Sharp Rise in UK Wine Production in 2025
English and Welsh winemakers have reported a significant increase in production following the hot, dry summer of 2025 and an expansion in vineyard planting. These factors contributed to the third-largest grape harvest in the UK to date.
According to data from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the UK produced the equivalent of 16.5 million bottles last year, amounting to 124,377 hectolitres. This figure marks a 55% increase compared to the previous year, reflecting favourable weather conditions throughout the season that resulted in high fruit quality and yields not seen in many years.
This growth follows a sharp decline in 2024, when production dropped by half to 10.7 million bottles due to heavy rainfall that increased disease prevalence in grape crops.
Despite the rise, 2025 volumes remain below the 21.6 million bottles produced in 2023, which was widely regarded as an exceptional year.
Increase in White Wine Production
The 2025 harvest saw a particularly notable rise in white wine production, which increased by more than 131% compared to 2024.
Nicola Bates, the chief executive of the industry body WineGB, stated: "We take great optimism from the quality and scale of the 2025 vintage and recognise the considerable skill and hard work from viticulturalists and winemakers in bringing in the UK’s third largest harvest."
Regional Variations in Grape Yields
Grape yields varied across regions. Producers in north-west England and Wales anticipated a strong harvest, whereas growers in the south-east of England—the UK’s largest wine-producing region—expected below-average yields.
Some of the UK’s largest producers, including Nyetimber in West Sussex, forecasted a smaller harvest in 2025 as their vines required additional time to recover from the cool, damp conditions experienced the previous year.
Similarly, Gusborne in Kent reported a lower-than-average harvest attributed to insufficient rainfall.
Vineyard Expansion and Industry Growth
The number of vineyards registered with the FSA increased by 4% to 1,158 in 2025, with the majority being commercial operations rather than hobbyist ventures.
The FSA is responsible for inspecting vineyards and enforcing wine regulations in England and Wales, ensuring that wines are accurately labelled and meet established quality standards.
The expanding industry now employs over 10,000 people and has reached a value of £14 billion.
Vine plantings grew by nearly 3% in 2025, expanding the total vineyard area to 4,357 hectares (approximately 10,700 acres).
UK's Position in Global Wine Production
While the UK remains lower on the global list of wine-producing countries—ranking below nations such as Uzbekistan and Tunisia—its output has generally been increasing. Rising temperatures have supported this growth, even as traditional wine-producing countries face challenges affecting grape production.
