English Wine The Numbers The Challenges and The Opportunity - Nicola Bates WineGB

This show was published Friday, June 19, 2026

Overview

How many bottles does England actually make? Where are we exporting? And can vineyards really make money? WineGB CEO Nicola Bates has the numbers - and some honest answers.

Nicola Bates took a winding road to the top of the UK wine trade - Plymouth-born, York-educated, a parliamentary candidate against Nick Clegg, a decade in recruitment, and a stint at the Portman Group before joining WineGB two and a half years ago. She brings a sharp policy brain and a refreshingly straight-talking approach to one of the most important jobs in English wine.

In this episode, Chris Scott gets a proper state-of-the-nation update on the UK wine industry - production figures, export ambitions, the tourism opportunity, the duty burden, and the hard truth about profitability for producers right now. Nicola also sets out WineGB's case for a wine tourism relief that could put real money back in the hands of smaller wineries.

If you've ever wondered whether the English wine boom is built to last, this is the episode to listen to.

Host: Chris Scott
Guest: Nicola Bates, CEO, WineGB

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