The French still top the vintage but English wine is now fourth best in world ENGLISH wine is now the fourth best in the world say British drinkers. GETTYIt is now rated as better quality than Spanish, South African and New Zealand tipples in the eyes of wine lovers, although still trails behind France, Australia and Italy. But it is a remarkable leap forward for homegrown varieties which are seen as making giant strides forward in both quality and availability in recent years. There is still some way to go though.The report for trade magazine The Grocer also shows that more than half of Brits have never even tried an English wine and many have no intention of doing so. Those aged 25-44-years-old are most receptive to English wine but older consumers are less likely to switch from their traditional favourites and younger ones find the UK versions too expensive. A poll of 2,000 consumers found French wine is still seen as the best in the world by 36 per cent of fans, followed by 15 per cent choosing Italian, possibly as a result of the boom in Prosecco drinking. 

GETTYThis is followed by 13 per cent plumping for Aussie bottles but then comes English wine with 11 per cent, rising to 19 per cent of those aged 25-34 and 15 per cent of the 35-44 age group. After that comes Spain with seven per cent, South African on six per cent and New Zealand on five per cent. best boxed red wine 2013However, the poll also found only six per cent of Brits regularly buy English wine and 32 per cent occasionally buy it while six per cent have tried it but didn't like it and won't buy it again. best sweet wine from grocery storeThis leaves 32 per cent who have never bought it but are willing to give it a go and 24 per cent who have never bought it and say they never will, according to the poll for The Grocer. what red wine has the highest alcohol content

English wine only makes up one per cent of the UK wine market so have a long way to go still. Some feel it is not easy to buy, although Marks and Spencer, for instance, recently increased its range of English wines to 37 and other chains regularly sell them now. Price can be a factor with 16 per cent who think it wine is too expensive.best red wine under 20 canada 2015Only seven per cent think is it poor quality but 13 per cent said they didn't even know “there was such a thing” as English wine. amount of wine to buy for a partyGETTYGETTYMost English wine is produced in the south east or East Anglia where the weather conditions make it easier to grow the grapes in high enough quantities to make it worthwhile. 100 best wine kits

Mark Harvey, the MD of Chapel Down, one of the biggest homegrown producers, said the results of the survey were encouraging and will only get better. He told The Grocer: "England has delivered world class wines too in recent years and we are as an industry excited to see the quality improve year on year. "I expect England to climb the ratings as English wines continues to grow and more consumers are surprised and delighted by the quality of our home-grown produce." A heatwave is threatening this year's grape harvest in France's famous wine regions, experts have said.Recent drought and hot weather means the quantity of wine produced could be down, but the quality will remain high.Worst hit are the Burgundy and Beaujolais regions, with output in the latter possibly dropping by as much as a third.The recent heatwave in France could mean a drop in the amount of wine produced in the countryA decline in the amount of French wine produced this year, could mean that the price for this year's vintage will increase.'The dryness has meant that the grapes, the fruit, are especially small,' Florence Hertaut, wine expert at the agricultural chamber of commerce in the Rhone region

, said Tuesday.Christine Monany, from an association representing wine-growers in Burgundy, said a 'small decline in quantity can be expected due to the heat.''When the vine lacks water, this limits how long it can grow,' she said.Much-needed weekend rain 'allowed the vines to get going again but the grapes are still small. They will grow a little bit but they will not reach a normal size,' said Monany. Better wine - but less of it: Even though the amount of wine produced this year may be less, the quality is expecting to be affected positively by the droughtWhile the heatwave is expected to have an impact on the quantity produced, the quality is still expected to be high.Hertaut said the heat has produced 'very healthy' vines, as it has dried up any hint of dampness, which can lead to fungus diseases impacting the grapes. Laurent de Bosredon, owner of Château Bélingard vineyard in Bergerac, near Bordeaux in south-west France has a more positive outlook for 2015.Echoing Ms Hertaut he said: 'We had a drought for 45 days which has been good in terms of eliminating diseases and pests on the vines, but then in the past week we had rain of about 40-45mm per square metre so it is going the right way.'

Less than Beau: The Beaujolais region is one of the worst affected by the hot weather, with the quantity of wine produced possibly dropping by as much as a third, according to expertsHe added: 'The forecast is looking the right way so I have a lot of confidence in this year's crop.'It is too early to say if this year's vintage will be more expensive, it depends on the volume and quality which the weather in the coming weeks will determine.'France has just sweltered through its third-hottest July since 1900 with less than half the amount of rain than usual, according to French meteorologists.'In terms of the dryness on the ground, the situation remains tense over a large part of the country,' said Francois Vinit from Meteo France, the national weather forecaster.The drought has French food production, with cabbage and corn crops expected to be down by as much as 50 per cent, according to local producers.The Red, Red Wines of France Some of the best red wine on earth comes from the many and varied French wine regions.

Discover some of the top spots. France, the home of the world’s finest baguettes, the home of the Eiffel tower, and arguably the home of world’s most romantic language, is in many people’s eyes the Mecca of the wine world. Wine is as immersed in the culture of this amazing country as much as Vegemite is immersed in the pantries of most Australians. Understanding the French winemaking landscape France’s viticultural history is as old as the hills and the wines produced there have not only shaped but defined the vinous landscape the world over. Great wines are produced from the very north to the very south of this beautiful and varied land, and many of the famous grape varieties and wine styles we know and love so much today have their roots firmly bedded in French winemaking prowess. Shiraz (known in France as Syrah), has its roots in the northern Rhône Valley, whilst its oft-overlooked cousin, Grenache, has a certain sense of ‘je ne sais quoi’ when planted in the southern half of the Rhône.

Cabernet Franc, with its lovely leafy, crunchy personality, revels in the misty Loire, whilst its better known sibling, Cabernet Sauvignon, shows off its beguiling beauty best when grown on the gravelly soils of the left bank of Bordeaux. Jump over to the right bank of the Gironde and you’ll find deliciously plump and decadent Merlot like no other on the planet. And for those lucky enough to have experienced top quality Burgundy, there is clearly no better place on earth for sensual Pinot Noir than the gold slopes of the Cote d’Or. We can’t mention all these iconic regions without also championing Champagne. The cool and often damp region of Champagne, right on the northern boundary of where viticulture is possible, is home to the most stunningly magical and elegant sparkling wines in the world, and the famous Champagne houses, along with the new exciting breed of smaller family run growers, produce wines that tantalise the senses. It may come as a surprise to know that Pinot Noir is the most widely planted variety in the region, and adds a certain sense of fruity elegance when skilfully blended with the other permitted varietals (Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay).

If Syrah tickles your taste buds then look no further than the Saint Cosme Côte-Rôtie, with its briary smokiness being supported beautifully by some lovely spicy fruit. If Cabernet is your cabaret, then head straight to Bordeaux and the magnificent wines from Pauillac. Without breaking the bank, Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal is a classically-structured claret with plenty of cedar and blackcurrant goodness and a long life in the cellar ahead of it. If the sky really is the limit then head to Burgundy. The wines of Frederic Magnien, and in particular the stunning Clos Vougeot, are powerful, yet perfumed, silky, and wonderfully textured. This is Pinot Noir but on another, stratospheric, level. Whether your red wine of choice is the spicy, savoury Syrah of Côte-Rôtie, the complex black fruit-scented cabernet of Pauillac, or the ethereal, powerful pinot of Burgundy, it’s tough to look past the iconic regions of France when reaching for a bottle of something special. So grab your best glassware, pop off the cork and Santé, Vive la France!