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Sparkling wine resilient as global market faces overall decline

Published:  07 June, 2023

OIV director general Pau Roca Blasco has presented an overview of the global wine market in 2022, delivered at the 44th World Congress of Vine and Wine taking place in Cadiz this week.

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Danbury Ridge shows eastern promise

Published:  21 February, 2023

Essex clays are poised to lead the charge of quality English still wine. Andrew Catchpole reports from Crouch Valley’s Danbury Ridge.

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Nyetimber predicts record-breaking UK sparkling crop in 2022

Published:  26 September, 2022

Sparkling wine brand Nyetimber is poised to harvest a record area of vines – 325 hectares – to produce well over one million bottles of fizz from vintage 2022.

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Pop a cork for English Wine Week

Published:  17 June, 2022

The annual English Wine Week celebration returns tomorrow with a fully-fledged programme of events from 18-26 June.

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Sussex PDO approved ahead of English Wine Week

Published:  15 June, 2022

The march of English sparkling wine continued this week with the formal approval of a Sussex PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) by DEFRA minister Victoria Prentis.

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Fizz and cocktails set to pop this Jubilee weekend as the less-but-better trend continues

Published:  31 May, 2022

Brits drink less alcohol than they did during the past two Jubilee celebrations – a trend which is likely to carry over this weekend as party planners fill shelves and ice boxes. However, wine and spirits have a greater share of that pie, as the two categories steal a march from the once all-powerful beer category.

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Alcohol improves on pre-pandemic growth in multiples

Published:  29 April, 2022

Inflation and price squeezes have impacted sales of FMCG products in the multiples over the past 12 weeks, including alcohol. However, in actual terms, alcohol is still a more profitable sector than pre-pandemic.

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Chapel Down announces new cricket partnership

Published:  06 April, 2022

UK wine brand Chapel Down has been welcomed into the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as its official sparkling wine.

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Dermot Sugrue steps down as head winemaker at Wiston Estate

Published:  18 March, 2022

It is the end of an era at Wiston Estate following the announcement that Dermot Sugrue will be stepping down as head winemaker after 16 years with the estate.

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Nyetimber announces record year as estate leads the way for English sparkling

Published:  14 February, 2022

The UK’s leading English sparkling wine brand, Nyetimber, enjoyed a record year in 2021 in both sales and production. Following its largest ever harvest, Nyetimber’s UK sales increased by 55% on the previous year. Situated in the south of England, the 30-year-old winemakers saw sales in Europe grow by a whopping 89%.

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Dramatic rise in Franciacorta sales

Published:  09 February, 2022

Italy's premier traditional method fizz saw encouraging sales growth in 2021, jumping beyond pre-pandemic levels to a record 20.3 million bottles.

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Prosecco Consortium ramps up sustainable initiatives

Published:  07 February, 2022

The Prosecco DOC Consortium has announced a series of ongoing and new projects to address key sustainability issues, in addition to a renewed focus on terroir zoning and encouraging biodiversity.

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Christmas 2021: boom or bust?

Published:  24 January, 2022

James Lawrence finds the festive season was a mixed bag, with reduced sales in many areas but some sectors exceeding expectations.

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Bolney Wine Estate acquired by major international

Published:  17 January, 2022

Sussex-based Bolney Wine Estate has been sold to sparkling wine behemoth Henkell-Freixenet via Freixenet Copestick in the UK.

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Prosecco opens doors for Italy

Published:  12 January, 2022

David Kermode delves into the world of Italian sparklers as the category covers new ground, from the march of rosé Prosecco to the increasingly popular high-quality fizzes of Franciacorta and Trento.

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English sparkling wine brand achieves 'B Corporation' certification

Published:  06 January, 2022

A niche sparkling wine brand, The Uncommon, has become the first UK wine business to be certified as B Corp.

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Sparkling wine delivered bumper Christmas sales

Published:  06 January, 2022

The sparkling wine category was the clear winner of the Christmas retail bonanza, with both merchants and analysts reporting bumper sales.

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Freixenet delivers record Cava sales

Published:  21 December, 2021

Spanish giant Freixenet has posted record Cava sales in 2021, retailing more than 100 million bottles worldwide for the first time ever in the firm's 150-year history.

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Friday read: Prosecco DOC Rosé's future prospects

Published:  26 November, 2021

After years of intense lobbying by producers, the Prosecco Consortium finally allowed blended sparkling wine styles to be bottled under the 'Prosecco DOC Rosé' designation in 2020. Exports began in November last year, although there have been reports of a Pinot Noir shortage in 2021. Nevertheless, the category has got off to a flying start, with buoyant sales and an enthusiastic consumer reception. But how sustainable is this growth, and will it affect sales of 'ordinary' Prosecco?

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English fizz's bawdy move

Published:  17 November, 2021

A month or so ago, I attended two eye-catching, if very different, launches. Both were from Bibendum Wine: the UK debut of former Dom Pérignon chef de cave Richard Geoffroy’s sake; and an unorthodox new English sparkling wine, with the charming name Harlot.

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