A vintage 2009 for the UK

Whatever you may have thought of 2009, wine makers in the UK are celebrating what is being hailed a “wonderful quality year.” A combination of a period of warm weather in the late spring and early summer, a wet July and a warm autumn, resulted in ripe and clean grapes. The good quality fruit from grapes, such as Chardonnay and Pinot grown in the UK, is high in sugar and has good levels of acidity required to make quality wine.

The Association of English Wine Producers says the volume produced in 2009 could match or better the record breaking 3 million bottles produced in 2006. The south east of England enjoyed the largest crop. Vintner Michael Roberts of Ridgeview Estate in Sussex, said, “all in all a fantastic year – a pretty wonderful build up for the London Olympics.”