English wine pioneers rush to start UK vineyards

The soaring popularity of English wine has fuelled a rush to develop UK vineyards, with applications rising by more than 40% in the past year, new figures reveal. As producers must pay wine duty, they need a licence from HM Revenue and Customs. Last year, HMRC received 65 applications from new entrants, up from 46 in the previous year, according to accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.