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Growing vines in the UK could soon be on a grand scale. Because the prices for farmland there "could not be cheaper", Ian Kellett, owner of the Hambledon Vineyard in Hampshire, told the online magazine Drinks Business. The average price for farmland is currently between 14,000 and 17,500 euros per hectare, while in Champagne the price for one hectare is between 800,000 and 2.2 million euros. Viticulture in England is still in its infancy; there is a great potential of suitable land. The problem, according to Kellett, is the low yields.
Fellow vintner Richard Balfour-Lynn from the Balfour winery in Kent, on the other hand, is worried that too many investors might jump on the bandwagon. A brand for English wine has to be built up first. Many people underestimate how difficult it is to sell English wine.
Bob Lindo from the Camel Valley winery in Cornwall has a different opinion. He does not see the danger that English wine could flood the market. This scenario is still very far away, he says. "One of the biggest obstacles to expansion is the unpredictability of climate and weather," Lindo said.
(ru /source: Drinksbusiness; photo 123rf.com)