Duchess of Cornwall Plants ‘Millionth’ Vine in the UK

At the South of England Show, Ardingly, West Sussex, Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall, planted a vine to officially represent the ‘Millionth vine’ planted in the UK this year. The Duchess of Cornwall is President of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA), the UK wine industry’s central organisation.

The ceremonial planting took place in the ‘Discover the Countryside’ area of the show, in front of the Plumpton College stand. Sussex-based Plumpton College provides the only vine growing and wine making courses in the UK and is responsible for training many of the UK’s viticulturists and winemakers. The Duchess was accompanied by the Chairman of UKVA, Peter Gladwin, and Jeremy Kerswell, Principal of Plumpton College.

The UK wine industry is now one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the UK, with acreage under vine increasing by an astonishing 135% in the last ten years. This year sees the largest planting in any single year, with a record-breaking one million vines being planted in the UK.

The vines planted this year will cover and an area of around 625 acres – the equivalent of planting up the whole of London’s Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens combined! This year’s vine planting will yield another two million bottles of mainly sparkling wine. There are now over 500 vineyards and 135 wineries in the UK.

Photo Credit: South of England Show