This scene may be more typical of France, but Mike Caine is successfully producing wine in Pembrokeshire.

It takes a brave vintner to sell Pembrokeshire-produced wine to the French - but having tried and succeeded Mike Caine is ready to take on the world.

Mike, who produces wine from 3,000 vines at Cwm Deri, Martletwy, is exhibiting at the Real Food Festival in London, an event described as the biggest farmers' market ever.

He is among 500 of the world's best small food and drink producers at the four day event in Earls Court, which aims to raise their profile and generate sales too.

With annual sales of around 40,000 bottles, Cwm Deri is already a success story.

Around three-and-a-half acres of land is planted with vines, with the grapes harvested in the autumn.

Last year's harvest, following weeks of rain and little sunshine, was disappointing, but the vines produced a bumper yield during the previous long, hot summer.

The unpredictability of the weather is one of the reasons why Mike has diversified into producing fruit wines too.

When the grape harvest is poor he can still make wine from the blackberries, elderberries, apples, wild damsons and other fruits that grow at Cwm Deri.

"In a bad year we will still get people coming through our doors wanting to buy wine. We diversified into fruit because we know we can get the ingredients," said Mike.

The grapevines have yet to burst into bud but he is hoping for a good harvest this year. In a good year he will harvest ten tonnes of grapes.

Friends and neighbours help him harvest the grapes which must be pressed on the same day they are picked. The wine is bottled and ready for sale within eight months.

Mike decided to exhibit at the Real Food Festival after success at a St David's Day exhibition in Paris.

"We were a bit nervous about how our wine would be received by the French but we sold 250 bottles," he said.

2:40pm Friday 9th May 2008

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