RICHARD WALKER
Croxsons Photograph by Richard Walker/ImageNorth
Croxsons, a 150-year-old packaging partner supplying glass bottles and jars to the food and drink sector, has worked in collaboration with glass manufacturer Encirc to oversee the first production run of Sovereign, the UK's first British-made sparkling wine bottle.
The amber bottle has been developed specifically for the English and Welsh sparkling wine industry, marking a significant milestone for producers seeking a domestic alternative to imported glass packaging.
Last week, close to one million bottles were produced during the first production run of Sovereign at Encirc's Cheshire facility. The milestone marks a significant step forward for the English and Welsh sparkling wine sector, providing producers with access to a domestically produced bottle designed specifically for the sector at a time when the industry continues to expand and demand for reliable, high-quality packaging continues to grow.
Until now, producers have largely relied on imported bottles from Europe, with no British-made bottle specifically designed for the English and Welsh sparkling wine industry.
Sovereign has been developed to address that gap, offering producers a domestic alternative that strengthens supply chain resilience, improves availability and reduces reliance on overseas imports and potential border delays. By manufacturing the bottle in Britain, the initiative supports a more localised supply chain while strengthening both the sustainability and provenance credentials of English and Welsh sparkling wine.
The UK now boasts more than 1,000 vineyards and over 200 wineries, with vineyard acreage more than doubling over the last decade. As sparkling wine remains the dominant category, demand for specialist bottles has grown alongside the sector, highlighting the need for a domestic solution capable of supporting the industry's continued expansion.
Speaking of the first production, Tim Croxson, CEO of Croxsons, said: "For many years, English and Welsh wine producers have built world-class sparkling wines using bottles sourced from overseas. Sovereign changes that. After almost two years of collaboration to bring the concept to life, this first production run represents the culmination of a huge collective effort. As the industry continues to evolve and strengthen its international reputation for quality, we believe it is important that the supply chain evolves with it.
“This is about giving producers greater choice and creating a bottle that reflects the ambitions of the sector. We believe producers should have access to a bottle that is designed, produced and supplied closer to home."
Sovereign is produced at Encirc's Cheshire facility, where glass is heated to temperatures of up to 1,200°C before being moulded into bottles. Developed specifically for sparkling wine, the bottle combines the performance and quality required by producers with the benefits of domestic manufacture.
Its distinctive amber colour is achieved through a carefully controlled blend of materials, including iron, carbon and manganese, providing up to 99% protection from UV light, helping to better preserve product quality compared with traditional flint and green glass alternatives. The colour also gives English and Welsh sparkling wine a distinctive visual identity, making it easier for consumers to recognise Sovereign bottles and helping the category stand out on the shelf.
Nicola Bates, WineGB CEO said:"The launch of the Sovereign Bottle marks a defining moment for the sector, as its unmistakable colouring will give producers a powerful visual identity. If many adopt the bottle, it has the potential to help our category stand out on the shelf and gives English and Welsh wine instant recognisability, such as with a Riesling bottle. The Sovereign Bottle signals confidence, heritage and gives the category the presence that it deserves."
Sustainability has been a key consideration throughout the development of Sovereign. Manufactured using 49% post-consumer recycled glass, the bottle has been designed to support a more localised supply chain for English and Welsh sparkling wine producers.
By reducing reliance on imported bottles and bringing production closer to home, Sovereign has the potential to reduce transport distances by approximately 575 miles per shipment compared with sourcing equivalent bottles from continental Europe. For a producer ordering 100,000 bottles, this could equate to an estimated 4.6–7.7 tonnes fewer CO₂ emissions, excluding channel crossings, pallets and packaging.
The bottle is already being adopted by producers including Three Choirs and Ridgeview, demonstrating growing demand for British-made packaging within the sector.
Following the successful first production run, Sovereign is now available to English and Welsh sparkling wine producers. Croxsons is already working with wineries including Three Choirs and Ridgeview and is inviting other producers interested in exploring a British-made bottle solution to get in touch to discuss future orders and availability.