English sparkling wine’s rise shown in French champagne house opening UK vineyard
Taittinger opening winery in southeast England shows impact of climate change – bad for French winemaking but good for British grape growing
Far from its native Champagne, prestigious French wine house Taittinger last week inaugurated its new vineyard in southeast England, where climate change is making it increasingly easy to grow grapes.
The grand opening of the 60-hectare Domaine Evremond vineyard, on a quiet hillside in Kent, received the royal seal of approval, with Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh in attendance.
“It’s a story of 10 years of friendship between two families and two companies,” explained Vitalie Taittinger, president of the wine house.
Her father Pierre-Emmanuel co-founded the English estate with Patrick McGrath, the boss of Taittinger’s importer in the United Kingdom, Hatch Mansfield.