Welsh vineyards open their doors for a summer of fantastic wine tasting experiences

The Welsh wine industry is gearing up for a summer of exciting tours and tempting tasters following the successful Welsh Wine Week, which recently celebrated its fourth year as a major industry showcase.

The festive week, featuring vineyards across Wales, saw more than 30 events attended by industry figures from across the UK, with Welsh vineyards now preparing to welcome tourists to sample their unique products during the busy summer season.

With recent years seeing huge increases in the volume of wine produced in Wales, along with a number of vineyards receiving international awards, the future of the industry looks bright as it targets a tenfold increase in value to £100 million by 2035.

However, it's not just about award-winning wines, as Welsh vineyards are becoming an increasingly important part of the visitor economy. A number of vineyards are increasingly focusing on broader experiences such as tours and tastings, allowing people to admire stunning views while wandering among the vines, discover more about viticulture and even stay the night.

One of the vineyards taking part in Welsh Wine Week was White Castle Vineyard in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. With the first vines planted in 2009, the vineyard is now a leading producer of high quality wines and has a strong focus on sustainability.

Owned and run by Rob and Nicola Merchant, the vineyard currently produces around 10,000 bottles, rising to around 30,000 bottles in the next 3-4 years. With stunning views, the vineyard has already earned a reputation for producing award-winning wines full of innovation.

This includes being the first Welsh vineyard to win Gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards, as well as boasting the UK's first successful Cabernet Franc red wine.

Speaking about the vineyard’s plans for the summer season, Rob said: “We look forward to welcoming visitors to our vineyard this summer. We love sharing our passion for wine with everyone – from serious wine lovers to wine tasting beginners, and we hope to make the vineyard a place where For our local community to be proud of.

“We have a lot of exciting developments here such as an on-site winery for the 2024 season. We can now manage the entire production process, from grape to bottle, and offer a distinctive attraction to visitors and customers while proudly marketing the wines as authentic Welsh wines. “As we were previously pleased with “This year we become the first UK vineyard to successfully produce Cabernet Franc, which represents a significant achievement for the British wine industry.”

Meanwhile, St Hilary Vineyard is relatively new to the Welsh wine scene in the Valley of Glamorgan. The vines were planted in 2021 on prime farmland between an apple orchard and wildflower meadow, with the first full harvest in October 2023.

Owners Peter and Liz Loach currently have three grape varieties on the estate, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and operate on low-intervention organic principles.

Liz said: “We are very excited to be launching our first wines in September this year, which will be a 2023 Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier Rosé. Our aim at St Hilary is to produce delicious, artisanal Welsh wines that reflect the stunning atmosphere of the vineyard.

“It’s very exciting to be part of a growing industry and there are new vineyards popping up all the time. Being a relatively small company we are all really passionate about what we do and are looking forward to playing our part in growing the industry further and showing the quality wines that can be produced on people’s doorsteps in Wales.

Lauren Smith, from the Welsh Government-funded drinks group, said: “I am delighted that Welsh Wine Week has proven to be such a huge success, with some of our leading vineyards playing a key role in the celebrations ahead of what I am sure will be a busy summer season.

“Through the Welsh Wine Strategy, there are ambitious targets to grow the industry over the coming years, and it is great to see the successes some of our vineyards are currently experiencing. Whether that is the first production of Cabernet Franc in the UK, or a recent Welsh Government funded project with vineyards Partnering to be more sustainable and reduce the use of synthetic chemicals, our vineyards are at the forefront of new and innovative developments.