Wine from the Biodynamic Heart of Wales

Richard and Joy Morris did not set out to build one of Britain's most acclaimed wine estates. Richard had sold his business and "sort of retired" in his mid-40s, and the couple set off travelling around the world. [^133^] They visited vineyards in Australia, Argentina, and across Europe — already interested in wine, particularly organic wine, but not yet imagining they would become producers themselves. "We got home from a trip and said: 'Let's plant a vineyard!'" Richard recalls. [^133^]

Richard undertook a 12-month diploma course in viticulture at Plumpton College in Lewes, Sussex — the UK's premier wine education institution. [^133^] The first vines were planted in a south-facing field in front of their house at Ancre Hill, just outside the historic market town of Monmouth, in 2006. [^133^] Further plantings followed in April 2007 and 2011. [^139^] The estate adopted biodynamic agriculture practices in 2011, gained organic certification in 2013, and achieved Demeter certification — the strictest biodynamic standard in the world — in 2014. [^139^]

The estate grew significantly with the purchase of Newton Court Farm in 2014, the same year a cutting-edge new winery was built at Ancre Hill. [^133^] The winery is an extraordinary building — one of the largest straw bale constructions in the world, with walls built from straw bales and lime mortar, rendered inside and out, and topped with a living sedum grass roof. [^135^] Natural materials were used over synthetic ones wherever possible. The building has exceptional thermal performance, with internal temperatures operating in an approximate 8-degree range regardless of external conditions. [^135^] Waste water is treated by ecological pools and plantings that also provide many of the plants used in the vineyard's biodynamic tisane treatments. [^135^] The Duchess of Cornwall opened the winery in July 2015. [^135^]

The breakthrough came in 2012, when Ancre Hill's 2008 Sparkling White was voted the Best Sparkling Wine in the World at the Bollicine del Mondo competition in Verona, Italy — beating over 20 Champagnes in a blind tasting. [^139^] "Which fired us up and gave us a reputation," Richard says. "We followed our nose." [^133^]

Ancre Hill's winemaking is an extension of its biodynamic philosophy — natural, patient, and precise. Fermentations are carried out solely by wild yeasts and bacteria, with the avoidance of filtration and fining wherever possible. [^135^] As with many natural wines, lengthy cuvaison and ageing on the lees contributes to the texture and age-worthiness of the wines. [^135^]

Small batch fermentations occur almost entirely in oak barrels and concrete eggs. [^135^] There are also a number of squat concrete fermenters, whimsically named after the seven dwarves. [^135^] The concrete eggs from Burgundy and Austrian oak barrels provide different levels of oxygen exchange and thermal mass, allowing each wine to develop its own character. The base wines are spontaneously fermented with natural yeasts, have an élevage on the lees with regular stirring, and spend a minimum of 12 months in Austrian oak, concrete eggs, or stainless steel. [^135^]

For sparkling wines, after tirage the wines may experience a further five years ageing on the lees. [^135^] The Blanc de Blancs is aged for up to five years on the lees. [^135^] The sparkling wines are bottled without dosage — zero added sugar — allowing the purity of the fruit and the terroir to shine through without the masking effect of sweetness. This is a bold choice that requires exceptional fruit quality and technical precision, both of which Ancre Hill delivers.

Each wine undergoes whole bunch pressing on long cycles to produce the best quality free-run juice. [^135^] This gentle, patient pressing preserves the delicate aromatics and structural components of the grapes, setting the foundation for wines of finesse and longevity. The still wines — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Rosé — are made with the same care: whole-bunch pressing or maceration, natural malolactic fermentation, no filtration or fining, and minimal sulfur. [^135^]