August was a ridiculously hot month, with the UK experiencing several heatwaves. Combined with the Rio 2016 Olympics, which were held from 5th to 21st August, these blistering temperatures sparked a serious rise in British wine sales, according to new figures.
Celebrating victories
Industry publication Decanter writes that this data was released by Nielsen, an information measurement firm, along with several wine retailers. Apparently, people around the country decided to break out sparkling wine to celebrate Team GB’s record success in Rio, imbibing luxurious products such as Champagne while enjoying the fabulous summer sun, which is rare for the UK.
Embracing sparkling wines
Increasingly, UK wine lovers are coming to embrace sparkling wines such as Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and Cremant. A report compiled by UHY Hacker Young, an accountancy group shows that throughout the past five years, British consumption of sparkling wine increased by a staggering 80%.
This trend continued throughout the past month. Overall, sparkling wine consumption rose by 14% in the month to 13th August 2016, when compared to the month prior. Meanwhile, we Brits drank 5% more Champagne in the month ending on 13th August, than we did the month before.
In other words, Britons see Champagne as a celebratory toast, with many flocking to raise glasses of this signature French sparkling wine on special occasions. We feature a range of top Champagne’s on the Occasion Wines Page of Ideal Wine Company’s website, such as the Dom Perignon 2000.
Cooling down in summer
When we look at wines, it looks as though roses, especially those produced in Provence, France, were incredibly popular during this time frame. Various wine retailers attributed this in part to the ‘Frosé’ trend which is fast taking over the world. Industry portal The Drinks Business explains that Frosé cocktails are basically rose wine-infused slushies, which serve as the perfect treats on hot days.
Frosé cocktails were created by staff at New York-based hotspot Primi, who mixed in Vermouth and pureed strawberries to develop this delicious concoction. The trend has now arrived in London, with the city’s Beaufort House bar first introducing the product. Commenting on the popularity of the drink, employee Hannah Cary said that they’ve been “inundated” with requests for Frosé cocktails.
Turning to wine
So when we Brits want to enjoy ourselves, we increasingly turn to wine, especially sparkling products such as Champagne, as our drink of choice. With events such as Christmas still to come, there’s a good chance that UK wine consumption figures could rise even further throughout the rest of 2016!
Ideal Wine Company 