England is one of the most historically significant countries for gin in the world, pioneering the London Dry style. However, perhaps surprisingly, England is also a producer of premium wines.
"In a nutshell: A challenger to the primacy of champagne.
Because of England's cool climate, only early-ripening vine varieties stand a chance of reliably producing a crop. After the Champagne grapes Chardonnay, Pinots Noir and Meunier, the most planted varieties are therefore the hybrid Seyval Blanc, the German crossing Reichensteiner, Müller-Thurgau and the increasingly successful aromatic Bacchus...
In the last 10 years or so, bottle-fermented sparkling wines have become Britain’s strongest suit, especially those made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – so much so that Champagne companies have been reportedly eyeing up vineyards in the south of England." - Jancis Robinson
