In a recent newsletter article, we asked bdhSterling colleagues who’ve lived in both the UK and Australia what they missed about the country they have left.
In his response to the question, our UK Operations Director, Khan McSween, shared that one thing he misses is visits to vineyards close to the major Australian cities. According to Khan, the proximity makes them perfect for a lovely day out.
It’s true that all of our Australian offices are in cities close to wine regions, such as Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, and the Swan Valley adjacent to Perth.
Whether that’s by accident or design is a closely guarded secret!
That said, it’s important not to overlook the remarkable rise of English wine producers in the last 20 years and the range of vineyards to visit in the UK.
Wine production is booming in England
Wine has been produced in England since Roman times. However, it’s really only since the 1970s that it has become more than a hobby for most wine producers.
According to Wine GB, there are now over 1,000 vineyards in the UK, and UK wine production reached a record 21.6 million bottles in 2023.
The recent growth has been driven by a range of factors including:
- Climate change leading to warmer temperatures, which are highly conducive to grape growth
- Improved growing techniques and site selection, improving the quality of English wines
- Farmers allocating more land to wine production above other, less profitable crops
- The greater willingness of major outlets to stock English wine.
Of those factors, the increasing quality of wines manufactured by English producers has probably been the most important. This has been evidenced by English wines winning a series of awards when up against more traditional wine producers.
Here are six top English vineyards you can visit to appreciate that quality yourself.
1. Ridgeview, Burgess Hill, Sussex
The growers at Ridgeview have been producing wine since 1995, with an emphasis on quality and sustainability.
The vineyard is situated on the South Downs Ridge, which means it is perfectly positioned to grow the traditional grape varieties used in the world’s finest sparkling wines.
A measure of the quality of what they produce is that Ridgeview wines have been served at Buckingham Palace, and one of their sparkling whites was the official wine of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
An added attraction is that Burgess Hill is very close to Brighton, which makes a visit to Ridgeview ideal as part of a long weekend break.
Khan referenced the proximity of Australian vineyards to big cities. But, you should bear in mind that a half-hour train journey from central London, followed by a 10-minute walk, takes you to a hidden gem of a vineyard in the Darent Valley.
The Mount has been producing wines since 2008, after 13,000 vines were planted in 2004.
It produces wine from a variety of grapes, including pinot noir and bacchus. The latter of these has very much become the grape most synonymous with English wine production.
Like all the other vineyards listed here, there’s a top-quality restaurant on site. So, after a tasting session, you can enjoy an idyllic meal looking out over the rows of vines.
3. Denbies Estate, Dorking, Surrey
Denbies is one of England’s largest vineyards with production capacity for nearly 1 million bottles.
Rather than simply majoring on one or two different wines, it produces a wide selection based on the variety of grapes grown on over 260 acres of land under vine.
Like The Mount, it enjoys great transport links, being close to the M25 and an hour on the train out of Waterloo.
It is set in the beautiful area of the Surrey Hills and forms part of many walking tours taking in the seven miles of paths on site.
4. Sandridge Barton, Stoke Gabriel, Devon
This is the furthest west of the vineyards you can read about here. It boasts a scenic aspect across the River Dart in south Devon, which is said to be the best vineyard view in England.
The vines cover 450 acres, and yield a range of grape varieties, including sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, and pinot noir.
These grapes have been used to produce award-winning wines for over 40 years.
There are also self-catering properties on site, which makes the vineyard a perfect place to stay while you enjoy the other attractions this part of the country has to offer – with the benefit of top-quality food and wine when you return after a day of sightseeing.
5. Black Chalk, near Andover, Hampshire
Black Chalk is the smallest of the vineyards listed here, with just 30 acres under vine.
Because of this, it focuses very much on sparkling wines in a crisp, pure-fruited style, rather than producing a more diverse output.
The winery was opened in 2015, and they only started their own vines in 2020. However, an innovative and down-to-earth approach to winemaking has already found a loyal following of appreciative wine drinkers.
If the winemaking is down-to-earth, the same cannot be said of the on-site accommodation, which consists of four treehouses that are six metres off the ground!
6. Tuffon Hall Vineyard, Sible Hedingham, Essex
Wine production at Tuffon Hall is very much a family endeavour.
The land has been worked by the same family for more than a century, and the family ethos now extends to wines named after the three daughters, Amelie, Beatrice, and Charlotte.
The first vines were planted in 2011. The emphasis is very much on quality rather than quantity, along with traditional production methods, including picking the grapes by hand.
This all means an annual limited release of wines, which often sell out quickly.