When you think of vineyards, your mind may wander to the South of France or rolling lines of grape vines in the Italian countryside. However, the UK also has some beautiful vineyards to visit, which are doing a grape job at producing home grown vino and promoting British viticulture!
Denbies Wine Estate, Surrey
The largest vineyard in the UK, Denbies Wine Estate was planted in 1986, and you’re in good company if you visit, as they have welcomed many members of the Royal Family over the years. Denbies has won multiple awards for its sparkling wine production, won the first ever gold for an English rosé wine, and most recently attained an international gold for their dessert wine. They offer a variety of tours to introduce you to their process, including indoor tours that can range from wine making experiences to sparkling wine tastings, or outdoor tours with breathtaking views as you wind through the vines.
Image Credit: Denbies Wine Estate via Facebook
Denbies Wine Estate is located at London Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6AA
Glyndwr Vineyard, Glamorgan
The oldest vineyard in Wales, Glyndwr Vineyard produces a variety of wines, from sparklings to reds, which have won various awards, and been served at European State banquets, the House of Lords and even a Nato Summit. However, these wonderful wines cannot only be found at highfalutin dinners, you can find them at family run delis around Pembrokeshire and Cardiff, and even your local Waitrose and Sainsbury’s! You can explore their vineyard - which is populated by a roaming menagerie of chickens, ducks and wild pheasants- on a tour accompanied by a chance to meet the farm’s llamas, freshly prepared country food platters and a wine tasting, that in the winter is served in a cosy candlelit barn. Also check out their adjoining gardens with ponds, woodlands, areas and orchards filled with old British apple trees, which make Glyndwr’s cider.
Image Credit: Glyndwr Vineyard via Facebook
Glyndwr Vineyard is located at Llanblethian, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, CF71 7JF
Three Choirs Vineyard, Gloucestershire
Idyllically located between the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean, and named after the local choral festival held between Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester, the Three Choirs Vineyard was founded in 1973 by local wine retailer Alan McKechnie. Since then, the vineyard has gone from strength to strength, growing modern grape varieties alongside traditional Pinot Noirs and Bacchus. They’ve expanded their enterprise to include a state of the art winery, a visitor centre, a restaurant, 8 bedrooms and 3 lodges for those who want to spend a weekend amidst the vines. As well as offering the classic wine tastings and tours, Three Choirs are also the first vineyard in England to offer a “vine adoption service” so people can visit and see how their personal grapes are getting on.
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Image Credit: Three Choirs Vineyard (Newent, Gloucestershire) via Facebook
Three Choirs Vineyard is located in Newent, Gloucestershire, Gl18 1LS
Camel Valley, Cornwall
What is it that makes a wine taste so good? Camel Valley believes it’s their picturesque setting on the slopes of Camel River, which not only makes delicious vino, but an amazing location to visit! Founded by ex-RAF pilot Bob Lindo and his wife Annie, and still run by the family, the vineyard has won a plethora of accolades and invites you to enjoy its award winning bottles on their sun terrace, or go all out and book one of their “down to earth” tours - they claim there’s no snobbery just a deep passion for good wine!
Image Credit: Camel Valley Vineyard via Facebook
Camel Valley is located in Nanstallon, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 5LG
Sharpham Wine and Cheese, Devon
Set on a thousand year old farm (now that’s what we call vintage!) Sharpham Vineyard and Dairy doesn’t just produce our favourite beverage. Using their own Red Tractor assured Jersey cow’s milk, Sharpham produces a selection of handmade, “characterful” cheeses, and their Brie was named runner up in the Best Soft Cheese and People’s Choice Award categories of the first ever British Cheese Awards. Visit for inspiration for your next classy wine and cheese night, taking a guided tour through the vines that run alongside the stunning River Dart or a guided tasting where you get an insight into the individual production processes.
Image Credit: Sharpham Wine and Cheese via Facebook
Sharpham Wine and Cheese is located at Sharpham Estate, Totnes, South Devon, TQ9 7UT