Revellers are reaching for English wine rather than French in the run up to Christmas, according to UK supermarket Waitrose

Statistics from Waitrose.com, the supermarket’s online service, indicate that English wine is beating not only Bordeaux – the traditional Christmas choice – but also California, Portugal, Alsace and Germany.

English wine is moving beyond the local pub and being taken more seriously by merchants as well as wine critics.

Several brands including Balfour, Chapel Down, Nyetimber, Denbies and Duchy Originals – produced under the auspices of HRH Prince Charles – are being sold by supermarkets such as Booths, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

Earlier this year, London merchants Bibendum launched two house brands – Primrose Hill Bacchus from the Lamberhurst Estate and Primrose Hill Rose from the Tenterden estate.

The UK has over 1,300 vineyards with 1,000 hectares under vine, and produced about 3.4m bottles in 2006.

Written by Maggie Rosen

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Maggie Rosen
Maggie Rosen
Decanter Magazine, Wine Writer & Editor

Maggie Rosen is a wine journalist, editor and author, hailing from New York but based in London. Aside from Decanter, she has contributed to the Financial Times, The Drinks Business, Harpers Wine and Spirit Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, The World of Fine Wine and Meininger's Wine Business International. She is also a member of the Circle of Wine Writers.