English wine - a recent phenomenon?

If you follow the Wine Media at all, you'll have noticed the very good reviews over the last few years for English Wines, especially the Sparkling wines.  This may have something to do with the climate and of course the Terroir (Chalky, like Champagne) but maybe they have more experience?


While constructing a new road in Cambridgeshire, they have discovered traces of wine production over 2000 years ago - as far back as 43AD.  They've found grape pollen in cores taken from waterlogged soil, suggesting vineyards were grown in this area during the Roman period.



Who would have thunk?