St Hilary Vineyard: Welsh Sparkling Wine and Regenerative Viticulture in the Vale of Glamorgan
St Hilary Vineyard: Welsh Sparkling Wine and Regenerative Viticulture in the Vale of Glamorgan
Tucked into the rolling, gentle slopes of the Vale of Glamorgan, just one mile from the historic market town of Cowbridge and only a short drive west of Cardiff, St Hilary Vineyard is a young, ambitious Welsh wine project that has already punched well above its weight. Planted in 2021 by Liz and Peter Loch on premium farmland at Glebe Farm, the single-hectare vineyard is operated on low-intervention, regenerative principles and is dedicated to producing traditional-method sparkling wines and still rosés that reflect the maritime climate, soils and sea breezes of South Wales. With its debut 2023 vintage Rosé and award-winning St Hilary Sparkling White Wine - released on St David's Day 2026 with Welsh Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status - St Hilary Vineyard has become one of the most talked-about new Welsh wine producers.
The Story of St Hilary Vineyard
The story of St Hilary Vineyard is one of a mid-life reinvention rooted in place. Peter Loch spent more than three decades serving his local community as a pharmacist running a small chain of family-owned pharmacies, while Liz built a long and successful career in the gas industry before escaping to the country to pursue self-sufficiency. Together they began growing organic fruit and vegetables, and Liz's parallel passion for wine - combined with Peter's palate and a shared dream of working the land - led the couple to plant a hectare of vines on the rich farmland between an apple orchard and a wildflower meadow in the picturesque village of St Hilary.
Planting took place in 2021, with three classic Champagne varieties established: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. After four years of mapping out the vineyard, tending the young vines and learning the rhythms of regenerative viticulture, Liz and Peter brought in their first full harvest under bright blue Vale of Glamorgan skies in early October 2023. Friends and local volunteers helped hand-pick the grapes, and the resulting fruit was entrusted to the immeasurably experienced team at Mountain People Wine in Tintern, where winemaker Dave Morris transformed the pristine fruit into the estate's debut wines.
The first wine released was the 2023 vintage Still Rosé, a natural Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier blend that quickly sold out. The second release, the St Hilary Sparkling White Wine 2023, was disgorged in early 2026 after 12 months on its lees and was awarded Welsh Wine Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) - a recognition of its provenance and integrity, grown in Wales and made in Wales. The 2024 and 2025 harvests are currently being transformed into the next generation of traditional-method sparkling wines at Mountain People Wine.
The Team Behind the Vines
Peter Loch - Owner
Peter is a retired pharmacist with over three decades of service to the community through a small chain of family-owned pharmacies. He is now, alongside his wife Liz, an owner-vintner of St Hilary Vineyard, and brings to the project the same meticulous attention to detail that defined his pharmaceutical career. Peter recently achieved his WSET Level 2 Award in Wines with Distinction.
Liz Loch - Owner
After a long and successful career in the gas industry, Liz escaped to the country to pursue her interests in self-sufficiency, starting with growing organic fruit and vegetables. Her twin passions for horticulture and wine have now jumped up several notches with the planting of the vineyard and orchard. Not to be outdone by Peter, Liz has also achieved her WSET Level 2 Award in Wines with Distinction.
Dave Morris - Winemaker
Dave is a natural winemaker based at Mountain People Wine in Tintern, in the Wye Valley. He crafts St Hilary Vineyard's wines using minimal intervention, allowing native yeasts and the cool Welsh climate to shape each vintage.
The Vineyard Site and Sustainable Viticulture
The vineyard sits on gently sloping premium farmland at Glebe Farm, in the centre of the village of St Hilary. The site was chosen for its combination of free-draining soils, mild maritime influence from the Bristol Channel (around three miles to the south) and a network of existing habitat that supports biodiversity. Between the rows of vines lies an established apple orchard and a picturesque wildflower meadow - both integral to the vineyard's regenerative approach to viticulture, which seeks to work with nature rather than against it.
St Hilary Vineyard operates on low-intervention, organic principles, with the grass deliberately left long in places to encourage beneficial insects, mycorrhizal fungi and ground-nesting birds. As visitors to the vineyard quickly discover, the uneven terrain and long grass are part of the working-farm experience - and a reminder that great Welsh wine begins in a living, breathing landscape. The team is committed to producing wines that are natural, vegan-friendly and unfiltered, expressing the unique terroir of the Vale of Glamorgan.
