Afternoon visit Gwinllan Winery Llangwstennin

On 16 July, one of the hottest days of 2026, members of Deganwy History Group joined a lunchtime tour of the Gwinllan Vineyard at Llangwstennin, to discover what a special place it is. The tour was conducted by the owner of the vineyard, Colin Bennett who, with his wife Charlotte, started the business completely from scratch twelve years ago.

One does not usually think of Britain as a top-quality wine-growing country but that is the case, with the local vineyard one of the best. The reason is principally because of the mild year-round climate in this particular part of the Creuddyn Peninsula bordered by Llandudno Junction, Mochdre and Penrhyn Bay. Even very hot summers do not present a problem. The soil on the three-acre valley side may be poor and stoney, but that is no detriment to producing good quality grapes, as the roots extend down five metres or more until they find the nutrients they need.
After an initial briefing talk by Colin in the enclosed patio area, the group went out to see the rows of vines full of small grapes which will grow and ripen to be picked in September and October. Colin gave a full description of how the vines are carefully cultivated to produce the best results.

No vineyard tour would be complete without a wine-tasting. Seated at tables in the large conservatory, where many prestigious wine certificates are on display, everyone was able to taste and give their opinion of four of the local wines, ranging from red, to sweet to dry.