For most of the last century, English wine was the punchline. Now it's the plot twist.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Nicola Bates, CEO of Wine GB — the body representing English and Welsh wine producers — to explore one of the most unlikely transformations in the modern wine world. A country with a winemaking history stretching back to Roman occupation, then largely forgotten, then quietly, stubbornly rebuilt, is now producing sparkling wines that compete on the same stage as Champagne. And the industry is moving faster than almost anyone anticipated.

Nicola and Pierre dig into what's actually driving that momentum: the chalk and clay soils that English and Welsh vineyards share with northern France, the climate shifts that have opened growing windows previously considered impossible, and the three-year strategy Wine GB is executing to turn international curiosity into lasting credibility. They talk sustainability through the SWGB certification, the diversity and education initiatives reshaping who gets to work in British wine, and wine tourism as a genuine economic engine — not an afterthought.

This is a conversation about a wine region still writing its own rules. Which is exactly what makes it worth watching.

Featuring: Wine GB, English wine, Welsh wine, English sparkling wine, sustainable viticulture, Great Britain.