Visiting a vineyard is a special experience. Meeting and chatting with the people who work there, learning about its history, sampling the local wines, and simply relaxing in a unique environment makes for a great day out.

Yet you no longer have to go abroad to get a taste of that fulsome and fruity flavor! It’s right on your doorstep! And here in Monmouthshire, we are fortunate enough to have a host of vibrant vineyards that are determined to put the county on the map as a wine-making destination.

It’s a little-known fact but five commercial vineyards already exist in Monmouthshire, with Parva Farm paving the way in 1979.

In addition, four other vineyards recently planted a mix of grape varieties.

As vines need three to four years growth, before producing a first viable crop, there are great expectations.

Furthermore, in May 2025, four more vineyards are planned, with another in May 2026.

Undoubtedly, many more will follow.

Multiple, amateur, hidden vineyards also exist in Monmouthshire. These produce wine for family and friends, such as Hendre Cwrt, planted by Chris Heneghan in 1995, and continued by new owner Richard Caswell.

They belong to a group called VIBIANS and can be contacted at [email protected] if you wish to join.

All of Monmouthshire’s vineyards are built on a great deal of hard work, dedication, constant learning, and above all – passion.

This locally emerging market has gained the support of the Welsh Government, Farming Connect, and due to public interest in wine tours, VisitMonmouthshire.

Welsh wine is full of surprises, incredibly diverse, experimental, and family farm-orientated. Its outlook embraces the future and is on the cusp of worldwide recognition.

So why is Monmouthshire a magnet for viticulture? (grape production.) The answer is within the idea of the French word ‘Terroir.’

The Welsh language has a similar word o’r tir - translated, ‘of the earth or place.’ The word encompasses factors such as latitude, climate, temperature, slope, elevation, geology, soils, aspect, and rainfall.

The Goldilocks zone (not too hot, not too cold) is thought to lie between 30° and 50° latitude. Monmouthshire lies at 51°, however with the Gulf Stream warming effect and a one-degree increase in temperature since the mid-70s, this micro-climate suits grape production.

The increase in temperature extends the growing season by approximately four weeks allowing varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Ortega, Alberino, and even Cabernet Franc, plus newer varieties to flourish.

The low-elevation hills and slopes permit rainfall run-off, and aspects facing South East, South, and South West allow the sun's energy for photosynthesis and vine growth.

The soils in Monmouthshire are fertile, and overlying shale, limestone, sandstones, and clay geology all affect the variety of vines planted.

The word ‘terroir’ extends to farming philosophy, the winemaker's choices, wine-producing vessels, and even the native or inoculated yeast used in the fermentation of the sugars to alcohol.

These elements all influence the style of wine.

This concept of terroir is central to Sarah Dickins and Nick Miller naming their vineyard O’r Tir.

Passionate about their current organic farming philosophy, they wish to extend this to winemaking, and have recently placed lime on their fields to achieve optimal pH levels for vine growth.

Organic farming has greater restrictions than conventional or sustainable farming. No glyphosate (herbicide) is utilised; thus, the existing soil ecosystem is protected. This extends to artificial pesticides, fungicides, and fertilisers.

This form of viticulture requires constant vigilance from the growers.

However, help is at hand. O’r Tir Vineyard is part of a collective of four new vineyards around Llanvetherine - Newhouse Farm, Gelli (The Grove) and Dewin (The Sorcerer).

Together they will construct a new winery. The collective will share resources, send grapes to this winery, yet create their style of wine and handle sales and marketing individually.

Dewin Vineyard, managed by Tom Carter has already 12,000 vines planted and trunk formation is underway.

In 2025/26 he expects his first vintage.

Collectively, they will plant 38,000 vines, focused on sparkling varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Meunier, Ortega, and Seyval.

The Bryn Cain vineyard, located near The Bryn village, will be planted next May, and Richard and Rachel Vaughan look forward to deciding on the grape varieties and vine numbers.

Altitude affects temperature. Vines need approx. 10°C to wake from dormancy to begin budburst.

Every 100m in elevation there is a 0.65°C decrease in temperature, therefore reducing the growing season. The recommended altitude is not above 150m.

Clive Francis, of Llanbedr Valley Vineyard (2021), planted at 234m, clearly the highest vineyard listed, surrounded by the most stunning scenery.

Advice from Farming Direct recommended the white grape variety named Solaris, a hardy, early-ripening variety, with sharp fruity aromatics ideal for dry wine. The vineyard is flourishing, with Clive contemplating another variety next year.

Abergavenny Vineyards, 2023, plans a future total of 40-50,000 vines.

Managed by enthusiastic Jesse Feakins, he will also produce cider and construct a new winery.

Awaiting the first vintage, he aims to produce high-quality wine, utilising economies of scale from volume, thus making it affordable to all.

The vineyard installed a higher fruiting line, one metre from the ground. This supports the vines, grapes, and leaves for photosynthesis.

This height can be essential, as between the ground and one metre is a single degree Celsius. The closer to the ground the trunk is established, the greater the risk of frost damage in cooler climates in Spring.

Taller trunks also protect new buds from rabbit damage and permit air flow between vines, reducing disease.

The Dell Vineyard, managed by Dan and Lucy, is made up of two sites. A single-acre site (originally established in 2012) leased and restored at Pen-Y-Clawdd in 2021 and the main site at Raglan, planted in 2022.

The smaller site has a range of varieties, four white grapes - Reichensteiner, Phoenix, Schönburger, Seyval Blanc and two black grapes - Divico and Pinot Noir.

