Wales: Vineyards, PDO and Grapes

WineGB, the trade association for the English and Welsh wine industry, records 91.4 hectares under vine in Wales in 2025 on its Wine Standards figures, alongside nearly 60 registered vineyards spread across the country. Monmouthshire in the southeast and Carmarthenshire in the southwest are the top counties for plantings, but WineGB notes vineyards from Anglesey and the Llyn peninsula in the northwest, across to the Vale of Clwyd in mid-Wales, down to the Vale of Glamorgan, the Gower, and west to Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. The Welsh Government's Business Wales service describes an industry that is "blossoming and rapidly expanding with a multitude of vineyards located throughout Wales," growing over 20 different grape varieties to produce red, white and rose wine, either still or sparkling. A Welsh Government news release marking Welsh Wine Week 2025, held 16 June 2025, reported more than 40 events across Wales and over 50 vineyards then operating in the country. WineGB records that the first commercial vineyard in the UK was planted in Wales, in 1875 near Castell Coch just outside Cardiff, and notes that although that vineyard no longer exists, the region's winemaking industry is thriving 150 years on.

• 91.4 hectares under vine in 2025 and nearly 60 registered vineyards (WineGB)
• Monmouthshire and Carmarthenshire are the top counties for plantings (WineGB)
• The first commercial UK vineyard was planted near Castell Coch in 1875 (WineGB)
• Over 50 vineyards were operating across Wales as of Welsh Wine Week 2025 (Welsh Government, Business Wales)

Business Wales, the Welsh Government's food and drink service, states that all Welsh vineyards are positioned above 49.9 degrees north, which it links to long daylight hours in the growing season. It describes this northerly latitude as creating a long growing season and long daylight hours that are "key to the development of strong aromatic flavours," and says the characteristics of the Welsh landscape produce wine with crisp acidity. WineGB describes vineyards spread throughout Wales rather than concentrated in one belt: from Anglesey and the Llyn peninsula in the northwest, across to the Vale of Clwyd in mid-Wales, down to the Vale of Glamorgan, the Gower, and west to Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, alongside the Monmouthshire and Carmarthenshire clusters that lead in plantings.

• All Welsh vineyards are positioned above 49.9 degrees north (Business Wales, Welsh Government)
• The northerly latitude gives a long growing season and long daylight hours (Business Wales)
• Vineyards are spread from Anglesey and the Llyn peninsula to Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion (WineGB)

Wales carries two UK protected wine names on the GOV.UK register of protected geographical food and drink names, both administered by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. "Welsh" holds Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, and "Welsh Regional" holds Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. Both are registered under the UK scheme as of 10 March 2021, with an original EU registration date of 29 December 2011, and both are listed with country of origin United Kingdom and reason for protection "UK geographical indication from before 2021." Business Wales describes the qualification process: each year, Welsh wine goes through what it calls a rigorous process to achieve the PDO or PGI status. Specific vintages are awarded the status following an application process and approval from a tasting panel, and each potential Welsh Wine must pass an independent post-bottling analytical test and an organoleptic test before the name can be used.

• "Welsh" is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO); "Welsh Regional" is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) (GOV.UK)
• Both registered under the UK scheme on 10 March 2021, DEFRA (GOV.UK)
• Original EU registration for both: 29 December 2011 (GOV.UK)
• Each vintage must pass an independent post-bottling analytical test and an organoleptic test, with tasting panel approval, before the PDO or PGI name is used (Business Wales)

Wales does not yet carry sub-national wine appellations below its two national protected names. Welsh Wine PDO is the single national designation covering wine made entirely from grapes grown in Wales, and WineGB names Monmouthshire, in the southeast of Wales, and Carmarthenshire, in the southwest, as the top counties for plantings within the country. WineGB also records vineyards spread more widely, including Anglesey and the Llyn peninsula in the northwest, the Vale of Clwyd in mid-Wales, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Gower, and Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion in the west. A Welsh Government news release on Welsh Wine Week 2025 named seven vineyards presenting wines at a Cardiff tasting event: Ancre Hill Estates, The Dell Vineyard, Hebron Vineyard, St Hilary Vineyard, Tair Gafr Wines, Velfrey Vineyard, and White Castle Vineyard, the last based in Monmouthshire.

