WineGB launches ‘English wine night’ series on social media

Wine GB has launched a number of new initiatives to boost sales of English and Welsh wines, including a weekly English Wine Night series on social media.

Exton Park’s vineyard director, Fred Langdale, inspects his grapes

Following on from the successful #theBIGenglishwinegoodfriday event on 10 April, WineGB wanted to capitalise on the huge support for homegrown wines by encouraging consumers to enjoy local wines each week.

Using the hashtag #EnglishWineNight, the new series of online weekly wine socials will take place every Friday night at 7pm for an hour.

The wine nights series will include a focus each week on a different regional vineyard association in the UK. It kicked off last week with #WelshWineNight. Tonight the English region of Wessex, which covers Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and Isle of Wight, will be in the spotlight.

English wine lover Natasha Radcliffe posted this picture on Instagram while celebrating #theBIGenglishwinegoodfriday

The weekly events include online wine tastings, winemaker videos, Q&A sessions and the chance for English and Welsh wine fans to share pictures of the homegrown bottles they’ve cracked open on social media.

WineGB has also added a ‘Shop Local’ page on its website to highlight the vineyards that are selling their wares online and retailers that stock English and Welsh wines.

“We’ve been hit pretty hard by Covid-19 and the lockdown, although as part of the agricultural sector we are permitted to continue some of our operations compared to some other industries.

“Many have lost significant business through closure of cellar doors and tastings, and the shutting down of the hospitality industry, which is a major source of income for some.

“However, we are greatly encouraged by the recent increase in online sales, which is helping many,” said Simon Robinson, Chairman of WineGB.

The dates of English Wine Week and Welsh Wine Week have been moved from May to 20-28 June. “We are hoping that as some restrictions are lifted there will be greater opportunity to encourage activity to celebrate the week,” said Julia Trustram Eve, WineGB’s marketing manager.

“We know that English Wine Week is such a popular campaign for vineyards and the many outlets they supply, and we wanted to ensure we could give maximum support in light of the changing circumstances this year.

“Our wish is that come June we will all be able to look ahead to the summer months with a bit more hope,” she added.

The Grape Press magazine, focused on the English and Welsh wine industry, will be released as a free digital download for members of the trade.