Robb and Nicola Merchant

A Family Owned Vineyard


“ A Dream Became a Reality ”

 

Having purchased a 12 acre small holding in 1993 Robb and Nicola Converted the milking parlour into their cherished home. The idyllic countryside setting provided the perfect backdrop for Nicolas dream of one day owning a vineyard to flourish.

In 2008 Nicolas aspirations materialised when a further south facing field was purchased, excitement filled the air as they eagerly set to work, soil tests were performed  and vines ordered. May 2009 saw the planting of 4000 vines.

The carefully chosen grape varieties have proved to be the building blocks of White Castle Vineyards success. The following year they planted a further 8oo Siegerrebe, a captivating aromatic variety. Fuelled by their unwavering commitment to sustainable viticulture practices they have nurtured their vineyard, ensuring harmony between the land  and the vines. Robb and Nicola have attended Plumpton College east Sussex to study viticulture, this training giving them the skills needed to produce quality Welsh wines.

May 2019 marked the vineyards 10 year anniversary since first planting and to mark this milestone they have planted a further 2000 vines, these varieties include Cabernet Franc, a first for Wales. To date White Castle vineyard has 13500 vines planted.

By harnessing the vineyards unique microclimate they have cultivated grapes that boast unrivalled quality and flavour profiles, allowing the terroir to shine through in each bottle of wine produced.

The tireless efforts and unwavering dedication has not gone unnoticed. White Castle vineyard has garnered numerous prestigious awards, a testament to the exceptional quality and craftsmanship imbued in every bottle. From the acclaimed Decanter World wine awards  to the Welsh vineyard Association competition the wines have consistently  impressed critics and judges alike. With each accolade White Castle Vineyard reputation has soared, cementing its status as one of the leading wine producers in the country.

The next chapter in White Castle Vineyard story is set to be a truly transformative one. Robb and Nicola have their sights set on establishing an onsite winery. This ambitious endeavour will not only increase production capacity but also provide a unique selling point for visitors and customers. By controlling  the entire winemaking process, from grape to bottle, White Castle Vineyard will ensure that its wines are a true reflection of Welsh Craftsmanship and terroir.

The envisaged winery will combine traditional wine making techniques with modern advancements, embracing sustainability and environmental responsibility every step of the way.

Our mission is to produce high quality Welsh wines that are a true reflection of our unique terroir, while implementing sustainable viticulture practices that promote the health of the land and community.

