In recent years, Irish wine has moved beyond its status as a joke, with over a dozen vineyards now producing wine that rivals the quality of those from renowned wine regions like France, Spain, and Italy. While Irish wine is still produced in small quantities and priced at around €60 (£50) a bottle, the results of over a decade of effort have led to what some retailers consider “arguably very fine” rosé.
Though the industry is far from large-scale commercial production, these wines are a symbol of the country’s potential for winemaking in the face of climate change.
Global warming has been a significant factor in making grape growing more viable in northern regions, including Ireland. Kees van Leeuwen, a viticulture professor, and Paul Moore, an Irish climatologist, both highlight the impact of warmer temperatures, extended growing seasons and reduced frost risk.
From 1961 to 2020, Ireland experienced an increase in average temperatures by 0.7 degrees Celsius and a 7% rise in rainfall, which together have created a more favorable environment for crop growth, particularly in the past 30 years.
However, despite these improvements, viticulture in Ireland remains a difficult challenge. The rise in temperature and extended growing seasons have not made it possible to grow classic wine varieties like Chardonnay. Successful vine growing in Ireland depends on selecting the right varieties that can withstand the cooler, wetter climate.
David Llewellyn, a long-established winemaker in Lusk, has spent decades experimenting with grape varieties and rootstocks suited to the Irish environment. He emphasizes the importance of finding the right balance, as even experts have struggled to understand the challenges presented by Ireland’s marginal climate for wine production.
Llewellyn has found success with varieties like Madeleine Angevine, a white grape grown in Germany and regions with similar climates, and Rondo, a red hybrid grape that ripens early, allowing it to mature during Ireland’s temperate summers.
His vineyard, Lusca, produces sparkling rosé and red wines in small quantities, about 150 cases annually, sold mainly to restaurants. Llewellyn’s wines, once marked by a mix of failures and successes, have improved significantly, gaining recognition for their quality, particularly his sparkling Blanc de Noir.
Despite the challenges, other Irish winemakers, such as Philip Little and Seán Kerin of Triskelion Wines in Kilkenny, share a similar passion for innovation. Although their vineyard has yet to produce large-scale commercial quantities, they are focused on experimenting with varieties suited to Ireland’s unique conditions.
With only about 1,500 bottles produced per year, they aim to produce enjoyable wines while acknowledging that becoming financially successful in the Irish wine market is unlikely. Nevertheless, they encourage people to taste Irish wines with an open mind, urging them not to dismiss them as inferior. As they can see, Ireland’s wine industry is in its infancy, much like England’s decades ago.