WITH a huge increase in the demand for English wines, a New Forest restaurant is launching one of the UK’s biggest English wine lists.

Retail sales for English wines has hit more than £100 million annually in the UK and Cambium, based at Careys Manor in Brockenhurst, will soon be featuring 15 English wines – starting during English Wine Week from May 27 to June 4.

Sommelier Michael Driscoll told the Echo: “We are seeing a surge in the popularity of English wine.”

“As a modern-British restaurant in a quintessentially English country hotel, it makes sense for us to redefine our selection in time for this celebration of homegrown wines – particularly when there are so many decent English wines around at the moment.”

According to Michael: “Sparkling wine is the absolute strength of the English wine industry and our wedding guests are always delighted by it. We’ll be featuring five sparkling varieties – including Camel Valley’s Pinot Noir Brut Rosé, Ridgeview’s Bloomsbury and Chapeldown’s Three Graces – as well as a range of excellent still white, red and rosé wines.”

And there are plenty of vineyards to choose from, says Michael. “The UK is a premium wine-producing region,” he says. “There are around 500 vineyards in England and Wales.”

During English Wine Week, Cambium is offering a menu, created by head chef Alistair Craig and featuring local produce including pork from Pondhead Farm in Lyndhurst, fish from the English Channel and Tunworth Cheese from near Basingstoke.