WineGB Trade & Press Tasting 2026 breaks attendance record as industry gathers to showcase the future of English & Welsh wine
WineGB’s flagship event welcomed its largest-ever audience on Monday 7th September bringing together 80+ producers, alongside buyers, hospitality professionals, journalists, tourism representatives and industry and government colleagues to taste wine and explore the opportunities shaping the sector’s future.
With the industry continuing to evolve rapidly, this year’s tasting, supported by headline sponsor London City Bond, provided a timely snapshot of the breadth and ambition of English and Welsh wine – from established producers and award-winning wines to emerging varieties, new visitor experiences and innovation in winemaking.
“What a terrific day it was! So many familiar faces – and quite a few new ones too – pouring such a brilliant and diverse array of wines. There was definitely something for everyone in Old Billingsgate yesterday, and crucially plenty of space for what is now an impressively large tasting.”
Susie Barrie MW
More than 350 wines on show
At the heart of the event more than 350 wines were available to discover from across England and Wales with everything from traditional method sparkling wine the UK has become renowned for to varieties rare the country, such as Albarino, Cabaret Jura, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Four dedicated themed tasting tables gave visitors the opportunity to explore some of the key trends and developments within the sector.
The WineGB Trophy Winners table showcased the wines recognised at this year’s WineGB Awards, while the PIWI table highlighted fungus-resistant grape varieties and their potential as the industry looks at ways to build resilience in the UK’s challenging climate.
Chardonnay took centre stage at another celebrating one of the UK’s most widely planted grape varieties across both sparkling and still wines, while Cellar Door by Price demonstrated the breadth of wines available at different price points, from still wines at £25 and under through to premium sparkling.
Together, the tables offered a snapshot of an industry that is becoming increasingly diverse, innovative and confident.
Hospitality takes centre stage
The day’s programme looked beyond the bottle, with a panel discussion exploring the relationship between wine and hospitality and how the two sectors can work together to create compelling consumer experiences.
Building the Future of UK Wine Through Hospitality discussed how restaurants, hotels and other hospitality businesses can help introduce consumers to English and Welsh wines and create new occasions for them. The discussion, chaired by Richard Siddle, reflected an increasingly important commercial opportunity as producers look to build awareness, increase listings and strengthen connections with consumers.
Calum Chance, Head of Marketing at Langham Wine Estate, spoke about the importance of nurturing brand advocates within the trade to tell the story not just sell the wine while Charles Carron Brown, Restaurant Manager at Aulis by Simon Rogan, which operates an all British wine list, highlighted how the wine and hospitality sectors could be more connected.
Kate Nicholls OBE, Chair of UKHospitality the leading trade body representing Britain’s hospitality sector, shared statistics that emphasise the opportunity for growth in UK wine tourism through hospitality with 70% of inbound tourists to the UK wanting to eat and drink like a local when here.
Anne Rogue, Head of Sales at Coravin UK, and Sergio Verrillo, winemaker and founder of Blackbook Winery, spoke of the increased opportunities to grow the Wine by the Glass offering in hospitality venues, particularly for still wines, as well as consumer demand for premiumisation – buying less but better.
Seeing wine differently
The Riedel Sensory Masterclass offered another perspective on the tasting experience, exploring the relationship between glassware, aroma and perception and demonstrating how the way a wine is served can influence how it is experienced.
For an industry increasingly focused not just on what is in the bottle but on how consumers discover, taste and engage with wine, the session provided a practical reminder of the importance of the complete experience.
first look at new bottle
One of the most anticipated moments of the day was the first public showcase of a debut British-made bottle for English sparkling wine, marking another milestone in the development and innovation of the UK wine sector.
The Sovereign Bottle showcase was a fitting inclusion at an event focused on the future of the industry, highlighting the breadth of innovation taking place not only in vineyards and wineries but across the wider supply chain.
cellar door & the wider tourism opportunity
Later in the day, attention turned to wine tourism and the role vineyards can play in supporting wider regional economies.
The panel Unlocking the Economic Power of Wine Tourism: How to Leverage the Cellar Door Experience for Regional Growth explored how vineyards and wineries can become more effective visitor destinations, creating reasons for people to travel, stay longer and spend more locally.
WineGB research has highlighted the scale of that opportunity, with more than 1.5 million visitors enjoying vineyard and winery tourism experiences in 2024. Wine tourism is increasingly extending beyond tours and tastings to include restaurants, events, celebrations, accommodation and other experiences, creating opportunities for vineyards to become important contributors to regional visitor economies.
Chaired by Alice Griffiths, co founder of UK wine and lifestyle magazine, Uncorked, columnist at Vineyard Magazine and Guinness World Record holder for visiting 69 UK vineyards in seven days during English Wine Week 2025, the panel once again focused on the importance of connection and collaboration.
Fiona Reece from Visit Herefordshire spoke of the importance of vineyards having a bookable product on their websites, while Galia Pike from Westwell Wines highlighted ways in which vineyards can build loyalty among customers to create an army of ambassadors.
Ian Sargent, WineGB Regional Chair and founder of Laurel Vineyards in Yorkshire spoke on the importance of regional identity and how vineyards can work in collaboration – rather than in competition – with other rural business to help drive visits, local spending, longer stays and wider regional growth.
“It was so thrilling to see a room packed with some of the most dynamic and vibrant producers from England and Wales today, The range of the wines to taste alongside the vitality of the people involved are an impressive snapshot of just how exciting our domestic wine industry is.
I particularly enjoyed attending a lively panel discussion on the role of tourism in driving economic growth, it was a practical showcase on understanding the importance of this vital component of English and Welsh wine’s story.”
Rosamund Hall, Wine Columnist The Independent
Back British Vineyards
The conversation also underlined the importance of collaboration between producers and destination organisations in developing stronger regional tourism propositions and connected directly with WineGB’s Back British Vineyards campaign.
The campaign, which calls for greater support for the UK’s growing wine industry and highlights the contribution vineyards and wineries make to rural communities, champions a proposed duty relief on wine sold through the cellar door to deliver around £6 million in savings to UK vineyards to reinvest.
As the industry embarks on the 2026 harvest, the tasting illustrated how the sector is building a broader proposition around the bottle – through hospitality, tourism, innovation and experiences – while continuing to raise the profile and reputation of wine made here in Britain.
“The new venue at Old Billingsgate has enabled more producers to present more English and Welsh wine to more members of the press and trade and really showcase the scale of this growing industry. Our flagship event is about community and giving our members a voice but it’s also about collaboration.
We expanded our programme this year and introduced panels on hospitality and tourism to explore how the sector can work with hospitality professionals, tourism organisations and government colleagues to support UK wine through wine tourism.
This feeds into our Back British Vineyards campaign launched this year, which calls for tax relief on bottles sold at the cellar door so vineyards can reinvest back into their business for long-term continuous growth.
It was a superb event and the buzz around the room really demonstrates how far English and Welsh wine has come as a sector and the retail and hospitality buyers who are championing our producers and helping to drive our growth.”
Nicola Bates, WineGB CEO
