Britain or Great Britain, has long been one of the most important markets for wine. It regularly imports more wine than any country other than Germany and has shown unusually healthy growth in wine consumption since the late 20th century. Its long wine-merchant tradition has made it one of the most discerning, yet open-minded, wine-consuming nations, and London has been an important centre for wine auctions and fine wine trading. Domestic vine-growing in England and Wales is still on too small a scale to affect consumers who expect to find the wines of the world on the shelves of their specialist merchants and, increasingly, supermarkets, although the British may now feel proud of the quality of English sparkling wine. A certain amount of wine is also made from imported grape concentrate (see british made wine). Historically, Britain’s commercial influence helped shape the very existence of such wines as claret, madeira, marsala, port, and sherry (see british influence on the wine trade).
