Phil Bennion, Lib Dem Euro MP for the West Midlands, visited the Kerry Vale Vineyard today (Friday 14th March) just as the first bottles of last year’s bumper harvest were due to be delivered back for sale at the shop.
Kerry Vale Vineyard was established in 2010 by Geoff and June Ferguson on a 2.6 hectare plot in Pentreheyling on the Shropshire border near Montgomery. In 2013 they grew 13 tons of grapes which has made approximately 13,000 bottles of white and rose wine which will shortly be for sale from the Shop. The shop/cafe/interpretation centre was built with support from a EU rural diversity grant.
This project is only in its second year of production but it is real starting to deliver for the local economy in terms of jobs, apprenticeships and attracting visitors to the area. Bed and Breakfasts have also benefitted.