Top English winemakers toast another year of sparkling wines

English wine producers have celebrated another year of record sales.

Sales of homegrown sparkling wine from the top seven producers rose 15 per cent to £37m, up from £32m a year earlier.

According to accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young, wine producers including Chapel Down, Denbies and Gusbourne were gradually improving.

The figures also include smaller companies such as Hambledon, Forty Hall Vineyard, Henners Vineyard and Domaine Evremond.

Just five years ago they earned a combined total of £13m.

Climate change has created better growing conditions for grapes (cooler temperatures and soil with high concentrations of clay) in the south-east of England.

And tourism has boosted sales with vineyards attracting young people through hotels and restaurants.

Wine is the fastest growing agricultural sector in the UK and attracts domestic and foreign investors including Saracens boss Nigel Wray and Lord Michael Spencer.

Chapel Down has been considered a takeover target. Even LVMH, the French owner of Moet, was interested in British land a few years ago.