There must be a fair few wine enthusiasts who dream of having their own wine estate. For one pioneering couple, Richard and Joy Morris, what started off as a hobby has blossomed into a world-class biodynamic and organic wine producing business, located in the south eastern corner of Wales.
Ancre Hill Estates began to germinate when Richard and his wife, Joy, set off travelling around the world after Richard had sold his business and, in his words, “sort of retired” in his mid-40s.
Richard explains: “We did a lot of travelling and found ourselves visiting vineyards in countries such as Australia, Argentina, and Europe. We were already interested in wine, particularly organic wine, but we got home from a trip and said: ‘Let’s plant a vineyard!’”
Richard did a 12-month diploma course in viticulture at Plumpton College in Lewes, Sussex.
He planted the first vines in a south-facing field in front of their house at Ancre Hill, just outside the historic market town of Monmouth in 2006. And the rest is history.
Richard says: “It started off as a hobby but then it went on. The wines got better and better. We won the Bollicine del Mondo award for the world’s best white sparkling wine in 2012, which fired us up and gave us a reputation. We followed our nose.”
And so the business grew. They bought more land, including Newton Court Farm in 2014, and they also built a cutting-edge winery using straw bales, lime mortar rendered inside and out, and topped with a sedum grass roof. It is one of the largest buildings of its type in the world and was even opened by the then-Duchess of Cornwall in 2015.
The vines have benefitted from Ancre Hill’s micro climate. Data shows that rain during the growing season is moderate for viticulture and is set to fall. Early season frost risk is relatively low and is dropping. This means growing season temperatures in this pocket of the beautiful Wye Valley are in line with those in Hampshire and East Sussex - and they are expected to climb. In short, the climate bodes well for a range of vine varieties.
Today, there are now 20,000 vines planted across 22 acres. In total, Ancre Hill Estates comprises 128 acres across two sites: Ancre Hill Vineyard (13 acres) and Newton Court Farm (115 acres), both on the edge of Wye Valley.
Of course, this journey is no mean feat. Asked what the biggest lesson he’s learnt along the way, Richard says: “Never stop learning and accept that every season is different. You are constantly having to adapt and learn new approaches; just last year we started using bio-stimulants which has really improved the quality and helped yields, but this is something that didn’t exist five years ago.”
Richard and Joy’s home at Ancre Hill Estate
Ancre Hill Estates is widely considered the UK’s leading biodynamic and organic producer. It secured organic and biodynamic accreditations in 2013 and 2014 respectively; putting the estate in good stead to tap into the growing natural and regenerative wine movement.
It’s a philosophy that the couple has embraced from day one, rather than it just being a trend. “It’s hugely important to us, and it always has been” says Richard, “We couldn’t think of any other attitude and approach. Being a producer of organic and biodynamic wine is a no-brainer.”
It’s a strategy that has certainly served them well, having picked up awards from the likes of Decanter World Wine Awards and IWSC, as well as Bollicine del Mondo. It’s this reputation for environmental sustainability and quality that the couple are particularly keen to preserve. “We want an organisation or person to carry on our legacy and continue to be an organic and biodynamic producer,” explains Richard.
The winery at Ancre Hill Estate
As Richard and Joy prepare to pass on the baton, there’s a handful of clear opportunities to take the success of Ancre Hill Estates further.
The first is to turbocharge production from around 30,000-40,000 bottles per year to a couple of hundred thousand bottles per year. This could be achieved by utilising the 50 acres of virgin pastureland at Newton Court Farm, which is earmarked as prime for planting more vineyards.
There is also an opportunity to expand wine sales through online and exports. “We have only really scratched the surface,” says Richard. Ancre Hill Estates is currently exported to Canada, Singapore, and Hong Kong, with potential new markets in the US and Norway. The brand’s Orange Wine has piqued interest in the US and Japan.
Closer to home, the winery is well placed to also offer its winemaking services to neighbouring vineyards. There are now more than 50 vineyards in Wales alone, with more over the border in England.
There’s also the option to breathe new life into the farm buildings at Newton Court Farm through commercial and residential development. As well as scope to re-open the Cellar Door, which previously hosted wine tastings and vineyard tours.
With a highly experienced management team in place, Ancre Hill Estates is a ripe opportunity for an ambitious and energetic new owner.
Looking back on the business he and Joy set up nearly 20 years ago, Richard says he’s proud of where they have got Ancre Hill Estates to. “It’s an honour to be recognised as a leading biodynamic and organic producer with a worldwide reputation. One of the greatest achievements is surely winning the prestigious Bollicine del Mondo award, and I can’t wait to see where the next custodian takes Ancre Hill Estates.”
Ancre Hill Estate is on the market from £3,400,000.
Read our latest Viticulture Report here.