Visit yesterday - Dirk and Sheila
Many thanks for a wonderfull visit yesterday and our personal tour of your vineyard! It certainly was our lucky day to have the place to ourselves and to taste such gorgeous wine. Thank you for giving up so much if your precious time. I’ve signed up to your mailing list so i’ll find out when you’re harvesting next so hopefully will be back next year.
Fabulous Wines
Lovely setting for the vineyard In beautiful Monmouthshire. Friendly and welcoming reception. The Wines we had for tasting were superb. They are all unique and we purchased some to take home too. We had the fish platter which was delicious. The fish is from the mountain smokery. We will definitely return. Highly recommend.
Well Worth A Visit
Wonderful reception and very well presented vineyard. Red Wine high quality.Suggest you have a organised tour of the whole facility. Michelin Star restaurant The Walnut Tree just down the road. Good scenery in the locality.
Penderowen - Falmouth
Brilliant vineyard tour and wine tasting experience
I received a voucher for White Castle Vineyard for my birthday and booked the tour on a Saturday morning the day before the grapes were being picked - we were so lucky! We had a very quick response from Robb when I booked and he took our group of 4 on the tour (nobody else had booked so it was a very personal tour). Robb gave us so much history about how they started the vineyard and all the different vines they had bought over the years. The tour lasted over an hour because we were asking so many questions and then we went back and tried the 4 lovely wines. We enjoyed the tour so much we ended up adopting a vine and buying some of the wines. We’ve been on a couple of vineyard tours over the years and Robb was absolutely brilliant - so knowledgeable and it was really nice he told us to try and taste the different grapes so when we tried the wines later we could tell the difference. We all really enjoyed and look forward to going back again next year and hopefully see the vineyard win more awards and continue to grow.
Nesta L.
Delicious wine, fascinating tour, wonderful experience!
Had the most amazing time on a Vineyard tour and wine tasting as part of my hen party weekend! Robb shows so much passion when he explains the vineyard and their business, and both him and Nicola really looked after us for the wine tasting! In the lead up, the communication was fantastic and was easy to book, even for such a large group. Can't recommend highly enough- thank you for being part of my hen weekend!
Charlotte G.
Bon courage!
Thank you Robb and Nicola for a really enjoyable tour of your vineyards, wine tastings and the yummy platter. It was really informative and easily explained to us 'drinkers' 😋 It was also really encouraging to see that your hard graft is rewarded by the visitors drawn to your unique enterprise. Wishing you every success in the development of your premium wines. We'll be following your progress and sampling your wares 😋👍 when we check back at the next tasting session. Bon courage! As the French would say 😉
Teresa and Jon Penn
Vineyard in the Autumn
We visited your vineyard in the autumn and have only just got to drink our purchase of Gwin Gwyn 2021. We have been drinking English wine for decades and used to to attend the wine festival in Alfriston Sussex every year. Since moving to Worcestershire we have 'discovered' Welsh wine. The Gwin Gwyn 2021 is one of the best, if not the best, I have ever tasted. I immediately went to the website and was gutted to see it sold out . I noted it was made with Phoenix grapes, a variety I am not familiar with. Could you let me know if there are any plans to produce another vintage using that variety. Taste wise how do feel the Siegerrebe compares?
Neil
Wine Tasting & Tour
Fabulous couple of hours spent learning not only about the wine, but the personal story and passion behind the business. Probably the warmest, most genuine, personal ‘guided tour’ we have been on, delivered by Rob who is not only incredibly knowledgable but fun, friendly, full of anecdotes and stories and happy to share his knowledge. We spent time wandering through the vines tasting the different types of grape (we were lucky to visit just before harvesting time), followed by a relaxed and informative wine tasting - 4 types of wine to test with Rob guiding us through each one. They were all fantastic. There is absolutely no pushy selling at all, but of course you fall a little bit in love with the place and wanting to take a little bit of the magic away with us, we came away with a box of wine which we will enjoy along with the memories. Highly recommended way to pass a couple of hours
RooBaloo
Popped down ~ pre Lockdown
