Top wines in London restaurants by region

15-11

15. Marlborough, New Zealand

Such is the demand for New Zealand wine, particularly its Sauvignon Blanc, that a wine list is now rarely without one. Marlborough, located on New Zealand’s South Island, is by far the largest wine region, with two thirds of all plantings.

Wines from Marlborough account for 2% of the total share, a percentage that has remained stable. The region is divided into two main valleys – Wairau and Awatere – and as well as Sauvignon Blanc, is also home to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and a little Gewurtztraminer.

14. Coastal region, South Africa

Just ahead of Marlborough is South Africa’s coastal region, which encompasses the districts of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek Valley, Darling, Swartland, Tulbagh and Wellington. Accounting for around 45% of the area under vine in South Africa, it produces only 25% of its wine, due to lower yields achieved here compared to other regions.

Also accounting for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists, it is the only South African region that makes the top 15.

13. Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Languedoc-Roussillon is the first of six French wine regions to appear in the top 15. With around 240,000 hectares under vine, it has long been a source of good value and modern styles of French wine from appellations including Picpoul, Minervois, Pic Saint-Loup and Côtes du Roussillon-Villages.

It accounts for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists, a figure that has remained stable, according to Wine Picker.

12. Piedmont/Piemonte, Italy

The first of three Italian wine regions to grace the top 15, Piedmont in north west Italy is the home of grapes including Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Cortese, Muscat and Arneis grown in the likes of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, Barbera d’Asti DOCG, Dolcetto d’Alba DOC, Cortese di Gavi DOCG, Roero Arneis DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG.

It accounts for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists, again a figure that has remained stable.

11. South Australia

South Australia is the country’s largest wine-producing state by volume, producing nearly 50 per cent of the national grape crush. Its major regions include the Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra, producing full-bodied reds from Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, plus Sauvignon Blanc, and lime-scented Riesling from the Clare Valley. It is also home to irrigated high volume production region Riverland.

It also accounts for 2% of the total share of wines on London wine lists.

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