Ross Recommends: Five fantastic Welsh wines
Discover five bottles that should be on your table this Welsh Wine Week
It’s the final day of Welsh Wine Week and I’ve been busy researching and tasting my fair share of them in order to give you my recommendations. The things I do for this newsletter! There’s a lot of snobbery in wine and people often baulk or snort when I mention Welsh wine, but it’s their loss. It’s thought that vine growing in Wales dates back to the Romans, but it wasn’t really until the late 1800s that the first proper vines were grown at Castell Coch by the Marquis of Bute. It then took another 100 or so years for commercial vineyards to reappear. Of course, none of the vineyards are huge and the majority are family run, meaning you know that care and attention is going into the wine, and every bottle you buy is helping genuine Welsh wine producers. Currently, there are around 35 vineyards in Wales and many more on the way. Here are five Welsh wines that I think deserve a place at the table.
Montgomery Sparkling White Seyval Blanc
I’ve got more into sparkling wines in the last few years, and I think this one from Montgomery Vineyard is a cracker. Seyval Blanc is a cool-climate grape that’s used in a lot in English wines and grown extensively in the USA and Canada. Full of lovely green fruit flavours, such as pear and apple and a hint of tart citrus, this wine made with Seyval Blanc is beautifully dry and ideal for a glass of fizz for a special occasion. Montgomery Vineyard in Powys was started 10 years ago by Woody Lennard and his family. Today, they produce a selection of wines using grapes exclusively grown at their vineyard in Mid Wales.
Pair it with: Cockle popcorn with lemon mayo dip
Visit the vineyard: montgomeryvineyard.co.uk
Buy the wine: Montgomery Sparkling White Seyval Blanc
Conwy Solaris White
Founded 10 years ago by Colin and Charlotte Bennett, Gwinllan Conwy Vineyard is based near Llandudno Junction in North Wales and produces a whole range of wines and products. The one that caught my attention – and my palate – was their award-winning Solaris dry white wine. Solaris grapes grow in cool climates without much sunshine and are often found in Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. A chilled glass of this Solaris has a peachy element to it as well as grapefruit and is beautifully fresh tasting.
Pair it with: Pan-fried Welsh sea bass fillets with olive oil new potatoes, rosemary and peas
Visit the vineyard: gwinllanconwy.co.uk
Buy the wine: Conwy Solaris White
Llaethliw Rosé
A glorious pink colour, this classic rosé comes from Gwinllan Llaethlliw Vineyard at the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains near Aberaeron in West Wales. It’s made from red Rondo grapes, which are really good at growing in cooler climates such as Scandinavia and Germany, and also in the UK. If you like them fruity then this one is for you, as there’s lots of fresh red fruit flavours in the glass. If the weather’s hot, grab a bottle (or two) of this and head to the park with a picnic. The vineyard is run by Richard and Siw Evans, who planted their first vines in 2009.
Pair it with: Chicken, leek and tarragon pie
Visit the vineyard: llaethliw.co.uk
Buy the wine: Llaethliw Rosé
White Castle Pinot Noir Reserve
Founded and run by the lovely Robb and Nicola Merchant back in 2008, White Castle Vineyard is located near Abergavenny in Southeast Wales. I first got a taste of their wines back in March at a St David’s day event in London and was immediately blown away. They make a range of wines, but I’ve chosen their Pinot Noir Reserve. I’m a big pinot fan anyway, and this one has lovely notes of both red and black cherry and vanilla. It’s quite fresh and good for a special occasion.
Pair it with: Minty Welsh lamb kofta skewers with flatbreads and yogurt
Visit the vineyard: whitecastlevineyard.com
Buy the wine: White Castle Pinot Noir Reserve
Ancre Hill Estates Orange Wine
Not straying too far from our last vineyard, Ancre Hill is in Monmouthshire – right on the Welsh border – and is run by Richard and Joy Morris and their family. They planted their first vines back in 2006 and all the wines they produce are biodynamic and organic. I’m a fan of their sparkling wine, but I’ve chosen their orange wine for this list. Orange wine has become quite trendy and while I’m not usually a huge fan, this one was fun and very drinkable. Ancre Hill’s orange wine is made using mostly Albariño grapes that typically grow pretty well in damp climates. For me, it has stone fruit flavours such as apricots and also citrusy orange as well as a tropical hint.
Pair it with: Charred leeks with romesco-style sauce
Visit the vineyard: ancrehillestates.co.uk
Buy the wine: Ancre Hill Estates Orange Wine