The Drinks Business reports that Terold Invest, owner of Argentina’s Grupo Peñaflor, has acquired UK wholesaler Off-Piste Wines, owner of brands including Most Wanted and The Wanderer. The deal is positioned as a strategic push into the UK, with Off-Piste selling around 3 million nine-litre cases a year and the combined business expected to become a top-five supplier to the UK off-trade.
UK
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Rosé Sales Defy the Wider UK Wine Slump
Harpers, citing the WSTA’s latest market report, says rosé is still outperforming in the UK, with 2025 volumes up 3%, value up 5%, and total sales reaching £882 million. The data suggests pink wine is no longer just a summer category, because it also posted gains in the winter trading period, while red and white still wine volumes fell 6% and 4% respectively. The wider takeaway is that rosé remains one of the few clear pockets of resilience in a difficult still wine market.
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UK Champagne Market Returns to Growth
The Drinks Business reports that the UK Champagne market grew again in 2025, with shipments rising 1.9% to 22.7 million bottles, the first annual increase since 2021. The article says the recovery looks stronger in volume than in value, with importers pointing to steadier pricing and better sales of Brut NV, while some premium cuvées are still under pressure. It also notes that the UK now accounts for about 15% of total Champagne exports, helped in part by softer US demand.
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Fears Rise Over a Possible UK Bottle Supply Crunch
The Drinks Business reports that fresh strike action at Encirc Elton, a major glass supplier for supermarket own label wine and other drinks brands, has raised new concerns about disruption to the UK bottle supply chain. The union argues that walkouts in April and May could hit bottle availability, while Encirc is pushing back hard, saying there will be no shortages and that contingency plans are in place, so the immediate issue is less about confirmed disruption and more about a tense standoff over how exposed the drinks trade really is to packaging risk.
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Court Warns of Lengthy Process Winding up Oenofuture’s Liquidation
The Drinks Business reports that the High Court has appointed joint liquidators for Oenofuture Limited, the wine investment arm tied to the Oeno Group, and warned that the compulsory winding up is likely to be a long and complicated process. The article says around 2,600 investors paid money into the company, that an estimated 80% of client wine was held by Oenofuture Limited, and that customers have already been cautioned they may not recover all their money.
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English and Welsh Winemakers Report Sharp Rise in Production in 2025
The Guardian reports that English and Welsh wine production rose sharply in 2025, reaching about 16.5 million bottles, up 55% on 2024 after a hot, dry summer and continued vineyard expansion. The paper says white wine output more than doubled, although some leading producers still came in below their own averages, and the figures underline how quickly the UK sector is scaling even if it remains small by global standards.
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Essex Police Seize 67,000 Bottles of Fake Wine
The UK Food Standards Agency reports that its National Food Crime Unit, working with the Metropolitan Police and other partners, has seized more than 67,000 bottles of counterfeit or misrepresented wine and Prosecco, worth about £500,000, from three warehouses in North London and Essex. The FSA says a 61 year old man was arrested on 3 March on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and later released under investigation, with enquiries still continuing, making this one of the biggest fresh food fraud stories affecting the wine trade today.
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UK Wine Imports Fall in 2025 as Volume Drops and Prices Shift
Meininger reports that in 2025, UK wine imports fell sharply, with total volume down 6% year on year to 11.9 million hectolitres and value declining 4.6% to £3.7 billion, reflecting the impact of the reformed alcohol duty system and changing consumer habits. Although the average price per litre rose slightly to £3.14, most major exporting countries suffered notable declines, with only France, New Zealand and Portugal increasing volumes, largely by cutting prices. France boosted sales mainly through cheaper sparkling and bulk wine, while New Zealand posted the strongest volume growth but at much lower unit prices. Italy, still the UK’s biggest supplier by volume, remained relatively stable with only a modest decline, and Germany also saw only a slight drop, in contrast to heavier losses among exporters such as Australia, Spain, Chile, South Africa and the USA.
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English Red Wine Gains Momentum as Styles Shift
The Guardian reports that English red wine, still a tiny slice of production, is starting to look more plausible, and more appealing, as drinkers lean towards lighter, juicier reds and as warmer growing conditions make ripening red grapes less of a long shot. The article says reds are under 5% of English wine output and often sit in the £15 to £25 bracket, but producers are finding a niche with grapes like pinot noir and pinot meunier, plus some hardier hybrid varieties. The overall message is that English reds are moving beyond novelty, helped by changing tastes and slow, cool ripening that can deliver bright fruit and moderate alcohol.
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UK Wine Sector Careers Highlight Salaries up to £150,000
City AM reports that Plumpton College is urging students and career changers to look at opportunities in the UK’s expanding wine sector, saying rising vineyard plantings and production are driving demand for skilled staff across viticulture, winemaking, marketing, hospitality and business roles. It highlights pay ranges that start in the mid £20,000s for entry level winemaking, with senior winemakers often earning £45,000 to £60,000, and says commercial roles can go higher, with some wine buyers earning up to £150,000. The article also points to structured training and placements at Plumpton, and notes its commercial facilities produce up to 40,000 bottles a year.
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UK Alcohol Tax Revenue Falls £285m Despite Higher Duty Rates
The Drinks Business reports that provisional HM Revenue & Customs figures show UK Alcohol Duty receipts are down 4% year on year in the 2025 to 2026 financial year to date, totalling £7,010 million, £285 million less than the same period last year, despite repeated duty upratings and ahead of a further RPI linked increase from February 2026. Most categories are lower, wine and other fermented products are down £100 million to £2.58 billion, spirits show the sharpest drop, down £156 million to £2.15 billion, and beer is down £59 million to £2.09 billion, while cider rises £30 million to £175 million but remains a small share of annual receipts.
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UK Exporters Face Fresh Uncertainty After Proposed US Tariff Change
Harpers reports that, after the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s earlier tariff regime, the president announced plans for a 15% global tariff rate, a move that could raise duties on some UK drinks exports to the US. The article highlights analysis suggesting UK exports could see an average tariff rise of 2.1%, and includes comments from WineGB’s chief executive warning that higher costs would ultimately be borne by consumers, potentially slowing strong recent export growth for English and Welsh wine.
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Ridgeview Acquired by Quantum Beverage Led Consortium
Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News reports that Ridgeview Wine Estate has been acquired by QBRidge Ltd, an investor consortium led by Quantum Beverage Co, with Gregg Ainsworth appointed CEO and Allan Beattie becoming CFO, while long time CEO Tamara Roberts steps down and head winemaker Simon Roberts stays on. Insider Media and FRP Advisory add that the Sussex producer, founded in 1995 and based in Ditchling, was sold out of administration after financial pressures, the sale completed on 11 February, all staff transferred, and the new owners have promised business as usual for customers and suppliers.
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UK Off Trade Wine Outlook, Premium Holds Up As Volumes Slide
Drinks Retailing reports that UK off trade wine value is down 1.8% with units down 4.2% despite higher average prices, with sparkling outperforming still and red hit hardest, while a Freixenet Copestick executive says wines priced £7 and above are proving more resilient than sub £7 options, crémant and English sparkling are among the fastest growing areas, and alcohol free wine and canned wine are expanding quickly, even as further duty increases in February 2026 are expected to keep overall value drifting lower.
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Portugal Targets Britain as Its Top Export Market Over the Next Decade
Harpers reports that Wines of Portugal wants to make the UK its number one export market within ten years, calling it one of the world’s most influential and competitive wine markets, and putting it at the centre of its long term growth ambitions. The organisation says the market currently ranks fourth by export value, at €31.8m in the first half of 2025, and is tying the push to a wider goal of €1.2bn in total export value by 2030.