Britain's vineyards now bring in MILLIONS of tourists who flock to sample booming UK industry
Britain's vineyards now bring in millions of tourists who have flocked to the UK to sample the booming industry.
Visitors from America, Italy and Scandinavia are increasingly drawn to the rolling hills and sparkling wines of Sussex and Surrey.
Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking welcomed a record 425,000 guests through its gates last year, with the venue's open-top train tours proving particularly popular among international travellers.
Chris White, the estate's chief executive, noted "strong growth from the Nordics, Italy and the USA" among his visitors.
He explained: "Wine tourism has become central to the English wine story.
"People want to understand the story behind the wine, see where it is produced, learn more about viticulture and experience the landscape that makes English sparkling wine possible."
The Kent-based producer Chapel Down has sold more than a million bottles of sparkling wine in a single year.
The company's American expansion has been particularly aggressive, with its wines now available in 23 states, up from just 10 a year ago.
More than 200 Whole Foods outlets throughout the United States now stock Chapel Down bottles, while British ambassadorial residences in Washington and New York serve the sparkling wine at official functions.
An unexpected marketing triumph came via cricket, when Indian captain Shubman Gill was photographed clutching a magnum of Chapel Down following a series draw at the Oval last summer.
The image spread rapidly across India, prompting the company to launch sales in Delhi.
Norway is the leading export destination for English sparkling wine, a position that has directly translated into increased tourism from Scandinavian nations.
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Mark Driver, founder of the Rathfinny estate on the South Downs, has witnessed this connection firsthand.
He told the Times: "Norway is the top export market for English sparkling wine and we have seen a considerable rise in tourists from Scandinavian countries, including Norway and Sweden, but also the Dutch, who are big fans of our Sussex sparkling."
Rathfinny, which provides guided tours, tutored tastings and boutique accommodation, recorded a 20 per cent increase in overseas sales over the past year and anticipates similar growth ahead.
Wine tourism has emerged as a financial lifeline for the sector, with WineGB estimating that over 1.5 million people toured British vineyards last summer.
The activity now generates close to a quarter of the industry's total revenue, a crucial buffer given the challenging economics of winemaking.
English producers face a lengthy wait before seeing returns, as vines require years to mature and bottles must age before reaching market.
Despite collecting gold medals at prestigious competitions, including the Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge, profitability remains elusive for many.
Ridgeview, one of the industry's pioneers, has recently entered administration, while Gusbourne continues to operate at a loss.
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