The Wines
St Hilary Sparkling White Wine 2023 - £37.50
The debut traditional-method sparkling white is a blend of hand-harvested Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay picked in October 2023. Crafted by natural winemaker Dave Morris at Mountain People Wine, the wine spent 12 months on its lees before being released on St David's Day 2026. It carries Welsh Wine Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status in recognition of its provenance and quality.
On the eye it is bright and inviting, with delicate streams of fine bubbles. Aromas of crisp green apple, fresh lemon and warm brioche lead into a palate of zesty citrus and orchard fruit wrapped in a soft, cloud-like mousse, layered with notes of toasted coconut biscuit and freshly baked brioche. A gentle floral lift adds charm, while lively freshness keeps everything beautifully balanced. The finish lingers with citrus warmth and subtle biscuit richness.
St Hilary Sparkling White Wine shines as an aperitif but is equally at home alongside freshly shucked oysters, light seafood dishes or creamy Welsh cheeses. It is available to buy direct from the vineyard shop and via selected mail-order and in-person outlets.
St Hilary Vineyard Rosé 2023 - £24.00 (Sold Out)
The debut still wine is a naturally produced blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Meunier, with a bold look and intense, textured flavours that come from pristine Vale of Glamorgan fruit and careful, deliberate skin contact during fermentation. It spent two weeks with the juice in skin contact to impart its lovely pink colour, before being transferred to an egg-shaped fermentation vessel where native yeasts worked their slow, natural magic. The initial fermentation paused as the air temperature fell at the end of the year, then restarted as spring progressed, and by September the wine was bottled and left to settle.
Bursting with Summer Pudding, wild strawberries and cream, and honeysuckle, the rosé is light, dry, fruit-forward and gently hazy - a 'proper' rosé of Wales. Richard Ballantyne MW, a veteran judge of the Welsh Wine Awards, has called it "one of the best I have tasted". At 10% ABV, unfiltered and vegan-friendly, it pairs beautifully with salmon, game, cheese and rich desserts. Although the 2023 vintage has now sold out, occasional bottles are still available on vineyard tours during the summer of 2026, and a new rosé from the 2026 harvest is anticipated.
The Shop and Gift Boxes
The vineyard's online wine shop is open to over-18s and offers free UK shipping on orders over £125. Bottles and gift boxes are available by mail order and for collection from the vineyard or at Cowbridge Farmers' Market, where Liz can usually be found on the first Saturday of each month.
- Sparkling White Wine Gift Box - £37.50 (one bottle of St Hilary Sparkling White in a presentation box).
- 2 Wine Gift Box - from £48.00. Choose between one Sparkling White and one Rosé, two Sparkling Whites, or two Rosés.
- 3 Wine Gift Box - from £72.00. Go all out for the sparkles, stay in the pink, or mix it up: three Sparkling Whites, three Rosés, two Sparkling Whites and one Rosé, or two Rosés and one Sparkling White.
- Vineyard Tour Gift Voucher - £60.00. The gift of a private vineyard tour for 2 - 6 people, including a tasting of St Hilary Sparkling White Wine. Children are welcome by arrangement with apple juice provided, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome too.
The Orchard and Apple Juice
Alongside the vineyard, the orchard at Glebe Farm was established in 2015 and now contains more than 70 fruit trees - apples, pears, plums and cherries. The orchard isn't just habitat and home to a small flock of bees - it also produces St Hilary Apple Juice 2025, a delicious and unique blend of more than 25 different traditional apple varieties grown metres from the vines. Unfiltered, gently cloudy and packed with natural flavour, the juice is pressed and bottled on the farm in the Vale of Glamorgan. The 2025 vintage (£4.50) has sold out, though bottles will be available to taste on vineyard tours during Summer 2026.
Visiting the Vineyard: Tours and Tastings
Visitors are welcomed to St Hilary Vineyard between late May and early November. The vineyard is a small, family-run operation, and the experience is intimate and personal. Children are welcome, as are well-behaved dogs on leads, though the team asks visitors to bear in mind that the ground is uneven and may not be suitable for those with mobility issues - please contact the vineyard to discuss any specific requirements.
Tour options include:
- Private Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting for 2 - 6 people, bookable by arrangement between 1 June and 1 October 2026. Guests are guided around the vineyard, wildflower meadow and orchard, learning how working with nature can reduce the need for intervention, before tasting the award-winning St Hilary Sparkling White Wine. A gift voucher for the experience is available for £60.
