Addressing the French Takeover of English Vineyards

For decades, British wine has been seen as little more than an uncultured relation to French and continental houses.

This type of enduring snobbery was embodied by Moët Hennessy boss Philippe Schaus, when he dismissed the notion of moving into English wine back in 2022. However, a great deal has changed in the last couple of years or so.

In fact, Schaus’s rivals and French vineyards are now investing millions into producing wines in the south of England, amid the sudden and exponential growth of British viticulture. But what’s behind this iteration, and how exactly has the market evolved in recent times?

Ramping up Investment in English Vineyards

The Champagne region in northwest France is legendary across the globe. Although southern France is arguably more synonymous with the popular sport of Rugby Union and its elite-level Top 14 tournament, this region also produces high quality sparkling wines such as Blanquette de Limoux.

Despite France being home to numerous wine-producing regions, however, a number of houses have recently made their move on the UK. September 2024 will see Taittinger (which is one of France’s most revered houses) launch their first wines from the Domaine Evremond vineyard in Chilham, Kent.

This is the result of more than 10 years’ work and £15m in investment from Taittinger, which has been committed through partnership with UK wine vendor Hatch Mansfield.

Even outside of France, overseas producers are continuing to buy into the UK market. One of the primary reasons for this is the relatively affordable production costs, which compare favourably to more expensive regions such as Champagne.

What’s the Role of Climate Change?

Although the UK offers access to affordable land and production costs, this doesn’t explain the recent growth in the region’s viticulture sector. So what has changed during this period?

Well, the impact of climate change has been widely observed in the UK during the last few years. While many of its effects have been negative, however, this has also seen the UK develop more favourable conditions for wine production. The science behind this is quite simple, as warmer temperatures cause grapes to ripen quicker and lead to the development of a much sweeter taste.

This also creates a higher alcohol content in the finished product, which is coveted among producers who want to sell wines at a premium.

Not only is the UK enabling international producers to develop higher quality products, but the mere process of investment also creates a significant hedge against climate change as it continues to wreak havoc globally.

The Bottom Line

According to studies, some £570 million has now been invested into UK vineyards and wineries over the course of the last decade.

Although a percentage of this capital has come from new entrants into the space, the majority has come from established brands and houses from across the globe. What’s more, there are now more than 1,000 vineyards actively producing wines in the UK, which generated near-record yields of between 20 and 22 million bottles in 2023 alone.

These figures highlight the growth of the UK’s viticulture market, which continues to grow from strength-to-strength against the backdrop of climate change. There’s no sign of this trend abating either, so we could well see further investment from France and overseas in the near-term!