United Kingdom Vineyard Register

The wine regulations specifiy the data which must be gathered, including the area of the vineyard and the areas for different vine varieties grown. Annual harvest and production declarations are part of the Vineyard Register, with vineyard and total production data published by European Commission Eurostats.

We compile reports on vineyard data at the start of each wine 'marketing year' in August. For wine year 2012-13, there are currently 432 commercial vineyards in England and Wales. In addition there are 86 vineyards which are classified as hobby vineyards as their production is not sold. The total area including hobby vineyards is 1,437 hectares. Commercial vineyards are sub-divided into those which grow grapes but do not have wine making facilities and 128 which have wineries to make wine from their own production and from grapes processed under contract or bought from other vineyards.

Vineyards are mostly situated in South East England (approx 813 hectares in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey, Kent, and Sussex), and the South West (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset Wiltshire and Gloucestershire approx 200 hectares) with others in East Anglia, the Midlands and a few further north and in Wales. A full list of commercial vineyards is available below.

The main vine varieties grown have changed considerably in the last five years to those suitable for producing sparkling wine,lead by the classic varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The longer established white varieties Bacchus, Seyval Blanc and Reichensteiner are mainly used for still wine.

Production volumes vary quite widely from year to year depending on weather conditions. The highest recorded harvest was in 2010 at 30,346 hectolitres, (previous large harvests in 2006, 1996 and 1992).