- Group visits for clubs and societies of up to 20 people are also available by arrangement.
Tickets for advertised tasting events are sold via TicketSource. For enquiries and private bookings, email wine@sthilaryvineyard.wales or call 01446 624351, Monday to Friday.
Upcoming Events and Experiences
The vineyard's events calendar runs throughout the growing season and beyond, blending wine with food, walking and community.
Supper Club - Thursday 27 August 2026
St Hilary Vineyard is delighted to welcome private chef Cessie Currell (aka Cegin-Cess) for an intimate inaugural supper at the vineyard. Arriving at 6.30pm, guests are welcomed with a glass of St Hilary Sparkling White Wine. For those interested, a short vineyard tour precedes the meal. A vegetarian option is available (the kitchen is unable to cater for specific food allergies or other dietary requirements). Wine and soft drinks are available to purchase to complement the meal. Tickets are £50 via TicketSource.
Private Vineyard Tours by Arrangement
Private tours for 2 - 6 people can be booked by arrangement throughout the summer season, from 1 June to 1 October 2026. Contact the vineyard directly to arrange a date.
Annual Events
Each year St Hilary Vineyard participates in two major regional celebrations of food and drink:
- Vale Food Trail - a multi-venue festival that brings people closer to food producers across the Vale of Glamorgan. In 2026, St Hilary hosted a vineyard tour and Vale of Glamorgan wine tasting on Sunday 31 May, and a wine and cheese pairing with Garlic Meadow sheep's milk cheese on Wednesday 3 June.
- Welsh Wine Week - the national celebration of Welsh wine and vineyards across the country. St Hilary Vineyard hosts tours, tastings and special events throughout the week.
Other annual fixtures include the Harvest day in mid-October, where volunteers are invited to join the 'vendange' - bringing in the grapes alongside the team, with a coffee break mid-morning and a light lunch with wine or fruit juice to follow.
Stay on the Vineyard
For visitors who want to extend their visit, St Hilary Vineyard offers a beautifully converted four-star (Visit Wales) barn conversion on site. The rustic barn is fully equipped for a self-catering stay and is rated 4 stars by Visit Wales. It sleeps four across two bedrooms (a ground-floor double/twin and an upstairs double), with a fully equipped kitchen (refrigerator, freezer, microwave, oven, dishwasher, toaster, kettle and cookware), a private wet-room with shower, a washing machine in the utility room, and a spacious living and dining area with comfortable seating, a dining table, Freeview TV and free Wi-Fi.
Outside there is a lawned area beside the front barn yard and exclusive access to the orchard at the rear of the barn - perfect for dogs. The barn sits on the edge of the picturesque village of St Hilary with its renowned pub, The Bush Inn, one mile from the bustling market town of Cowbridge and around eight miles from the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Local beaches at Llantwit Major and Southerndown are about three miles to the south. Furry friends are welcome. The barn is listed on Airbnb.
Press and Recognition
St Hilary Vineyard has attracted growing attention from the UK wine press and Welsh lifestyle media. Coverage includes:
- Riverford / Wicked Leeks - June 2023, on the new Vale food trail
- Vineyard Magazine - April 2025
- The Times - 5 May 2025
- Cardiff Life - August 2025
- Decanter - October 2025
- Vineyard Magazine - October 2025
The debut 2023 Still Rosé was praised by Richard Ballantyne MW as "one of the best" Welsh rosés he has tasted, and the Sparkling White has been awarded Welsh Wine PDO status.
Plan Your Visit
St Hilary Vineyard is located in the centre of St Hilary village and is easily reached by car from the A48. The express bus service from Cardiff to Bridgend stops on the A48, around a 10-minute walk from the vineyard. Using What3Words, the vineyard pin is ///units.grew.according.
For tours, events, mail-order wine, gift boxes and barn bookings, contact Liz and Peter Loch:
- Address: Glebe Farm, St Hilary, Vale of Glamorgan, CF71 7DP
- Email: wine@sthilaryvineyard.wales
- Telephone: 01446 624351 (Monday - Friday)
- Website: sthilaryvineyard.wales
- Shop: sthilaryvineyard.wales/shop
- Events: sthilaryvineyard.wales/visit
- Instagram: @sthilaryvineyard
Whether you come for the wine, the views, the supper club, or simply a glass of traditional-method Welsh fizz on the lawn at sunset, St Hilary Vineyard offers a genuinely warm welcome and a quietly confident expression of modern Welsh wine.