The United Kingdom's wine landscape is on the cusp of a notable shift with the recent legalization of piquette, a distinctive low-alcohol beverage crafted from the leftover grape skins and seeds following traditional wine pressing. This development, rooted in government reforms implemented in late 2023, opens up fresh avenues for the industry. Historically regarded as a humble drink for vineyard workers and often legally restricted in European regions like France due to concerns over market saturation, piquette is now positioned to enter the mainstream. Its appeal lies in its sustainable production, utilizing what would otherwise be waste, and its affordability, offering a more accessible option compared to the typically higher-priced English wines. While already enjoying a resurgence in popularity in the US, particularly among natural wine enthusiasts, the UK market faces the challenge of educating consumers about this unique product. The year 2024 saw the first legal piquette harvest in the UK, leading many to anticipate 2025 as a pivotal year for this intriguing drink to find its place.

Piquette's journey from a vineyard worker's refreshment to a potentially viable commercial product has been protracted. For decades, it remained largely unknown outside niche wine circles, partly due to its historical status and the perception that it was a lower-tier substitute for wine. France, for instance, banned its commercial sale as early as 1907, and similar restrictions existed across the EU, driven by worries about oversupply in the wine market. This legal backdrop contrasts sharply with its sustainable nature and ease of production. In Italy, it's colloquially known as 'acqua pazza' (crazy water), a term that hints at its diluted character, and in France, 'piquette' itself is a derogatory term for poor-quality wine, indicating the historical stigma attached to it. However, a turning point emerged around 2020, with publications like jancisrobinson.com and US outlets beginning to praise piquette as a refreshing, light summer drink, indicating a shift in perception.

The United States saw an earlier embrace of piquette, particularly by natural wine producers such as New York's Wild Arc Farm in the late 2010s. Despite initial enthusiasm, sales data suggests a decline in recent years, largely attributed to inconsistent quality that disappointed some consumers. As a result, some American winemakers have either ceased production or rebranded their piquette as 'natural wine spritzer' to align with more familiar beverage categories. In the UK, the legalization of piquette is largely thanks to the persistent efforts of individuals like Adrian and Galia Pike of Westwell Wine Estates and lawyer Dominic Buckwell, who advocated for years to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs for the necessary legal changes. Westwell, having previously attempted to market a version of piquette in 2019 that was halted by the Food Standards Agency, is now poised to release its first fully legal piquette this year.

For producers like Galia Pike and Sophie Evans, who runs a biodynamic site in Kent, piquette represents an exciting opportunity. Galia sees its appeal in its simplicity and sustainable nature, viewing it as an 'affordable experiment' for other British winemakers. Sophie highlights piquette's role in addressing waste in wineries and providing a more affordable product in a UK market where English still wines often exceed £20 and sparkling wines top £30. Offbeat Wines' Loose Juice, for example, is priced around £16 per 75cl, while Blackbook Winery's Hello My Name Is sells for £15, positioning piquette as a significantly cheaper alternative. This affordability could capture a segment of the British public that, according to a 2023 poll, spends an average of £9 on a bottle of wine. However, the lack of public awareness remains a significant hurdle. When the Pikes first tried to sell their piquette, they were advised by the Food Standards Agency to market it as an 'aromatised grape-based drink,' underscoring the challenge of establishing its identity in the consumer's mind.

Categorizing piquette is an ongoing challenge. Many consumers, expecting a wine, are surprised by its more 'beery' taste, as noted by Sophie Evans. Daniel and Nicola Ham of Offbeat Wines observed that while their 2023 piquette, Loose Juice (made from Bacchus and Triomphe grapes), was enjoyed in various settings, its potential for repeat purchase was limited, partly because it falls into a difficult middle ground within the low-alcohol trend. Chris Haywood of Astley Vineyard, who has been producing piquette since 2020, finds success on vineyard tours, where most drinkers enjoy it. His St Vincent 2022 piquette, sold in smaller 37.5cl beer-style bottles for £4, has proven popular, as the format encourages customers to "just go out there and try it." The UK government's 2023 press release suggested piquette would "open new income streams for wine producers." However, Tim Wildman MW, known for his 'pét-nat' (pétillant naturel) wines, argues that with the UK entering a phase of overproduction—evidenced by over 20 million bottles produced in 2023 compared to 8.8 million bottles sold—the limited appeal of piquette as an 'offshoot' of wine may not be enough to solve the industry's broader sales challenges.

Ultimately, the success of piquette in the UK hinges on its ability to carve out a distinct identity and appeal to a broader audience. While sustainability and affordability offer compelling reasons for its production, overcoming consumer unfamiliarity and potentially inconsistent quality are key. Winemakers such as Blackbook's Sergio Verillo, who experimented with piquette in 2019, believe that its success in the US stemmed from its integration into restaurant food and beverage pairings. He suggests that a similar approach, possibly aided by media exposure on popular weekend daytime programs, could introduce piquette to the general British public. Daniel Ham believes larger British wineries like Gusbourne or Chapel Down could play a crucial role in legitimizing piquette by incorporating it into their offerings, given their capacity to absorb greater risks. The move by supermarket chain Marks & Spencer to release its own-label English pét-nat in 2024 shows how mainstream channels can embrace trending wine-like beverages. While the post-legalization uptake of piquette by British winemakers hasn't been revolutionary, its potential for growth, mirroring the recent surge in popularity of hard seltzers in the US, remains. The question of whether 2025 will truly be the UK's "big piquette summer" remains open, a wait-and-see situation that leaves many in the wine community pondering its long-term viability and whether it will finally receive the recognition many believe it deserves.