Etiket-imitatie misleidt wijnconsument

Rare vraag vinden wij: Brits of Engels? Maar aan de andere kant van het Kanaal maakt het een wijnwereld van verschil. Britse wijn is gemaakt van concentraat, ingevoerd uit bijvoorbeeld Zuid Afrika. Het spul wordt gebotteld in Groot Brittannië, maar smaakt totaal anders dan Engelse wijnen. Want die komen uitsluitend uit Engelse wijngaarden, stijgen in kwaliteit, maar krijgen in Albion zèlf steeds meer te maken met concurrentie. Want dat aangelengde spul is een stuk goedkoper. Bovendien lijken de etiketten niet van die van echte wijn te onderscheiden. Daar willen de echte Engelse wijnboeren nu iets tegen gaan doen. Lees in The Guardian hoe imitatie de onwetende wijndrinker in verwarring brengt:

Life is sweet for England's growing legion of winemakers. Sales are booming; awards are flooding in, and critics are being won over. Even the French – with a careful eye on their own harvests – have deigned to note that there is an unusual buzz of activity in vineyards across the Channel. There is, however, a cloud on the horizon, a phenomenon almost as irksome as a corked Nyetimber Classic Cuvée.

British wine, a type of cheap wine made from imported grape concentrate and bottled in the UK, is proving a sought-after tipple in times of austerity. Makers of English wines are worried that the similarity of names could prove troublesome to customers looking to buy a bottle with a hearty note of patriotism.

Price only
 

Figures from analysts Nielsen show that value sales of British wine have risen by 45% over the past year to £26m, while volumes have risen by more than 30%.

According to Jeremy Beadles of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, this rise in demand is chiefly due to one factor: price. He said that while tax hikes have forced competitors' prices up, British wine's moderate alcohol content has meant its cost has remained low. Brands such as Silver Bay Point – sales have risen by 657% in the past year – are on the supermarket shelves at around £3.50. "Obviously in a time of recession where people are looking to make savings … consumers are looking for cheaper options, and British wine is one of those cheaper options," said Beadles.

This does not, however, fill everyone with cheer. While they recognise that British wine has a long history and a place in the market that is small but established, English winemakers are concerned that people eager to contribute to the boom in their own industry could end up being befuddled by labelling.

Different
 

"I have encountered a number of occasions, particularly recently, where English and Welsh wines have been talked about a lot in the press and people have gone to a shop and picked up a bottle of British wine thinking that's what they're buying," said Julia Trustram Eve, marketing manager of English Wine Producers. "I have to say, they have been very disappointed because it's an entirely different drink to what we're marketing."

Sian Liwicki, of the UK Vineyards Association, agreed that not everyone would "automatically understand" the differences between wine made from British grapes and wine made from imported concentrate. At a time when more and more people were becoming aware of the possibilities of English grapes, she said, "the situation is ripe for confusion…We've all got to work to make this clear."

Though they are irritated by the similarity in labelling, English wine producers acknowledge that the term "British wine" is perfectly legal. Rather than battling the British wine industry, Trustram Eve and Liwicki said they would prefer to put more effort into "enhancing" the reputation of English and Welsh wines by, for instance, distributing maps of local vineyards.

Vicky Lee, marketing manager of CWF, the company that makes Silver Bay Point, rejects all criticism of her product, insisting it offers shoppers a "good value experience" in straitened times. Of the griping from the English winemakers, she said: "They've probably just sat up and seen the success we've had … We have had all our packaging approved by trading standards so we fit with all the corporate guidelines for packaging." Opting for a bottle of Silver Bay Point, she added, did not mean "downgrading in quality".

Quality
 

But Sam Lindo, winemaker at the famed Camel Valley in Cornwall, is not convinced. "No one talks about the quality of British wine," he said. "'Can you drink it without burning your throat?' is at the limit of what people are asking."

Lindo said the term "British wine" was hardly a disaster for the English industry, but was "unfortunate" nonetheless: "What we say when we do our tours is when you come and meet the producer you should be able to ask them anything and they should be able to tell you 'we do everything here'. When you meet a British wine producer that's not the case."

While his wine bore the characteristics of the English land, he said - such as gooseberries, raspberries and pears- "British wine could taste like a wine made in Australia, South America, California or Africa." The "discussion points" of such a wine, added Lindo, were "very limited".