Are there vineyards in ireland

It is a little known fact that Ireland is actually listed as an official wine producing country by the European Commission. The island's position just slightly too far north of the earth's equator makes wine growing conditions far more difficult than in mainland Europe. It is often argued that Ireland is marginally too cold and wet to produce the quality of grape vines required for wine vitus vinifera.

We would have to disagree with this philosophy! Ireland has a select pick of producers experimenting with wine production to great success! Long may this trend continue! There are no grapes in these wines though they are made in the same way, with just the pure juices of ripe strawberries, blackberries and raspberries fermented to perfection. The wonderfully unique flavours, colours and aromas of the different berries are captured in each bottle.

The wines are off-dry in style. Here in Vallecito dreams have always been big… so has the Irish influence. First to hit the area were the Murphy boys back in John and Daniel came looking for gold and found it.

One hundred and fifty years later we discovered it here too. I am Russell Irish of Irish Vineyards. Our gold comes in liquid form, and unlike those 19 th century mining Murphys we are delighted to share our riches with everyone.

I do not filter the wine, and neither do I add any fining to the wine. Instead, I just give it time, to go through the various stages of fermentation in its own time, I rest it on the lees, and after racking off, I allow it to settle and clear during the year or so following the vintage. He has progressed to use oak, which he deems expensive but worth it.

David Dennison is a Waterford-based Irish winemaking enthusiast. We spoke to him about the wines he makes at his experimental vineyard in the county, a 1 hectare crop with approximately 2, plants including hybrids Rondo red and Solaris and Bacchus white as well as some Pinot Noir.

He also has hopes on Rondo as a variety that might work in Ireland. It is a cross between Zarya Severa and St. Laurent made in by Professor V. Kraus and developed by Dr. Helmut Becker in Germany. For us, when you taste [wines from Rondo] there is a real fruitiness, flavours of wild raspberries, some cassis and blackcurrant and quite a long finish.

Quite acidic at the moment. Come harvest time, David Dennison is expecting to make wines from Rondo and possibly blend in some Pinot Noir. He keeps dandelions, other berries and apple trees near the vines to attract bees and protects plants from excess weeds with environmentally friendly methods.

Thomas Walk is a German winemaker who owns and operates a small and private winery in Co. Specializing in varieties of the rondo red wine grape the winery has organic, natural and environmentally friendly business practices. This old-school wine is produced today by Bunratty Mead and Liqueur Co. A traditional honey wine made with pure honey, vine fruit, and herbs, mead is a medium-sweet wine that dates back to medieval times. Available in strawberry, raspberry and blackberry flavor, these fruity wines are bursting with taste and delicate aromas.

Lusca wines can be purchased at a select number of specialty wine cellars in Ireland. We provide helpful articles and resources that make it easy for people to bring the wine lifestyle into their homes.