Welsh
Styles
Principal grape varieties
AcolonAlbalongaAlbarino (Alvarinho)ArbaneAuxerroisBacchus (Bacchus Weiss)Black Hamburg (Muscat Hamburg)Blau Portugueser (Portugieser Blau)BlauburgerBlaufrankisch (Blaufraenkisch)BoleroCabernet BlancCabernet FrancCabernet SauvignonCascadeChardonnayChasselasComtessaDalkauerDornfelderDunkelfelderEhrenfelserElbling White (Elbling Weiss)Enantio (Lambrusco A Foglia Frastagliata)Faber (Faberrebe)FeliciaFindling (Bouvier)FruhburgunderGagarin BlueGamaretGamayGaranoirGewurztraminer (Gewuerztraminer)Gruner Veltliner (Veltliner Gruen)GutenbornerHeroldrebeHuxelrebeJohanniterKanzlerKekfrankos (Blaufraenkisch)KernerKernlingMadeleine AngevineMadeleine SylvanerMalbec (Cot)Marechal FochMerlotMerzlingMonarchMuller Thurgau (Mueller Thurgau Weiss)Muscat (Muscat A Petits Grains Blancs)NoblingOptimaOrionOrtegaPerlePetit Meslier (Meslier Petit)PhoenixPinot BlancPinot MeunierPinot NoirRefosco (Refosco Dal Peduncolo Rosso)RegentRegnerReichensteinerRiesling (Riesling Weiss)RondoRoter Veltliner (Veltliner Rot)Rulander (Pinot Gris)Sauvignon BlancSauvignon GrisScheurebeSchonburger (Schoenburger)Senator (Fruehgipfler)SiegerrebeSiriusSolarisVillarisWurzerZala Gyongye (Zala Gyoengye)Zweigeltrebe (Zweigeltrebe Blau)
Terroir
Natural factors
- All Welsh vineyards sit above 49.9°N, near the viticultural limit, giving long growing-season daylight hours.
- The temperate maritime climate rarely exceeds 30 °C in summer, keeping moderate temperatures throughout the season.
- A high diurnal temperature range is cited as a defining climatic feature of Welsh wine country.
- Moderate temperatures allow classic sparkling varieties to reach full phenolic ripeness at low sugar and high acid levels.
- Welsh vineyards were first planted by Romans; modern planting restarted in the 1970s in South Wales. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
Human factors
- Welsh vineyards grow grapes near viticulture's northern limit, above 49.9°N, with Romans as earliest planters and a modern revival from the 1970s.
- Welsh sparkling wines use only natural acid from must, with no acidification, reflecting the cool-climate PDO's winemaking rules.
Product characteristics
- Still wines show enhanced aromatics and crisp, refreshing acidity; sparkling wines add autolytic character from bottle fermentation.
- Sparkling wines exhibit stronger grape-variety aromatics than same varieties at warmer latitudes, plus natural high acidity and low pH.
Terroir / wine link
- Northerly latitude (>49.9°N) creates long growing seasons and moderate temps, driving high acidity and strong aromatics in both still and sparkling wines.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- Official trade body site — WineGB