2010 is an award winning year

Ancre Hill Estates of Monmouth were awarded a silver medal, 2 bronzes & a highly commended. These awards come hot on the heels of a silver in the Decanter World Wine Awards and a bronze in the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Parva Farm Vineyard, just down the road at Tintern in the Wye Valley gained a silver medal, four bronzes and a highly commended with their wines.

Ancre Hill, owned by Richard & Joy Morris, is one of the youngest vineyards in Wales- only planted in 2006. They have achieved awards with their very first vintage (2008) and now their 2009 wines have continued the trend with a silver for their” Welsh Regional Wine dry white 2009” and bronzes for their “Welsh Regional Wine medium-dry White 2009” and “Welsh Regional Wine medium-dry white 2008”. Their rose 2009 was awarded a Highly Commended. Richard & Joy grow mainly Pinot Noir, Seyval Blanc & Chardonnay grapes and are going to specialise in quality sparkling wines- the first of which will be released in 2012.

Parva Farm Vineyard is probably the oldest vineyard in Wales- planted in 1979 by the original owner with some newer plantings in 2002-5 by the present owners, Colin & Judith Dudley. For some years Parva Farm has been the only vineyard waving the Welsh flag in competitions. This year they received a silver award for their “Tintern Parva Rhosyn2009” as well as bronzes for “Tintern Parva Afon Gwy 2009” (medium-dry white), “Tintern Parva Bwthyn Rhosyn 2008” (rose), “Tintern Parva Bacchus 2006” (mediun-dry white) and “Tintern Parva Dathliad 2005” (sparkling) with H.C. for their Bacchus 2009. Rose is a speciality of Parva Farm Vineyard -the old Pinot Noir vines imparting a very special bouquet & flavour to the wine.

Things are definitely on the up for Welsh vineyards both young and old and their wines made from grapes grown on Wales’ green hillsides. When visiting Monmouth & the Wye Valley at Tintern, take time out to sample these very special vintages.

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