Kerry Vale Vineyard sits on the border of Shropshire and Wales near the historic town of Montgomery. This family run estate occupies a fascinating site that was once home to a Roman fort. The vineyard covers six acres of flat fertile land where grape varieties like Solaris, Rondo, and Phoenix thrive under the careful management of the owners. The unique microclimate of the valley helps the grapes ripen steadily, creating distinct regional flavors.
What You Can Do
Visitors can join informative guided tours that explain the annual growing cycle and the winemaking process. These sessions include tutored tastings of the current vintages in the modern visitor center. For those wanting a longer stay, the estate offers a comfortable self catering cottage located just steps away from the vines, allowing guests to experience the quiet rhythm of vineyard life.
What They Offer
The estate produces an excellent range of still and sparkling wines, including crisp dry whites, delicate roses, and medium bodied reds. There is an on site shop selling their full range of wines alongside curated local crafts and gifts. The vineyard cafe provides a bright space to relax indoors or outdoors, while the self catering lodge accommodates guests looking for a peaceful rural retreat.
Activities
The surrounding border country is excellent for outdoor recreation. Guests can walk sections of the historic Offas Dyke Path or explore the Shropshire Hills. The vineyard hosts seasonal events throughout the year, such as winter pruning classes and hands on harvest experience days where volunteers can join the grape picking team and learn about viticulture first hand.
Food to Eat
The on site cafe serves light lunches, homemade cakes, and traditional afternoon tea. Platters featuring local Shropshire cheeses, chutneys, and cured meats are designed specifically to pair with the estate wines. Ingredients are sourced almost entirely from nearby farmers and producers to highlight the best of regional British food.
Why Visit
This destination successfully combines rich Roman history with high quality English winemaking. It offers a relaxed and unpretentious environment to learn about cool climate viticulture while enjoying the peaceful scenery of the Shropshire border.
Review
The vineyard is well organized and the staff share their knowledge in a clear, friendly manner without unnecessary jargon. The wines are clean, balanced, and expressive, showing the true potential of Shropshire viticulture. While the cafe menu is somewhat limited in terms of hot main meals, the quality of the cold platters and local ingredients more than compensates.