Wimbledon serves up English wine

Organisers of this year’s Wimbledon have decided to offer tennis fans English wine for the first time in the tournament’s 138-year history.

The 2014 Pinot Gris from Bolney Estate in East Sussex will be served to guests in hospitality suites at the All England Club during the two week championships, which start today.

Carrying an RRP of £16.99, the wine is described on the producer’s website as offering “a fragrant aroma of rose, jasmine and conference pears”, with “a lovely creamy freshness”.

Sam Linter, managing director and winemaker at Bolney Estate, told the Guardian: “We are so proud that our Pinot Gris has been selected to be served in the Wimbledon boxes this year.

“Being such a quintessentially English institution, it only seems right that English wine is being served. To us, it shows how the quality and reputation of English wine has improved in recent years.”

The news marks the latest boost for English wine, which is currently experiencing significant growth, with sales expected to hit £100 million in 2015. UK supermarket Waitrose reported a 95% rise in volume sales of English wine last year, an uplift backed by a rise in production, which increased by 42% in 2014 alone to hit 6.3m bottles.