Dear Sir or Madam,

The Wine Standard Branch now part of the Food Standards Agency
holds the UK Vineyards Register as required under EU Law. The
information contained on the register is a vital tool for the
developing English and Welsh Vineyard industry to fully appreciate
the growth of the industry and to accurately inform the general
public, trade and media as to the scale of planting and the vine
varieties planted.

The Wine Standard Branch have long held that this data is
confidential but no vineyard I have spoken to in the UK has a
concern about the data being made public. It is not the knowledge
that people know what varieties have been planted that sets you
apart from the competition it is what you do with the end product
that makes the real difference. Many vineyards simply sell grapes
to wineries so there is no direct correlation between vineyard
location and wine produced but knowing what is planted and where
helps marketing, PR communication and guidance to new entrants to
the sector will be improved. The amount of data in question is very
small there are no more than 1,000 hectares of vines in the UK so I
can not see this being a major exercise.

A listing by vineyard, area planted, number of vines and varieties
would be great along with listings by county, area planted, number
of vines and varities all the way up to a national overview.

I hope you can see that the release of this information is in the
public interest and you can grant my request.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Langham a'Beckett's Vineyard High St Littleton Panell Devizes
Wiltshire SN10 4EN

www.abecketts.co.uk

Dear Mr Langham,

Please see letter attached in response to your request sent to FOI
requests.
(See attached file: 629 Langham letter 15sep.pdf)

Yours sincerely,

John Boodle

Wine Standards Branch

Enforcement Support Division

http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/wine...

tel 020 7276 8351

Food Standards Agency (FSA)

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Dear Mr Boodle,

Thank you for your letter, I have asked that Mr Gregory looks at
this as I am certain a middle way exists to ensure the industry can
gain insight into the data and for external requests a check and
balance system can remain in place via the auspices of the WSB

Yours sincerely,

Paul Langham