Monmouthshire\u2019s White Castle Vineyard scoops top prize against global rivals in prestigious blind tasting award<\/p>\n
Last modified on Wed 7 Jul 2021 01.02 EDT<\/p>\n
First it was English winemakers that had vineyards in traditional wine-making regions such as France looking over their shoulder, now it is Wales, after a \u201cdeliciously fresh\u201d pinot noir from Monmouthshire scooped a prestigious wine award.<\/p>\n
White Castle Vineyard\u2019s \u201cpinot noir reserve 2018\u201d, a red wine that costs \u00a325.50 a bottle, has become the first Welsh vintage to win a gold medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Robb Merchant, a former Royal Mail worker who runs White Castle with his wife, Nicola, a retired nurse, described the win as \u201cfantastic\u201d for the vineyard which had been his \u201cwife\u2019s dream\u201d to establish.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the biggest prize we have ever won,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is the first time we have entered the Decanter awards. It is judged blind so, for us, this win really underpins what we have been striving to do in terms of quality.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple bought a field next to their smallholding in 2008 and planted 4,000 vines the following year. It has since expanded to 7,000 vines and produces 10,000 bottles a year.<\/p>\n
The pinot noir is described as \u201cdeliciously fresh\u201d by the DWWA co-chair Sarah Jane Evans. \u201cIt has got a lovely cherry red fruit character. It\u2019s a really elegant, fresh wine. It\u2019s delicious and the fact it comes from Wales is a bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n
The competition awarded 635 gold medals, with judges tasting more than 18,000 wines from 56 countries. Gold medals were hard won, said Evans, as winning wines had to \u201cstand up on their own two feet\u201d against competition from all over the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re used to the UK making white wines but what is interesting is they have made a red wine, which people have always said with the UK climate was impossible,\u201d added Evans.<\/p>\n
English winemakers have won widespread recognition in recent years, particularly for the quality of their sparkling wines, and their haul from this year\u2019s DWWA included Kent producer Squerryes winning one of just 50 \u201cbest in show\u201d medals.<\/p>\n
While some wine drinkers may be unfamiliar with Welsh wine it is not new, with the Scottish industrialist Lord Bute credited with planting the first commercial vineyard at Castell Coch, north of Cardiff, in 1875. Today there are 31 vineyards growing more than 20 different grape varieties, and many wine trails aimed at tourists.<\/p>\n
Marchant said the couple planned to build on their success by continuing to expand White Castle and urged people to experiment with Welsh wine: \u201cTry it. Go and visit the vineyards and taste the wines because you\u2019ll taste some exceptional wines.\u201d<\/p>\n