MP Sir Ashley Fox has criticised UK alcohol tax rules which he said discriminated against a small, artisan West Somerset vineyard.

Sir Ashley was speaking in a Westminster Hall debate after visiting Oatley Vineyard, near Cannington, which was founded in the mid-1980s and is now run by the second generation of the Awty family.

He told fellow MPs that while small brewers and cider makers benefited from a duty relief scheme, there was no similar relief available for most small vineyards.

Sir Ashley said the current tax rules restricted small producer relief to products under 8.5 per cent ABV, which excluded the vast majority of English wines.

He said the situation was ‘perverse’ and argued that a small duty relief scheme for vineyards would support local producers and rural enterprise.

Sir Ashley said small vineyards such as Oatley were vital to the rural economy, employing local people, supporting tourism in Somerset, and contributing to the diversification of agriculture.

He said a ‘fair tax framework’ was essential to allow such businesses to thrive.

Oatley was planted between 1986 and 1989 by Iain and Jane Awty after they moved from corporate jobs in London.

Their first wine produced in 1990 won an international award.

Today, the business is run by Ned and Paula Awty, who similarly dropped out of high powered jobs to continue to hand tend the old vines, and also plant more which are expected shortly to start producing wines.