Sussex wine producer Ridgeview is predicting that the future of English wine looks sparkling, after announcing that 2016 was its best year ever for sales.
More than 5 million bottles of English wine are produced in the UK every year, spread over 5,000 acres of English countryside and in 2016 export was up 100% for Ridgeview, which added Canada and the Caribbean to its portfolio.
A spokesperson for Ridgeview said: “In 2017 we will expect a growth in sales of English sparkling wine across all areas including restaurants, independent resellers, supermarket, export, direct from the wineries and most importantly tourism.
“At Ridgeview we are now welcoming tourists from around the world and our proximity to Brighton, London and Gatwick positions us in an ideal location. In restaurants across the UK consumers will now expect to see an English sparkling wine on any credible wine list and Isaac At is way ahead of the game with an exclusive English wine list.”
Isaac AT is the only restaurant in Brighton to offer an exclusive English wine list. Restaurant manager and sommelier, Alex Preston, said: “Being based in Brighton, we’re lucky enough to have the two of the most well known producers in England, Ridgeview and Nyetimber vineyards on our doorstep. More and more of our customers are showing a love for local sparkling wines, which is great to see”.
Next year Isaac At will be taking its support of English wine producers one step further by introducing new wine menus with maps of where each English wine is from.
