The Queen is likely to be surprise beneficiary of sparkling wine tax cut – say expert

The Queen is likely to be a surprise beneficiary of proposed tax cuts for sparkling wine, an expert has said.

Frank Mannion, the director of critically acclaimed documentary Sparkling: the Story of Champagne, starring polymath Stephen Fry and a who’s who from the world of the glamorous sparkling wine, also suggests that the Chancellor's proposed overhaul of alcohol duty is likely to support a burgeoning UK industry, allowing English sparkling wine to better compete against its French competitors.

“Given that her seven-acre vineyard, Windsor Great Park Sparkling Wine, produces award-winning wine that is served at Buckingham Palace State Banquets, The Queen will likely be one of the surprise beneficiaries of Rishi Sunak's Budget. It is fitting that the Chancellor is now supporting the UK’s sparkling wine industry - it is widely believed that the English actually 'discovered’ sparkling champagne decades before the ‘Father of Champagne’ Dom Perignon exclaimed; "I can taste the stars.” The English also invented the reinforced glass champagne bottle (or "verre anglais" as the French call it).

English sparkling wine will be able to compete more effectively in the market against Champagne by virtue of Rishi's announcement that tax on English sparkling wine will be reduced, knocking 83p off the price of a bottle. In 2020 alone, 1.4m vines were planted. The British consumers' thirst for English wine is remarkable with sales increasing 30% in 2020 to reach 7.1 million bottles, with 50% being sold through winery websites or via the cellar door (through so-called 'wine tourism' and staycations). 

“Sparkling: The Story of Champagne, released earlier this year shows how the English wine industry is a key driver for the regional economy while advocating for the industry to get government support to secure the long-term future of the 5000 people working in the 800 vineyards in the UK. The film also looks at the impact of climate change on the champagne region, one of the factors leading to the likes of Pommery and Taittinger planting vineyards in the south of England. 

This budget announcement opens up a new frontier that will allow the English sparkling wine industry to take root more firmly and to compete more cost-effectively for the British consumer's affections.”