Wine from England or a "bitterly" serious fact?
My colleague Stefanie Klever (Weintextur.de), herself an expert in the field of Marketing and Content-Writing, kindly invited me to contribute to her Wine Blog, an invite I happily accepted.
The British, well known for their apparently bad cuisine, their wall-to-wall carpeting and their love of Laura Ashley wallpaper, their language deficiency not to mention the weather, are not exactly the first nation which springs to mind when on the subject of wine.
"England, wine producers?
You're pulling my leg…"
Having lived as a "Brit" in good old Germany now for well over 30 years, I have often been kindly informed by my fellow Germans that England, or rather the United Kingdom, is most definitely not Wine Country.
To a certain degree I might agree and want to discuss the facts here in order to maybe, just maybe, convince you otherwise. I will also "touch" on the catastrophic situation of availability of good German Wines in the UK.
Allow me please to begin with the topic of English Wine. Very few people see England as a wine producing nation which, at first glance, seems justified. So I'll kick off with my national fellows, my wine-drinking, wine-making British natives, the Experts, so to speak.
Why "British" you might ask? Well, wine is produced not only in England but also in Wales and Scotland, as far north as the Shetland Isles, in fact. Having said that, perhaps the Scots should stick to what they are good at: the art of making whisky.
Something which many people are unaware of though, is that the British have for centuries now, contributed big scale to the World of Wine. Yes, we the Brits have a very "winey" history partially due to politically advantageous royal marriages to the continent but not, I might add to the USA. For years we have imported good quality Claret from Bordeaux in France but unfortunately also some quite bad ones.
There is no doubt about it though, the Brits do like their tipple and are understandably partial to a glass of good Vintage Port or Sherry. We've been known to sail to the ends of the earth for a thirst quencher. During periods of conflict between French and English crowns, wine supplies became difficult to get hold of causing prices to rocket. Alternatives were sought for bringing wine producing nations such as Spain and Portugal on the scene. New lengthy shipping routes resulted in the necessity for better preservation, extending the Best Before Date so to speak.
The Era of Fortified Wines was to be born…
This leads me to our first interesting fact in the history of wine.
Many innovative "wine essentials", today indispensable, were invented by the English, yes you heard right. The "tough" glass wine and cider bottle for example, is credited to Sir Kenelm Digby back in the 1630s.
Reverend Samuel Henshall, a religious official in Oxford received the world’s first patent for a corkscrew which was soon brought onto the market in 1795. The cork itself had not long replaced the glass bottle stopper at that time.
Something which indeed needs little if any assistance in escaping its bottle, is the champagne cork. Wack the word "Champagne" into Google and you will find a hoard of information on the subject, including praise - a little too much in my opinion - to a certain French Benedictine Monk named Dom Perignon who, in 1693, claimed to be "drinking stars". But he wasn't really the man behind the bubbles.
A physician by the name of Christopher Merrett had already presented a paper on winemaking several years earlier, on 17th December 1662 to be precise. His paper describes the process of intentionally producing sparkling wines. Mr. Merrett, using the unknown at the time but now known as Méthode Champenoise, discovered that by deliberately adding sugar to a young wine it became "brisk" (frothy), hence sparkling. It seems the French had been having a problem in some of their wine cellars of the region which, being British, I won't comment further.
Chilly temperatures caused fermentation to come to a standstill. The warmer spring conditions reignited the process obviously played havoc on the lower decks. Many bottles literally exploded under the resulting pressure. Thicker, more durable glass bottles were a necessity in order to withstand the effervescence. And, fortunately, we Brits had already invented those a few years previously.
Remaining on the continent for now, which solid facts actually influence viticulture in the British Isles? Well, geologically speaking, the "terroir" of southern England is comparable with that of the Champagne region in France. Our soils contain a great deal of chalky limestone, which the Pinots simply adore. Although the Brits won't rush to admit it, the UK did at one point belong to the European Continent, at least tectonically.
A further and rather interesting piece of information, causing French producers to shiver in their cellar wellies; English sparkling wine is as good as - if not better rated in some cases – than some Champagnes. Various blind-tastings and international wine challenges over the last few years have confirmed what British wine producers wanted to hear: we have become serious competition.
Champagne is, by French wine-law, strictly made of only three grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Subsequently and unsurprisingly, five of the top grape varieties grown in the UK are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Bacchus and Seyval Blanc. Varieties coping particularly well with the famous British climate - at least in the south.
Of course, it's not just the geology, the grape variety or past inventions which are causing the "Brits" to at last be taken seriously. Neither is it the fact that three of the worlds' most respected and acclaimed wine critics - Jancis Robinson, Hugh Johnson and Stuart Piggott, all come from England. In addition to this, we have recently seen the birth of young and innovative, well-trained British vintners.
The apparent Global warming, the weather and its' continual change are certainly an influence on the success of viticulture in the UK. The climatic "menopause" is having both positive and negative effects (as does the male menopause on some men) on the wine growing regions worldwide. We'll maybe deal with that topic another time.
Something which will surely convince a few of those doubting Thomas's out there and which I heard on the Grape-vine- sorry, couldn’t resist that-; two of the world's largest sparkling wine producers - Henkel (Germany) and Freixenet (Spanish Cava producers), who themselves merged in 2018, are now buying up English wine estates themselves. Ok, I don't expect British "sparklers" to ever become a threat to German producers as they themselves produce the most fantastic "Sekt", but I do think this is interesting enough to cause you to take more than simply a passing glance.
Wine imports have inevitably become more expensive and trade policy negotiations could take as long as up to 10 years. In the 1860s the liberal government, under Lord Palmerston, supported free trade and cut taxes on imported wines. This was a blow for British wine producers at the time. Today however, we are experiencing the consequences accompanying "BREXIT" - not wanting to get political, but it is quite obvious that things aren't looking rosy.
