The number of vineyards has soared and production has rocketed. The wines, particularly the sparkling variety, have won plaudits across at competitions around the world where they have been described as `elegant and soulful`.

Most notably, the 2008 vintage of Ancre Hill Estates in the Wye Valley was voted best sparkling wine in the world at the Bollicine del Mondo International Competition in Italy in 2012.

The first commercial Welsh vineyard since the Middle Ages was planted at Castell Coch near Cardiff by the industrialist Lord Bute in 1875. But the serious work has nearly all begun in the last 15 years. Many of the vineyards marked on the map above were planted or significantly expanded between 2002 and 2010. In the last 10 years, production has grown to around 100,000 bottles of wine a year and vineyards are still expanding in acreage and planting new vines.

Some in the trade believe that wine-related tourism could add up to £50 million to the Welsh economy in 20 years` time, and it is thought the number of vineyards in Wales, which currently stands at 17, could also more than double.

Image courtesy and full article can be found at source Walesonline.co.uk