finances too. Guy Smith, from Smith and Evans in Somerset, which won a gold at the WineGB Awards, says: “In theory, producers may decide to release young wines that are more affordable to help with cashflow.”
Sergio Verrillo, owner of London’s urban winery Blackbook, which won Best Red and Best Pinot Noir at the WineGB Awards, also comments on the finances. On why still wine is growing, Verrillo says: “Anecdotally, my thoughts on this are based on the economics of winemaking.”
“Getting into wine, becoming vineyard and winery owners, has a very high Capex. It takes a lot of resources to make wine happen. I believe some producers view still wines as a means of generating revenue and income while the sparkling wine comes online in the few years ahead,” he expands.
A thrilling and creative time in English wine, where developments are moving quickly, there is a disclaimer that should accompany these findings. Right now, the climate is working in harmony with English growers. But as Smith points out, you can’t predict changing weather patterns. “The planet warming may have some strange unpredictable consequences for our small island,” he says.
Verrillo adds the same. At the moment, the temperature has “allowed phenolic ripening and development which is needed to create still wines… but with global warming and climate change there are more extremes”, which could have an equally negative impact.
As always with English wine, each harvest is tentative and uncertain. Nonetheless, the experimentation continues, with inspiring and evolving results.
Image credit: Lyme Bay Winery
