Saint-Tropez rose is all the rage

A belated warm summer and a golden glow from the Rio Olympics may well have added to the current feelgood factor in the UK, and what better to enjoy on a warm day than a chilled glass of rosé from the south of France.

Whatever the reasons, the predicted drop in exports to the UK post-Brexit referendum on the 23rd June 2016, seems not to have happened. Var wine producers are more than happy with the situation as rosé sales to the UK continue to grow. Certain producers have already exceeded export figures from 2015, with four months still to go. 

"The numbers this year are very encouraging. In the first half, there was a 50% increase of exports rose in the UK compared to 2015" says Matthew Dickinson, the consultant on the UK market Interprofessional Council of Wines of Provence (IPPC).

Britain has always been a large consumer of wine, with exports from France to England beginning from the port city of Bordeaux as far back as the early 12th century. The marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry Plantagenet, the future king of England began a long and fruitful relationship between the two countries. 

Today that relationship continues through the export of wine from France, and more importantly, rosé wine from the Saint Tropez region. With growth of over 80% between 2013 and 2014 and 37% during the last year, the UK has become the third most popular destination for rosé exports, behind the United States and Belgium. An expanding market, where growth is expected to continue in 2016, despite the economic uncertainty caused by the Brexit.