UK and Sweden Defy Challenges With outstanding 2025 Wine Harvests
LONDON/STOCKHOLM — After a year marked by economic strain and regulatory headwinds, winemakers in the UK and Sweden are reporting some of their strongest harvests in years, underscoring how northern Europe’s wine industry is adapting to climate shifts and gaining international recognition.
UK: From Tax Burdens to a Potential Vintage of the Century
Producers in the UK have faced no shortage of challenges in 2024. The country now carries the third-highest duty rate on wine globally—the largest for any domestic market—and has also contended with reforms to Agricultural Inheritance Relief and Business Property Relief.
Yet, the vineyards tell a different story. Favorable weather has produced what growers are calling a near-ideal crop: a mild winter, a hot spring, and a dry summer balanced by late-season rainfall that plumped grapes at the crucial final stage.
Several producers—including Black Book Winery, One Another Wine, Ham Street, and Codes Farm—began harvesting up to four weeks earlier than usual, a striking turnaround after what many described as a disastrous 2024. At Titch Hill, where coastal exposure delays ripening, harvesting begins in early October.
Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay remain the backbone of English viticulture. Once viewed as overly ambitious, these Burgundian varieties are proving increasingly well-suited to southern England, where frost has become rare in counties such as Sussex, Essex, and Kent.
The expansion is visible on the ground. According to industry body WineGB, the UK now has 4,841 hectares under vine, with 3,763 hectares in active production and nearly 1,000 hectares newly planted. Sales reflect the momentum: overall growth reached 3% this year, while still wine sales jumped by 10%.
“This could be one of the best vintages we’ve seen in decades,” said one winemaker. “After last year, it feels like a complete reversal of fortune.”
Sweden: A Rising Player in the North
Sweden’s vineyards faced harsher conditions, with persistent rainfall and higher disease pressure throughout the season. Even so, the sector continues to expand. The number of commercial vineyards has more than doubled in the past decade to around 40, covering roughly 200 hectares.
Although modest compared to continental Europe, the trajectory mirrors the UK’s rise in the 1990s and 2000s. Domestic demand is strong, and international interest is building. Exports are headed largely to Europe, the US, and Japan—where leading producer Kullabergs reports its biggest overseas market.
At the heart of Swedish production is Solaris, a resilient hybrid grape that thrives in colder climates. Its versatility—producing wines from sweet to sparkling, and capable of aging in both oak and steel—has cemented its place as the foundation of Sweden’s young but ambitious wine identity.
A Changing Map of Wine
The parallel stories of the UK and Sweden highlight a broader shift in global viticulture. Where these northern countries were once outsiders, climate change and experimentation have opened the door to premium production.
“Thirty years ago, planting Pinot Noir in England seemed like folly. Now it looks prescient,” one industry analyst noted.
With the UK poised for a landmark vintage and Sweden steadily carving out its niche, northern Europe’s wines are no longer a novelty—they are part of a changing global map that increasingly includes regions once deemed too cold for serious winemaking.
