Ahead of English Wine Week in June, Wine GB has issued a call encouraging independent retailers to actively stock more English and Welsh wine.  The organisation said that interest in local, sustainable and premium products is at an all-time high, giving indies an opportunity to boost footfall and differentiate their offering.  To support retailers, Wine GB added that it will provide participating businesses with…

English rum may still be a nascent category, but talk of a Geographical Indication further down the line could put it on the map, writes Eloise FeildenFifteen years ago there were no rum distilleries on English soil. The term ‘English rum’ denoted brands buying in liquid from elsewhere – namely islands in the Caribbean – and selling it under a British label. That all…

The brand development agency GFH has acquired the English whisky brand Fielden for an undisclosed sum of money.  Known for its focus on regenerative farming, Fielden was launched in 2024 as a rebrand of The Oxford Artisan Distillery.  It uses a clover-based regenerative system, where diverse grains are planted into clover and farmed without chemicals. It currently has three expressions…

Rathfinny Wine Estate, based in Sussex, has hired a specialist falconry team to protect its grapes during the final month of ripening, replacing the plastic netting previously used to protect the fruit.  For one month, trained falcons, hawks and a Chilean Blue Eagle will patrol the skies above the Sussex estate to prevent pigeons, crows and seagulls from eating or damaging…

Symington Family Estates and Berry Bros & Rudd have lined up a £22.3 million takeover bid for Hambledon Vineyard. In a filing on the London Stock Exchange, Berry Bros and Atlantis Wine Holdings, a member of the Symington Group, announced the formation of a new consortium – CVI UK – in a takeover bid for the Hampshire-based English wine brand. The consortium said the acquisition would…

Trade organisation WineGB is looking to establish Britain as one of the most sustainable winegrowing regions in the world as the English wine category continues to expand both domestically and internationally.  Speaking ahead of the Wines of Great Britain annual trade tasting, WineGB chair Sam Linter (pictured left) noted the considerable growth of the English wine industry in the past five years, with a…

Jameson Irish whiskey has been announced as an official partner of the English Football League (EFL). The collaboration is a continuation of Jameson’s activity in UK football, following a sponsorship deal with small-side pitch provider Powerleague.  With the EFL season set to kick off next week, the four-year deal will see Jameson branding – such as pitch-side advertisements with responsible drinking messaging – at…