Us Brits won't give up our enjoyment and consumption of good wine easily so, considering 71% of the adult UK population are wine drinkers - the definition of "adult" I will leave to your imagination - and Prosecco imports to Britain are declining, isn't it time you too tried some English wine? UK wineries may have some work on their hands, but also good prospects for the future. A Challenge yes, but not an impossible one!
My own personal dilemma though, is the poor availability of good German wine in England. Germany has long since been a popular source for wine drinkers on the British side of the Channel. Queen Victoria herself not only had a love for German wine, but she also even married one - Prince Albert from Coburg.
Victoria loved Germany, the people and their wines. The name Hock almost certainly derives from the town of Hochheim, one of her Majesty’s favourite retreats. Hock, if found at all today, is looked upon as a cheap and cheerful, easy to drink, but nothing to write home about "type" of German wine. This also goes for "Liebfraumilch" which together with Blue Nun and Black Tower is available everywhere - in supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and not the cheap ones either.
What I rarely see are individual wineries, single site wines or something dry!
I don't want to brand any names as being poor quality. After all the cellar master creating these blended wines is a very talented person. The task of producing the same product year after year is more than a challenge, but what I am saying is: such brands are not representative of the excellent quality of Wines made in Germany. The German Wine Institute works hard to change this. But things won't happen overnight.
I've lived in Germany long enough and observed the situation for years. It seems to me that the initial marketing of German wines is reduced to and concentrated on, the City of London. I understand that one must start somewhere, but London is simply not the only place where potential German Wine drinkers live.
I also appreciate that connections are crucial, networks must be established and yes, marketing does cost money. I thank God for those professionals in Britain who are slowly but surely doing a very good job in promoting German wines. Iris Ellman from The Winebarn for example. She travels to Germany, meets the winegrowers personally, tastes and chooses the wines for her portfolio and then promotes them at various locations throughout the UK – successfully, too. Yet, this is still only the tip of the iceberg.
How long will it take for me to finally be able to enjoy a good glass of German wine in a pub in England when home visiting? Availability depends on demand and if I as a wine drinker, have no knowledge on the subject I'll make do with what is on offer. It's time to educate and I do my best.
I've lived on the river Nahe, well not literally, one of Germany's best wine growing regions since 1988. That's over 30 years and long enough I think to justify voicing my opinion. On home visits, wine is always a discussion point. If you hadn't noticed, I have developed quite a passion for the subject. I don't claim to be an expert, neither have I studied in Geisenheim, but my palate soon tells me what I am drinking. It sorts out the men from the boys, so to speak. My husband was a great asset to a very large German Wine Concern back in the 80s and the reason for my move to Germany in the first place. A charming character, full of German wine knowledge and an excellent salesman. No wonder: he grew up just a stone's throw from the vineyards. He brought German Wine to life and turned it into an experience. He told the story.
I now too have walked miles through the vineyards, seen the seasons change and the winegrowers at work, smelt the air in a wine cellar full of fermenting wine. I've taken part hands - on at harvest time but never really felt the urge to tread grapes with my bare-feet. There's a machine for that, as far as I'm concerned, and I like to consider health and safety - not only my own, but I've listened and smelt, tasted and observed.
Winemakers are a breed of their own and you need to talk to them. That's easy in Germany presuming you speak the lingo because they are everywhere! This doesn't apply though to Britain. Seriously, when was the last time you bumped into a winegrower at Tesco?
Enjoying and understanding, the latter enhances the enjoyment, are "two quite different shoes" as they would say here. I try to educate those around me and although my British family and friends are educated people, their understanding of German wine is limited.
Why should they even consider looking further than what they normally buy when browsing supermarket shelving? This isn't criticism, don't get me wrong, but it is a sad fact.
Foreigners compare the British with a flock of sheep; when one runs, we all run, when two queue, everyone queues. Should the neighbours buy a bottle of the new Beaujolais because it's apparently the best thing since sliced bread, we tend to do the same. We call it "keeping up with the Jones's ".
No one can deny that we British are less renowned for our language talents and why should we be? The world speaks English! I am positive that the average Brit won't be capable of pronouncing a German wine label let alone appreciating what's inside the bottle. A few glasses of the content may loosen a tongue, help with name pronunciation, but this could be the only triumph.
A customer friendly German wine label is yet to be designed, at least for foreigners. Labels can be as complicated as the German Wine Law itself and might just as well be produced in Braille which I have actually already seen here.
2017 marked a comeback of Liebfraumilch in Germany. This "relaunch" strategy, presumably meant to remove once and for all any stigma cocooning the brand as being a medium-sweet German white wine, makes me cringe when I consider the effects it could have if launched in Britain. Here I am, trying to convince people back home that there is far more to German wine than the blend they think they know and off goes Germany on a tangent. One with which I just can't get to grips with.
Two thirds of the wine drinking public in Britain have at least heard of the name Liebfraumilch and will always associate the name with what they always have done. If wine-making methods, quality and German wine classifications remain in the dark I am afraid this may never change. Am I losing an already lost battle?
Still, I look forward to my next visit. I'll pack my car as usual, mainly with wine and hope to find - if not a good German wine on my favourite pubs' wine-list - an affordable English one. As usual I won't receive a wine recommendation from the charming bar staff but I will as always, smirk when the posed with the following question: "Small, medium or large, Madam?".
I guess that just about sums it up.
One last suggestion from me to you; make a quick visit to the continent preferably with a good size freight lorry before the borders close and start trying some of that home-grown stuff. In consideration of BREXIT developments – sorry, I've sworn twice now – I think we should vote for a comeback of "arranged royal marriages".
Maybe an alternative to entirely cutting the EU strings.
Yours, Gail
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