Some countries look down their noses at the British and deride us for our lack of taste and knowledge relating to food and drink excellence, however new research on 2,000 Brits found that over two thirds (73%) understand that the UK is not a top wine producer in the world and almost the entire nation (92%) are aware that grapes are indeed grown on a vine.
Over half of the UK (54%) always take a bottle of wine to someone’s house when they have been invited for dinner. Brits don’t make wine faux pas either, 3 out of 5 people have never drunk wine from a pint glass, used a straw with their wine or ordered a dessert wine by mistake.
Londoners are most generous with almost two thirds (61%) claiming to always take a bottle of wine when invited for dinner, compared with less than half of the Welsh (46%). Less than half of the UK (45%) would expect or think it polite to drink the wine that they had bought over. Londoners were also the most judgemental, with a third (34%) admitting to judging someone for the way they drank their wine. The main bugbear being: drinking too quickly (12%), over filling the glass (11%) and drinking out of the bottle (9%).
Gone are the days when wine was perceived as an inaccessible tipple because the snobbery that was once associated with wine isn’t so prevalent anymore. Overall, 80% of people said that they have never judged a person for the way they drank their wine.
Georgina O’Donnell, Lidl PR Manager said: “People enjoy drinking a glass of fine wine and Lidl are going to be offering a selection of these from all of the classic regions of France including Bordeaux, The Loire Valley and Vacqueyras. The prices of each bottle will start from £5, providing a wine for all budgets.”
Wine is now becoming ‘the usual’ with over half (53%) admitting that when dining out they will choose their usual wine or one that they have heard of before. Only 6% of the participants would choose a wine because it was the cheapest and even less (2%) would choose a wine because it is the most expensive, highlighting we don’t go for any old plonk!
Ordering wine in a restaurant has often been perceived as a daunting prospect, not surprisingly men are more confident when ordering wine in a restaurant (58% of men vs 48% of women). Less than a quarter (22%) would feel uncomfortable, out of their depth or embarrassed ordering wine. Another quarter however, (25%) would happily hand over the honour to someone else.
People over 55 are most confident in ordering wine, with 60% citing that they would have no qualms ordering a bottle for the table. The people of Yorkshire are the most confident when it comes to wine selection, with 61% having no problems selecting a wine at a restaurant, compared with 46% of people in Birmingham which faired as the most unconfident region.
The research, was commissioned by supermarket Lidl, to mark the launch of their French promotion in stores across the UK today (Thursday 4th September) which will include the introduction of 48 fine French wines. Contrary to previous perceptions about the UK’s wine knowledge, the results found that the UK is knowledgeable and confident when it comes to choosing and drinking wine.
Wines included in the French promotion include:
Sud-Ouest, Monbazillac AOC 2011 – £7.99
Lalande-de-Pomerol AOP Château Siaurac 2007 – £13.99
Pouilly-Fumé AOP Les Vignes de Saint Laurent L’Abbaye 2013 – £8.99.
Rhone, Vacqueyras AOP 2012 – £8.99
The focus for the promotion is to offer high quality wines at reasonable prices.
DRINKS ENTHUSIAST 