What is the UK’s favourite French grape in 2025?
The newest data from the SOWINE/Dynata Wine & Drinks Barometer has shed light on the grape varieties which UK consumers look for when shopping for a bottle of French wine.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given just how ubiquitous it is on supermarket shelves, Sauvignon Blanc is the frontrunner, with 31% of the 1,000 British individuals aged 18-65 surveyed mentioning a preference for it.
Merlot was in a close second at 29%, while the two key grapes of Burgundy, Chardonnay (26%) and Pinot Noir (25%) came in third and fourth respectively.
Cabernet Sauvignon was in fifth (21%) and the Cahors speciality of Malbec was sixth (17%) – though this may have something to do with consumers associating the variety more closely with Argentina than its home turf of France.
Regions and styles
What is perhaps more intriguing is the disconnect between preferred grape varieties and preferred wines.
For example, although Sauvignon Blanc is the clear favourite according to the study, just 8% of those surveyed cited the wines of the Loire, known for its Sauvignon Blanc-producing regions such as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, as their favourite.
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Indeed, although Merlot (29%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (21%) were not in the top spot, the homeland of these red grapes, Bordeaux, was the top wine region from the survey, with more than a third (36%) claiming it was their first choice. In close second place was Champagne, with 31%, distantly followed by the Rhône Valley (12%) and Provence (10%).
Despite being beloved by the wine trade for its complexity, ageability and, given some recent vintages, rarity, Bourgogne was only mentioned by 9% of respondents.
By wine type, 89% said they drink white wine, 81% red, 81% rosé, 78% sparkling wine and 72% Champagne – the disparity between the latter two perhaps more of an indication of Champagne’s higher price point than anything else.
Consumption patterns
According to the report, while 40% of Brits claim to enjoy wine at least a couple of times a week, 40% also say that they only drink sparkling wine and Champagne a handful of times each year.
A majority (56%) of wine drinkers modestly said that they were just ‘beginners’, while 40% claimed to be ‘informed enthusiasts’ and just 4% gave themselves the title of wine ‘connoisseur’.
The breakdown of the 20% of those surveyed who claimed to have tried natural wine before also turned up some interesting divisions. 24% of the men surveyed said they had tried it, as opposed to just 16% of women. It might not be a huge shock that it is young people who are especially interested in the category: more than a third (34%) of those in the 18-35 bracket had tasted it before, compared to just 18% in the 36-49 bracket and 5% between the ages of 50 and 65.
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