• Welsh Wine PDO is the single national designation; Wales has no sub-national appellations on the GOV.UK register (GOV.UK)
• Monmouthshire (southeast) and Carmarthenshire (southwest) are the top counties for plantings (WineGB)
• Vineyards also cluster on Anglesey, the Llyn peninsula, the Vale of Clwyd, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Gower, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion (WineGB)
• Seven vineyards presented wines at the Welsh Wine Week 2025 Cardiff tasting: Ancre Hill Estates, The Dell Vineyard, Hebron Vineyard, St Hilary Vineyard, Tair Gafr Wines, Velfrey Vineyard and White Castle Vineyard (Welsh Government, Business Wales)

WineGB names Seyval Blanc and Solaris as varieties that thrive in the Welsh climate, alongside classic varieties including Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir that several vineyards grow successfully. Business Wales adds that over 20 different grape varieties are grown across Wales in total, producing red, white and rose wine, still or sparkling. For red wine, WineGB reports acclaim for wines made from Pinot Noir Precoce, Regent and Rondo, with more recent plantings of Divico and Cabernet Noir now also producing wines that WineGB says garner praise. WineGB describes Wales as a particular hotspot for winemakers favouring a low-intervention approach, with styles ranging from traditional method sparkling and conventional still wines through pet-nat, col fondo and orange wines, to a Port-like fortified wine made from Regent.

• Seyval Blanc and Solaris thrive in the Welsh climate; Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir are also grown successfully (WineGB)
• Red wines have won acclaim from Pinot Noir Precoce, Regent and Rondo, with newer plantings of Divico and Cabernet Noir (WineGB)
• Over 20 grape varieties are grown across Wales in total (Business Wales)
• Styles include traditional method sparkling, still wine, pet-nat, col fondo, orange wine, and a Port-like fortified wine made from Regent (WineGB)

WineGB's Wine Standards figures put Wales at 91.4 hectares under vine in 2025, with nearly 60 registered vineyards. A Welsh Government news release timed to Welsh Wine Week 2025, held 16 June 2025, reported over 50 vineyards then operating across Wales and said recent years have seen notable increases in the volume of wine produced in the country, alongside a number of vineyards picking up international awards. Gwin Cymru, the Welsh regional association of WineGB, organises the annual Welsh Wine Awards, held at Llanerch Vineyard Hotel, and runs regular meetings, vineyard management and winemaking training, and study tours with the Welsh Drinks Cluster, according to WineGB. The Welsh Government's Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, said of the industry: "Welsh vineyards are not only producing award-winning wines, but are also playing a vital role in our rural economy and tourism sector." White Castle Vineyard, a Monmouthshire producer, marked Welsh Wine Week 2025 by opening a new on-site winery; its owner, Robb Merchant, said the opening "represents a significant chapter in the evolution of White Castle Vineyard."

• 91.4 hectares under vine in 2025 and nearly 60 registered vineyards (WineGB)
• Over 50 vineyards were operating across Wales as of Welsh Wine Week 2025, 16 June 2025 (Welsh Government, Business Wales)
• Gwin Cymru organises the annual Welsh Wine Awards at Llanerch Vineyard Hotel (WineGB)
• White Castle Vineyard, a Monmouthshire producer, opened a new on-site winery during Welsh Wine Week 2025 (Welsh Government, Business Wales)

Primary sources: WineGB, https://winegb.co.uk/wines/regions/ and https://winegb.co.uk/about/regional-associations/; Welsh Government Business Wales, https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/how-we-can-help/new-uk-geographical-indication-gi-schemes-0/welsh-wine-pdopgi and https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/news-and-events/news/wales-toasts-its-thriving-wine-industry; GOV.UK protected food and drink names register, https://www.gov.uk/protected-food-drink-names/welsh and https://www.gov.uk/protected-food-drink-names/welsh-regional. Last verified 2026-09-17