England (United Kingdom)

Winemaking was introduced to England by the Romans but large-scale production has always been inhibited by the damp and changeable weather – this has started to change in recent years, in part assisted by rising temperatures. Today most of England’s vineyards are found in the drier and sunnier south and east, where grapes varieties such as Bacchus have performed very well. English sparkling wine in particular has received major plaudits, even rivalling Champagne in international competitions.