• Well, popped down ~ pre lockdown ~ to lend a helping harvest hand to the glorious Robb and Nicola Merchant of White Castle Vineyards @welshwines. • A family-run business that champions Welsh Wine 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and showcases the quality that can be found outside the ‘Champagne 3’ model. Carving a Welsh identity out of the rolling Monmouthshire hills. • The 🍇 vines are Pinot Précoce, Regent and Rondo plus some very exciting south-facing, sandy soiled Cabernet Franc (!) inspired by Robb’s visits to Chinon, in the Loire. A GB first there are plenty of eyes looking to see how this develops. 🤞🏽 • Whites are flourishing here too, Phoenix, Seyval Blanc and Siegerrebe. We tried the latter and it was lip-smacking and luscious. • The Lombardy poplars and picturesque Croft Barn give the scenario a quaint feel but don’t doubt this is a smooth operation heading for accolades. 💪🏽 We squirreled away a bottle of their sparkling Silver Award Winner from @winegb in the wine rack 🥂 for cracking out when we have some non-believers in Welsh quality pours. 😝
Jess Walker
Fantastic Wines!
Wonderful little vineyard with delicious wine... owned, run & worked by the most hospitable Robb & Nicola, who took time to tell us their story. Wishing them both continued success and all the very best for the future 🍇🍷🥂
Ade R
Great visit with caravan. Lovely wine and hospitality
Great vineyard and owners. Visit every year. A delightful spot in the welsh countryside near interesting castles and places to explore on foot or by car.
Diane F
Knowledgeable, enthusiast and a joy to meet
This little jaunt was bought for me by my wife as a Christmas gift. I am - or at least was, but I'm not so sure now after this visit - more of a whisky man and have visited many distilleries so am familiar with the 'guided tour' and 'masterclasses' bit. But hey, if you think you know a lot about wine then have a chat with this pair and you are just about to learn a whole lot more. A delightful couple whose motivation for success is a driven solely by a desire to produce high quality wines whilst enjoying a quality of life most of us dream of, it is quite possible to take a cupful of their conversation and squeeze their pure enthusiasm out of it. What more can I say, other than it really completed my Christmas. Oh, nearly forgot, we bought a mixed case - natch - but were delighted to see they do mail order as well. It doesn't matter, because we will be back. And the wine? Well, it's not cheap but then again this is not a cheap wine shop; go to your local 'offie' for that. The whole range is of very good quality - just take a look for yourself at the certificates on the walls - and well worth the relatively modest cost for such a fine tipple. A cracking afternoon out, thanks to both.
HarleymanG
Fantastic wines!
Some of the best reds I have tried in the UK! Really refreshing and unique whites and just an all round beautiful vineyard.
Fletch17687
Enjoyable and Interesting Evening
Just a note to say thank you so much for an enjoyable and interesting evening last night every one thoroughly enjoyed your talk and slides. It was a delight to see how passionate you both are about the Vineyard and what you have achieved. I wish you every success for a bumper harvest this year. Later on in the year I will contact you re a visit as you suggested. Many thanks once again. Kind regards
Pam
Lovely Evening in Garden
Hi Robb & Nicola Enjoyed visiting and talking to you on Saturday. Good news: had a lovely evening in garden with wife back from part1 of Offa's Dyke Walk, rounded off perfectly with a bottle of your Regent. Bad news: you've made an Englishman very happy - though probably happier than I ought to be given work tomorrow. No need to reply.
Phil
Great time wine tasting with Robb
Hi Robb Thanks so much to you both for a lovely day yesterday, we all really enjoyed ourselves and your wines are delicious. Will let my parents know they should pop in sometime as well! “Great time wine tasting with Robb…” Thanks Robb we had a great time with you. I now like white wine after tasting your wine and Rose'!! What a great present wine tasting I will tell others.
Pookie and Ruth
A Very Tipsy Visit
A fantastic place to visit, tucked away in the outback of Wales. Rob and Nicola were excellent hosts. We had a tour of the vineyard to hear about the different grapes and ate some to see the different tastes. And then off to a tasting. We had 5 in all to try and must say all the wines were very drinkable, even the reds which I don’t normally like, but did these as light. The wine tasting is to be paid for. Lots of our group took 2 or 3 bottles each home so out coach was rattling.
Wonderful Welsh Vineyard
Not far from White Castle just west of Monmouth is White Castle Vineyard. Nicola and Robb Merchant have a wonderful little vineyard and make superb award winning wines. Great tasting room on site, cellar door sales and even a restored medieval barn.
Barn and Vineyard Trip
Thanks to Robb and your wife, Nicola for making our Saturday “Barn and Vineyard Trip” such a super occasion. We were delighted with the manner in which we were introduced to “Nic’s Dream Vineyard” by Robb. He was good-humoured, knowledgeable and attentive. He dealt patiently and authoritatively with my questions. Having a first rate tour was most fulfilling. Your vineyard was beautifully clean, well organised and we had great entertainment. Thanks are extended to the above two young people. We are delighted to see the renovation of the barn and the growing of the grapes, sadly, we were unable to stay for the tasting! We will be back... if you’ll have us. Our regards
