English and Welsh 2025 wine harvest delivers ‘ripest fruit ever’

After the driest summer on record, English and Welsh vineyards have delivered one of the earliest and most promising harvests seen to date. WineGB says the 2025 vintage combines ripe fruit, strong volumes and a sense of long-earned confidence across the sector.

The UK wine industry is not accustomed to meteorological good manners, which may explain the barely contained delight running through WineGB’s first assessment of the 2025 harvest. According to the trade body, the long, dry and warm growing season has produced fruit of outstanding quality, with growers reporting full ripeness and clean vineyards after the driest summer on record.

Speculation ahead of the harvest had been bullish, and, according to WineGB’s provisional findings, the optimism was well-placed. The organisation says 2025 delivered the ripest fruit yet recorded, with yields broadly in line with the 10-year national average, despite considerable regional variation. Total production is estimated at between 15 and 16 million bottles, making it the second-largest harvest by volume.

An early start and time on growers’ side

Timing is another defining feature. A handful of producers began picking in late August, most started by mid-September and the majority finished in the first week of October. That is around three weeks earlier than 2024, when growers were forced into hurried decisions by weather pressure and disease.

This year, the luxury was a choice. With settled conditions, growers were able to pick when fruit was ready rather than when rain clouds loomed.

Momentum builds for English and Welsh wine

WineGB frames the vintage as part of a broader upswing. According to the organisation, export volumes are up 35%, while overall sector growth has risen from 4% to 9% over the past five years. The trade body also points to its Golden 50 wine list as evidence of improving quality and growing international interest.

The initial findings come from a voluntary annual survey sent to the whole sector. WineGB received 122 responses, covering 2,063 hectares, of which 1,700 hectares are in active production. Full data will be released by the Food Standards Agency’s Wine Standards in March 2026.

Optimism tempered by experience

Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB, said the sector had been quietly excited about the harvest’s potential. She said the research was the first to review the whole nation and that early results suggest the anticipation is justified. Bates added that the quality and scale of the harvest offer optimism after a year shaped by economic and political pressure, with English and Welsh wines continuing to take market share.

Stephen Skelton MW, author of the harvest report, went further on quality, particularly for still wines. He said that potentially this is the best year ever for still wine, especially Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the right sites, with some truly world-class wines expected from top producers. Sparkling wines, he added, will also be good and are likely to come to market sooner than wines from cooler years.

Earlier confidence echoed in the vineyards

As reported by the drinks business in August, producers were already expressing confidence well before harvest began. In Sussex, Tinwood Estate owner Art Tukker said 2025 was shaping up to be one of the best harvests for quality seen in some time, with ripeness and flavour predicted to be very high after long spells of sunshine. He said bud break, flowering and veraison were running around two weeks ahead of average.

At Nyetimber, senior winemaker Brad Greatrix drew parallels with 2018, citing similar cumulative heat and timing of flowering and veraison. He said earlier harvest dates put time on the team’s side, allowing picking decisions to be tailored for optimal ripeness rather than risk management.

Still wine steps forward

While sparkling remains the commercial backbone, several voices point to a particularly strong year for still wine. Skelton said Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are set to perform well as still wines, including in more marginal regions. Counties near the Welsh border, including Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, appear to have benefited from shelter and warmth, according to his assessment.

At Black Chalk in Hampshire, the mood is similarly upbeat. Vineyard manager Gwil Cooper said the vines have remained almost completely disease-free, with even ripening across blocks and the advantage of an early season allowing flavours to develop fully.

Quality meets a receptive market

The timing of such a vintage is hard to ignore as the UK wine market continues to grow in value and confidence. According to IMARC Group, the market was worth US$26.3 billion in 2024 and is forecast to reach US$36.3 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 3.65% from 2025 to 2033. Wine remains embedded in British drinking culture, with 67% of adults consuming it.

Domestic production is also accelerating. Government records cited by Wines of Great Britain show more than 1,000 UK vineyards for the first time, with total vineyard area up 123% over the past decade and sales of English and Welsh wine rising to 8.8 million bottles last year.

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