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UK to host 2016 Cool Climate Symposium
The UK will host the ninth International Cool Climate Symposium, due to take place in Brighton in late May 2016.
Chris Foss, head of wine development at Plumpton College, Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, global wine director of Direct Wines, and Mike Roberts, owner of top English sparkling wine estate Ridgeview, announced the venue of Brighton during the closing session of the 8th International Cool Climate Symposium in Hobart, Tasmania.
The UK wine industry has developed dramatically over the last 15 years, and in 2010 reached 4.046 million bottles. In that year UK production reached a tipping point where more production went into sparkling wine than into still wine.
It is predicted that sales of English sparkling wine will reach 3-4 million bottles in 2013, and 5-6 million bottles by 2016, when sales of English sparkling wine are forecast to be around 15% of UK Champagne imports.
“We want to have a symposium for innovative, progressive winemakers making fine, cool climate wines,” said Foss.
Included among “new” Old World countries that might be interested, as well as the UK, Foss mentioned Belgium, Holland, Denmark, the Baltic States, Slovenia and Slovakia.
The University of Brighton and the Institute of Masters of Wine are also supporting the UK hosting of this symposium.
Brighton is close to key English vineyards along the chalk-based South Downs.
The ninth International Cool Climate Symposium will be held immediately after the London International Wine Fair in May 2016.