WineGB today announces the launch of the 2026 WineGB Trade & Media Tasting, urging hospitality operators, retail outlets and tourism operators to seize the commercial opportunity presented by the fast‑growing English and Welsh wine category.
English and Welsh wine is a staple of forward‑thinking wine lists, not just as a novelty, but as a quality‑led, guest‑driven choice. Operators who integrate homegrown wine are seeing stronger menu cohesion, higher guest satisfaction and a clear point of difference in competitive markets.
As the flagship event continues to grow year on year, the 2026 tasting will take place at the iconic Old Billingsgate on Monday 7th September. With demand at an all-time high, the event has been moved to the largest venue yet, enabling the organisation to welcome more producers, showcase more wines, and create even greater opportunities for visibility, networking and discovery.
As the category scales, with more vineyards, more visitor centres, more investment, wine tourism is also emerging as a defining feature of Britain’s rural visitor economy. The tasting will bring this story to life for tourism publications and visitor‑economy professionals, offering a panoramic view of the experiences now drawing travellers into wine regions.
The tasting will bring together producers from every major region, giving buyers, sommeliers, retailers, importers and more the chance to discover new wines, refresh their lists, and build direct relationships with the estates shaping the UK’s quality cool climate wine scene.
The tasting will showcase:
- Category momentum — the scale and speed of the UK’s wine industry expansion
- List‑ready wines — sparkling, still and food‑pairing styles suited to restaurants, hotels and bars
- Provenance‑driven menus — how local wine strengthens identity and storytelling
- New wine‑tourism formats — from luxury tasting flights to immersive vineyard walks and more unique events that go beyond the wine glass
- Destination appeal — why wine is becoming a core driver of rural visitation
- Experience‑led travel — how wine aligns with broader tourism trends
In addition, there will be themed tasting tables with one dedicated to this year’s WineGB Awards trophy winners and regional champions.
The WineGB 2026 Award winners which were recently unveiled, revealed a shift in the UK wine landscape with the rise of unexpected grape varieties and emerging regions up the medal table, signalling a maturing industry that is increasingly confident, diverse and ambitious. For the second year running, still wines surpassed sparkling in both entries and total medals, adding further credibility to the diverse portfolio of English and Welsh wine, and elevates the global reputation. A total of 24 grape varieties earned medals, reflecting a wave of experimentation across England and Wales. Varieties once considered too marginal for the UK climate are now producing award‑winning wines, with judges recognising standout examples of Gamay (Gold and Silver), Cabaret Jura (Silver), Sauvignon Blanc (Silver and Bronze), Cabaret Cortis (Bronze) and Riesling (Bronze).
Kirsty Rushby, Head of Marketing Comms at WineGB, said: “There is electric energy surrounding English and Welsh winemaking right now that you simply cannot experience from a textbook or a tasting note. As the most exciting and fast-evolving cool-climate category in the world today, our national tasting is the ultimate front-row seat. Whether you are a buyer, sommelier, educator, tourism operator or a journalist, attending lets you taste firsthand how our growers and makers are redefining elegance, pushing boundaries with unique varieties, and translating a distinct sense of place into every single glass.”
The WineGB Trade & Media Tasting is taking place on Monday 7th September at Old Billingsgate, London. Register here for attendance.
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About WineGB
WineGB is the trade association for UK wine. We cultivate success for our 500 grower and producer members, which represents circa 70% of UK hectarage. We represent the industry to the Government, media, and trade. We provide our members with timely, accurate resources, to help their businesses grow, from guidance and toolkits, to training and marketing access. At the heart of our work, we help members to make, market and tell the story of UK wine. For the latest industry stats see the WineGB Industry Report