When used in the same sentence, those two words, “English” and “wine” were once followed by a menacing snigger and a contemptuous remark. Well, fellow Irish drinkers, not any more.

English wines haven’t exactly been flooding the Irish market, and neither have they been dominating markets elsewhere, including their own, but we’re talking about very small production here (2 million bottles in comparison to almost 7 billion from France), which naturally incurs a higher price. So no, you’re not going to see the English competing with the sub €6 supermarket brands any time soon.

Global warming is said to be partly to thank for English wines being taken more seriously. With a warmer, drier climate and a slight change in the length of each season, grapes are allowed to ripen more easily. Parts of southern England have been compared to Champagne in terms of climate, and in some areas, the soils don’t differ too much either. No wonder the sparkling wines in particular are gaining special notoriety.

According to the guardian.co.uk, English supermarket chain, Waitrose (the largest retailer of English wines), reported a 163% year-on-year rise in sales of locally stocked English sparkling wines and a 97% rise in sales of nationally produced wine. It has also seen a 50% rise in sales of still wines.

Some English vintners have also enjoyed great success abroad, so there’s no doubting experience and talent in the ranks. For example, a favourite winery of Oz Clarke and Gordon Ramsay is Chateau Bauduc in Bordeaux, run by Englishman Gavin Quinney. But the English have also managed to gain experience on their home patch, and by all accounts it’s really starting to show.

2009 is expected to be one of England’s best vintages, and when this grape growing climate finally hits the southern tip of Ireland, they may just be the people to call on for some sound advice.

Click here to view the recent and relevant guardian.co.uk article on English wine. The above picture is of the successful Surrey based winery, Denbies.