About

We planted the first phase of the vineyard, ably assisted by our four children, in April 2006, with a further plantation in April 2007.
The vineyard comprises two sites surrounding our home at The Ancre Hill on the outskirts of Monmouth town. The Folly View site of 6 acres is principally planted with Chardonnay and Albariño. The newer Town site of 3 acres is totally dedicated to Pinot Noir.
Both sites are south facing on well draining, limestone soils and the long hours of sunshine and comparatively low rainfall in our little valley all combine to make it an ideal location for vines.

Set in the middle of the Wye Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty, the vineyard is blessed with its own unique meso-climate, surrounded by tree topped hills on all sides, with the famous Brecon Beacons to the north. The adoption of Biodynamic practices from 2011 should help us maintain our beautiful piece of Wales and protect the integrity of our vines.

The concept of ‘Biodynamic agriculture’ was proposed by the philosopher and scientist Rudolf Steiner through a series of lectures called “The Agriculture Course,” held in Koberwitz, Germany between the 7th and 16th of June, 1924. The course provided farmers with an alternative to the ever more industrialised nature of agriculture. We practice farming which stays true to the principles set out by Steiner, adapted to our Vineyard site for the present day.

Come and visit us at our Cellar Door, browse around our shop and taste some of our wines. Or why not enjoy our cheese platter lunch using only Welsh cheeses, washed down by a glass of Estate wine. Or take advantage of one of our guided vineyard tours and enjoy the ambience of the vineyard. Looking for a birthday or Christmas present? – then our Adopt-a-Vine offering is an ideal choice.
We look forward to welcoming you to our home at Ancre Hill Vineyard.

Vineyard

We believe that great wine is made in the vineyard and that work done in the winery may only realise the potential at harvest, not increase it.
We are inspected by DEMETER every year to insure all cultural practices in the vineyard go above and beyond organic standards in line with the full Biodynamic accreditation achieved in 2013.

Great care and attention is paid in applying the biodynamic preparations to the vineyard. These are stirred by hand, in rain water and sprayed strictly under the correct conditions. Only with this level of detail and personal involvement can biodynamic practices allow our vines to find the balance of life forces necessary for healthy growth and quality of production.

Geneva Double Curtain trellising system

We also employ a regular spray programme based on organic and biodynamic principles. The use of sulphur and copper, necessary in certain years, is kept to a minimum with the addition of wild plant tisanes made here on the estate. Insecticides and herbicides are not used at all, with weeds ploughed out from under the vines. The size of plantings at present is only 4 hectares which allows us the time to practice detailed canopy management, maximising air flow through the canopy and sun and light exposure to suit the season. This is further assisted by our Geneva Double Curtain trellising system designed for cooler climates.

A programme of cultivation provides the soil with aeration necessary for the development of a healthy micro-organism population, negating the need for petro-chemical fertilisers.

Co-plantation and the promotion of wild flora and fauna help maintain the balance of our eco-system and soils.