THE JOURNAL | FOOD & DRINK
Homegrown: Celebrating English Wine
Ahead of English Wine Week 2026, our wine consultant, Emily Harman, offers a peek into the world of English wines and guides us through a selection of her favourites from across our London restaurants.
Next week, English Wine Week arrives again, an entire week dedicated to celebrating the wines that are made here in the UK. 20 years ago, most people living in the UK, (and certainly those living outside of the UK), would have never even associate England with the production of wine and wine grapes. Today, there are nearly 5,000 hectares of vines across the country, producing over 20 million bottles annually - around three quarters of which are bubbles.
Here at Firmdale, we have always made an effort to showcase some of the best wines, and of course produce, being made in the UK. We have been pouring British sparkling wines alongside our afternoon tea and Afternoon Cheese, which has proven to be very popular with our guests. Especially over the last three years, we have been diligently researching and tasting behind the scenes to curate an enticing and inspiring selection of local wines to enchant our guests with a taste of Britain. Across our restaurants, we offer a range of producers and styles and we even have a dedicated ‘Grape Britannia’ section on the wine list at Refuel.
It has been intriguing to observe how much the British wine scene has evolved over the last fifteen years. In my first wine buying role in London as Group Wine Buyer for Zetter Hotel Group, producers such as Nyetimber were only beginning to gain recognition. Today, it is possible to find a bottle almost anywhere, which speaks to how far the category has come.
There is now a much broader range of styles, grape varieties, and producers.
Since 2018, warmer growing seasons in the UK have reduced disease pressure and increased yields, also enabling the emergence of increasingly compelling red wines.
It's not just English people behind the English wine scene, too. In recent years, several prestigious international houses - most notably from Champagne - have established a presence here, with Taittinger and Pommery both investing in English vineyards. This is partly due to warmer summers reducing acid levels in the Champagne region, prompting many producers to look ahead to where high-quality wine will be made in the future. The UK is increasingly seen as a leading contender - particularly for sparkling wine.
Emily's favourites from our menus...
The variety of wine being made in the UK today, from established names like Gusbourne to small artisan producers such as Domaine Hugo, implores wine lovers to venture further into the world of British wine. Here are my favourite picks from our wine lists, for those of you wishing to dive deeper:
Gusbourne | served at Brasserie Max
Quite a different style to the Ancre Hill – the Guinevere is refined and more technical. This wine from Gusbourne, producers in Appledore in Kent, gives you citrus, buttered toast, pineapple notes and an elegant mineral finish. Gusbourne’s polished style shines through year and year. Dedicated to quality, they only release wines that they believe to be high calibre, precise and complex.
Sugrue South Downs | served at Refuel
Sugrue are a rising star on the UK scene, creating small batch, artisan and totally delicious wines. This is a cellar aged rosé sparkling from a single vineyard in the South Downs, West Sussex. It’s made with the classic three Champagne grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Expect bright and juicy red fruit, delicate creamy bubbles, and a long finish.
Offbeat Wines | served at Ham Yard
Made in Wiltshire from biodynamically grown Pinot Meunier and Pinot Blanc, this is my kind of rosé - dry but with colour, flavour and a real drinkability about it. Run by husband and wife Daniel and Nicola Ham, they are dedicated artisans. All the work in the vineyard is by hand and with respect to nature, and the winemaking is about showcasing the grapes. Taste this at our ‘Rosé On The Roof’ pop up this August. Â
Domaine Hugo | served at Oscar
A British sparkling that stands amongst its peers of grower Champagne. The sparkling wines from Hugo Stewart are skilfully made in Wiltshire with care in the vineyard and cellar. This is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. There is partial ageing in barrel and amphorae followed by a longer period of cellar aging before release. The result is a wine that is truly impressive, layered and with energy.
Davenport Vineyards | served at Refuel
Will Davenport is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the UK, and his wines remain a reliable favourite. This single-vineyard Pinot Noir is a wonderful expression of cool-climate Pinot: elegant and finely structured, with delicate red fruit, floral aromatics, and remarkable freshness.Â
Ancre Hill Estates | served at Oscar
This Chardonnay is perfect for the warmer weather as it’s light bodied and zesty making it easy to drink. Branching out of English wine technically, but I had to mention, this one is from Monmouthshire in Wales. A truly stunning spot, Ancre Hill is family run project built with real consideration. Sustainability is at the core of the farming, winemaking, and even in regards to how cellar was built.
About Emily Harman
Emily, aka VinaLupa, is a wine consultant and educator working with our wine teams across our London restaurants. With twenty years experience in the food and beverage industry, her curiosity and constant urge to learn has led her to seek work in vineyards and wineries over the years. In 2015, she set up VinaLupa, a wine and beverage consultancy, offering an ‘unfiltered insight’ and bespoke advice in a range of markets, from the UK and Germany, to Austria and the US.