The main site consists of 3,500 Pinot and 1,500 Solaris. Next year they will extend the vineyard with 1,400 Cabernet Noir, 700 Pinot Meunier, and 850 Sauvignon Gris. I look forward to sampling the Cab-Noir.

When interviewed, Dan was stripping the leaves from the vines to expose the grapes to the sun during veraison (ripening). The synthesis of phenols(natural colour and tannins),with some flavours linked to heat and light. Grapes develop more fruit aromas, while red grapes show more colour and maturer tannins.

At Ancre Hill Estates, I met with chief winemaker Jean du Plessis, from Stellenbosch, South Africa.

He has a treasure trove of knowledge in bio-dynamic winemaking (stricter than organic.)

Strolling around the vineyard inspecting the vines and grapes, none showed any sign of disease.

Jean has transformed the soil into a healthy ecosystem using only natural methods, and no chemicals. His specially made tisanes are applied to the vines. So, what are Tisanes…?

Jean explains, “We heat rainwater and brew a ‘tea’ for a few hours, leave to cool, then strain.

"Biodynamic preps like yarrow and nettle, also dandelion, horsetail, comfrey, oak bark, and chamomile amongst others, are mostly picked fresh from the vineyard. Each has a function during the season, aiding certain metabolic processes, naturally strengthening the plants against disease, increasing soil fertility and plant nutrition for extra resilience, especially during difficult climatic conditions.”

Natural wine-making methods are applied in the winery. Bio-dynamic certification is strictly controlled by DEMETER.

Gavin Patterson of Derwen Vineyard is from Zimbabwe and a well-respected winemaker in South Africa. He is the chief winemaker at the famous Hencotes Vineyard, UK.

Stonebird Wines is his personal project and he creates wines using large amphora vessels.

Gavin has a holistic approach to winemaking - gaining a clear understanding of requirements, looking at it from a broad view, prioritising a natural remedy to any given issue, and remaining a responsible winemaker.

It's a dynamic form of natural winemaking, from vineyard to the glass.

The 2000 vines of Divico, a bright clear fruit profile, with black cherry with slightly spicy notes and good colour extraction are located on a low-lying hill crest. Half the strip is extreme rock, 40% green stone shale, the other, a clay loam.

Gavin searches for extremely stony soils, creating wines that reach deep into the profile of the land, avoiding nutrient-rich clay, preferring to encourage roots to dig deep and struggle for the vine's livelihood, extracting something extraordinary.

For Gavin, it is vitally important for a quality wine to reflect where it grows, and he defines a wine in terms of its individuality, whatever the variety.

Within a half-hectare site, two soil profiles, creates two vintages (internal vineyard terroir).

Snuggled next to Tintern Abbey, Parva Farm has incredible views hugging the River Wye.

Judith and Colin acquired the vineyard in 1996 and have in-depth knowledge concerning viticulture, with 4,500 vines and 17 different varieties.

The vineyard faces precisely south, steeply sloped at an altitude of 50m. This aids early morning leaf drying, preventing powdery mildew, that can devastate a vineyard.

The slopes provide frost and rainfall run-off, assuring that there is no waterlogging to the vine roots.

Waterlogging may overwhelm a vine, reducing root growth and uptake of nutrients, via reduced stomata functionality.

If the stoma, the pore in the leaf epidermis has reduced function, then transpiration between the plant and the atmosphere is reduced. Best viewed as… if the sweat glands of a human body stopped working - disaster.

Many of the vines are now mature. Decades of pruning may block the sap flow of nutrients from the roots to stems, tendrils, leaves, and grapes.

Cutting back the trunk will encourage vigorous new growth, as the roots are well-reaching deep Quartz and Sandstone geology.

This action will reduce yields drastically until the vine recovers.

White Castle Vineyard needs no introduction. Robb and Nicola Merchant have pushed recognition for Welsh Wine since 2009 and have multiple worldwide awards for wine, with recent expansions to the vineyard.

The planting of Cab-Franc is hugely successful, being an example to open a new door for other black-grape varieties.

An informative podcast addressing the future of Welsh Wine can be found online, recorded with 30-50 Wine Educators, during the London Wine Fair 2022.

Sugar Loaf Vineyard is owned by Louise Ryan, and with 5000 vines, producing red, white, rosé, and sparkling, this is Abergavenny’s best-known vineyard. With outstanding views towards the River Usk and Blorenge mountain, nestled away with a flowing brook and restaurant.

A vineyard is planned by Lloyd Beedell in 2026, near The Deri Mountain.

Owner of Abergavenny's Chesters Wine Merchants, Lloyd is passionate about wine with a sense of place.

He has 18 years of industry experience, as a sommelier, wholesaler, and now independent retailer with a diploma level WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust.)

He specialises in Spanish, Italian, and French wines. Stocking 500 different wines, that may be indulged at his bar or cozy courtyard, where he is keen to share his wealth of profound specialist knowledge.

One Thursday evening each month, a guest winemaker or specialist gives a talk & tasting of their wines and terroir. Chesters is an ideal place to unwind with a glass (or two).

I hope you enjoyed this tour of the Monmouthshire Vineyards. The future of Monmouthshire wine is looking…. rosé…. with a bit of red, white, fortified, and sparkling, in the mix for good measure.

About the author - Charlie Newman grew up in Abergavenny and for the last 25 years has travelled the world as an archaeologist. He began training as a viticulturist at Plumpton College in 2021. He can be contacted on - [email protected]