Mo and Phil Wood
Wonderful Visit on Sunday
Hi Robb Firstly I must thank both you and your wife for a wonderful visit on Sunday. What a lovely story behind the setting up of the vineyard and lovely wines you produce as well. Everyone enjoyed the visit tremendously. Kind regards & best wishes
Jennny
Wonderful Tour
I just wanted to say yet again thank you so much for a wonderful tour. The delegates loved it and those that couldn’t make it were very envious from the feedback those that attended gave back that evening. Your enthusiasm for what you do and the area really added to the day, and especially the theme of promoting business in Abergavenny, which was fantastic. Thank you for taking the time out to host us and for your warm hospitality. As I say, I’ll be back soon no doubt for some more tasting / buying but if you do have any events you’d like me to include on the www.visitabergavenny.co.uk website, do let me know. Many thanks again,
Ruth
Definitely Recommend a Visit
We discovered White Castle Vineyard while driving to visit the nearby White Castle on a weekend excursion from the Cotswolds. The vineyard is not large. Think quality over quantity. I enjoyed the vineyard tour, wine tasting, and talking with Rob more than I did visiting the White Castle (which was pretty cool to visit). The wine was good. I definitely recommend a visit if you are in the area. Make it a stop on your Welsh wine visit. Rob also recommended the nearby 1861 restaurant. His taste in wine seems to be as good as his taste in restaurants.
Matt Park
Very Informative Visit
We visited with friends and were given the tour of the vineyard by the owner. He was friendly, informative and his passion for his craft was obvious. We were shown around the restored barn and then the vines where I personally learnt a lot about the wine making process, from vine to bottle. We then went on to taste some of the wares and again my education continued. We left with some of their sparkling white wine and fortified wine (untasted) and our friends took a variety of the red wines. The fortified wine (port by another name) was excellent but the sparkling wine was absolutely superb! As good as, if not better than, any champagne we’ve had in the past. This is a great way to spend an hour or two, having your knowledge expanded by an excellent host.
del157jules
Loverly Day Out
This is a must not miss, if like us you enjoy good wine, cheese, and great hosts and hostesses. We arrived in the afternoon to a loverly host Rob, nothing is too much for him to make you feel at home, the cheese and wine tasting began with a full description of each cheese and wine. The wine is all from the vineyard outside and a tour is conducted by Rob with a history of how he and his wife started it all . After you can purchase any of the wines and many other items . IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA YOU MUST NOT MISS THIS, BOOKING IS ADVISABLE
Vic E
Smooth and Favourable and Different
"The wine is fabulous so smooth and favourable and different! We went with friends and had an intense tour with the owner Rob he was amazing so informative and entertaining you can tell he has a passion for all aspects of the industry. Loved the old barn for parties and the setting with Skirrid in the background. Will definitely be back and specifically to buy the wine. Loved the whole afternoon thanks Rob!"
Kay Batchelor
Good and Informative afternoon
My wife and I recently made a visit to the White Castle vineyard, courtesy of a voucher given to us as a present to include a tour, wine tasting and cheeseboard. We visited the vineyard on a warm Friday afternoon and were welcomed by the owners Robb and Nicola who were very friendly and welcoming! The vineyard tour was really interesting and Rob explained everything from the humble beginnings to present day and the journey in between. It is clearly a labour of love for them both and their enthusiasm is exceptional. Having had an informative tour we had the wine tasting, which included four of the wines from the vineyard. This was equally informative and a great topic of discussion. Following this Nicola served us our beautiful cheese board. Being a lover of cheese and wine we felt it was only right to order a bottle of wine to accompany the cheese and spend an hour discussing and admiring what a great job they have done in bringing the Vineyard to its present position. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and found it so informative. This place is definitely worth a visit if ever in the area.
Mike R
Beautiful Sparkling White and Pinot Noir
Hi Robb, Just a quick line to thank you for your beautiful sparkling white and pinot noir which were served at our daughter Jennifer's wedding at Llansantffraed Court last Saturday. Excellent in every way. Best regards,
Gail