It is not just the wine that is bubbling at the Black Chalks vineyard in Hampshire south-west of London. Hundreds of people almost overflow with excitement between straw bales and wine bottles at the Fizz Fest wine festival. – Strawberries and cream in a glass, reads Mags Rivett’s description of the rosé wine she sips. It is made in her neighbourhood, at one of the other wineries in the area. And there are more and more of them. Fizz fest in Hampshire is a festival that celebrates the increasing number of English sparkling wines produced here. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / news There are almost 900 vineyards in England and Wales. Sales increased by 69 percent from 2019 to 2021. But those who celebrate the British bubbles are also aware of the gloomy backdrop that makes this production possible. Wine production is being moved north – You can’t talk about English wines without talking about climate change, says Chris Unger. He is head of marketing for the wine producer Hattingley Valley Wines, and is busy handing out tastings to long queues of wine-thirsty Brits at the festival. But even if global warming means that wine grapes can be grown further and further north, more extreme weather leads to new challenges. Grapes are thriving in an increasingly warmer British climate. But climate change also brings with it more extreme weather, which can be problematic for wine production. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / news Grapes thrive in an increasingly warmer British climate. But climate change also brings with it more extreme weather, which can be problematic for wine production. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / news – We see higher temperatures in February, which means that the buds come earlier. But at the same time we have a late frost. When the two things happen at the same time, the entire crop can be destroyed immediately, he explains. Under the scorching sun, the atmosphere is high among the vines. A group of friends is well underway with the wine tasting. – I love English wines, says Sarah Earl-Nattrass, before her friend Beth Norris laughingly pulls a bottle from an ice bucket and says that it is even better than the one Sarah is drinking. In partial shade from the vines, the group of friends party with British bubbles. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / NRKI partial shade from the vines, the group of friends party with British bubbles. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / news And she continues to laugh when she humorously answers what she thinks about climate change: – They are obviously good, because then there will be more wine production near us. But behind the apparent lightness lies an understanding of the seriousness. – I would rather fly to another place to drink wine there than have our world sink, says Tamlin Deacon. – Climate change is great – until we are under water, says David Earl-Nattrass. Norway is the largest export market Only 4 per cent of British wine is exported. Scandinavia is the largest export market, and Norway dominates there, figures from industry organization Wine GB show. Half of all exported British wine is drunk by Norwegians, writes the major newspaper The Times. Sales have increased tenfold in the past five years, says press manager Jens Nordahl at Vinmonopolet. – Interest has increased very quickly. And we expect sales to grow in the future as well, because of the high quality, he says. Both the atmosphere and the temperature rise. The ladies were able to taste wine from nine different vineyards at the Sparkling Wine Festival in Hampshire. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / news Nordahl explains the growing interest in British wines in Norway by the fact that Norwegians like the British pub culture, music and with the historical community since the Viking Age. Market manager Chris Unger in Hattingley Valley also believes historical and cultural ties are important. But he also points to another side of Norwegians: – I think Norwegians’ urge to explore is part of the explanation. They are willing to try new things. Norway is also unique in another way. Vinmonopolet sells British bubbles as a separate category. – The fact that the outlets have their own labeling of “English sparkling wine” is something we don’t see anywhere else in the world. We use Norway as a model for what is possible elsewhere in the world, explains the satisfied wine producer. Toast! Self-produced sparkling wines are on the rise in Great Britain – and in Norway. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / NRKSkål! Self-produced sparkling wines are on the rise in Great Britain – and in Norway. Photo: Håvard Blekastad Almås / news You can buy over 100 different types of British bubbles in Norway now, but the category comes with a clear disadvantage. There are Champagne prices, where most cost NOK 300-400 per bottle. news uses the opportunity to ask Chris Unger if it is appropriate to lower the prices. – No. Er… The simple answer is no.
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Climate change brings British wine success – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
