'English wine is a premium product not a novelty'

Rebecca Beveridge said English wine was growing in popularity

English wine makers said their produce is gaining a reputation as a "premium product" and not a "novelty".

Rebecca Beveridge, from New Lodge Vineyard in Northamptonshire, said people had "cottoned on" to English wine, which has gained recognition in recent years for its high quality.

New Lodge, in Earls Barton, along with Stonyfield Vineyard in Blisworth, have both been named on a new East Midlands wine trail.

"English sparkling wine is [regularly] ranked [by critics as being] second after Champange, with Cava produced in Spain and Prosecco from Italy rated behind us," said Ms Beveridge.

As a result of climate change, English wine producers are now able to grow grapes traditionally associated with more recognised names from the sparkling wine industry.

John Vaughan from Stonyfield said: "I think Northamptonshire is getting known for a lot of things, including wine. There are probably a dozen vineyards in Northamptonshire.

"We knew virtually nothing about making wine when we started [15 years ago]... it's been a steep learning curve."

He explained that English sparkling wine was "made the same way as Champagne and tastes like Champagne".

John Vaughan said English wine was comparable to Champagne

New Lodge Vineyard was founded by Ms Beveridge's late mother Joyce Boulos-Hanna, who died in 2023, and said she wanted to continue her mother's legacy as English wine continued to grow in popularity.

"My mother just enjoyed the landscape, she loved tending the vines... just seeing to their care and looking at them. From vines you get grapes and from grapes you get wine and I'm not sure she made that connection right at the beginning," she said.

"She's certainly helping. Pushing, prodding, guiding, commenting. I talk to her all the time and I want to do things her way in her style.

"My nephew said shortly after we lost her that she died in her prime at 90. She really did, she was full of so much energy, so many ideas and was so inspired by life."

Critics have noted English wine for its high quality, ranking it alongside Champagne