Ireland's small but determined wine industry warming up
Ireland's wine industry is slowly expanding as growers experiment with grape varieties suited to the country's cool, marginal climate. While still a niche sector, new large-scale plantings suggest a growing interest in domestic viticulture despite the challenges of extreme weather.
Why it matters
It highlights the impact of changing agricultural trends and climate adaptation in regions traditionally not associated with wine production.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Niall Glynn BBC News NI Getty Images The Republic of Ireland is recognised as a wine producing country by the European Commission Think about drinks produced in Ireland and you'd probably picture a creamy pint of stout or a tumbler of amber whiskey.
The last thing you'd probably think of is a glass of wine.
However, the Republic of Ireland is recognised as a wine producing country by the European Commission.
While it still has only a handful of commercial vineyards, along with smaller growers experimenting with wine production, the amount of land being planted with vineyards is continuing to grow.
A new winery near Slane in County Meath is believed to be the biggest ever planting of vines in Ireland - about 36,000 vines on 30 hectares of land.
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