Cheers to British Wines

Cheers to British Wines

A long bank holiday weekend is certainly a reason to celebrate, but will you opt for Australian, Californian, South African or European wines? An alternative would be to break from tradition and try a wine that has been bottled in the UK.

You may believe that Britain lacks the climate for grapes to grow, but according to the UK Vineyards Association 2016 report, there are 502 vineyards on our island and 133 of these are wineries. The most popular grapes being grown are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bacchus.

Whilst some may be sceptical, British wine sales are growing. According to DEFRA sales of English wines have now exceeded £100million and bottles are being exported to 27 countries around the world.

Chapel Down, one of the top selling varieties has been the official wine of the annual Boat Race for several years. This sparkling white wine was served in the hospitality bars, and along the riverside in Putney as Oxford and Cambridge teams battled it out along the Thames at the start of the month. Maybe you raised a glass!

Wine Boxes

So what’s Aylesbury Box Company’s interest in British wines? Well, the growing local wine industry has provided us with new customers. We now produce printed cardboard packaging for single or multiple bottle gift sets, along with larger 6 or 12 bottle shipping boxes, with dividing cardboard inserts, to ensure the bottles are protected in transit.

Remember those large wine boxes that were a common sight at parties? Well, we can also manufacture these cardboard wine boxes, designed to hold a specific size of plastic pouch, with die cut holes for a tap to poke out.

English Wine Week

If you are intrigued, you can find further information and your local winery on the UK Vineyard Association or English Wine Producer websites. Events to promote these new wines are held throughout the year, with major celebrations during English Wine Week, which runs from 27 May 2017.