We have 3 vineyards in Yorkshire today.
There are 2 reasons why we don't produce much wine in the UK at the
moment, neither have any connection with climate *change*.
1) Prior to coming to the throne Henry II already controlled
Normandy and Anjou on the continent; his marriage to Eleanor of
Aquitaine on 18 May 1152 added her holdings to his, including
Touraine, Aquitaine, and Gascony, this included Bordeaux.
So all fhe vineyards in Bordeaux gained preferential access to the
English market, and winemaking in England became commercially un
viable.
2) During WW1 all the English vineyards were grubbed out to grow food
crops for subsistence purposes. They were not re-established before
WW2 came along. However a lot of English soldiers aquired a taste for
wine whilst away on the continent during WW2, and created a new market
for wine when they returned.
Hence :
<
http://www.enjoyengland.com/ideas/food-and-drink/drink/vineyard-tours/leventhorpe...>
