The best vineyards in the UK to visit this summer

Chapel Down, Kent

Chapel Down in Kent is one of the best-known vineyards in the UK. Its 22 acres are nestled in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and the winery proudly counts 10 Downing Street and Ascot Racecourse among its former clients.

Guided tours here take just under two hours, in which time you’ll learn all about transforming fruit into quality tipples and how sparkling wines are made the traditional way. All tours culminate with a tutored tasting of Chapel Down’s award-winning sparkling and still wines, but we recommend opting for the package which includes a three-course lunch to extend your time surrounded by lush vines.

If gin is your tipple of choice, pay a visit to the company’s new microbrewery and bar, Chapel Down Gin Works, which opened in King’s Cross earlier this year.

Price: Tours cost £17.50 per person

Ryedale Vineyards, North Yorkshire

To make the most of a trip to Ryedale Vineyards, which is perched at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds, we recommend staying overnight. From your luxurious farmhouse room, you’ll enjoy stunning views of the surrounding six acres of idyllic vineyard, while enjoying a glass of wine – if you wish – from your room’s honesty bar.

Tours of the vineyard, which has been open since 2007, last two hours and include a guided walk as well as a chance to taste the wines paired with local cheeses. You can upgrade your tour to include brunch or afternoon tea, if you're after something more substantial. Whichever you choose, don't forget to purchase your favourite bottles at a discounted rate to take home. If you’re in a large group, why not book the venue’s new-for-2019 Stables Tasting Room and enjoy a two-hour private tasting session?

Price: Tours from £10 per person / stays from £95 per night

Woodchester Valley, Cotswolds

For an intimate vineyard experience, head to Woodchester Valley in the south Cotswolds, where three family-owned boutique vineyards and a winery produce a range of still white, rosé and sparkling wines. The vineyards span Amberley, Woodchester and Doverow Hill, and grow 10 different grape varieties across their 45 acres.

Tours are led by the vineyards’ founder Fiona Shiner and begin with a glass of wine, followed by a guided walk through the Woodchester vineyard site. This is followed by a tour of the winery and insight into the winemaking process, culminating in a tasting session (which includes four stills and one sparkling wine) in the tasting rooms.

The team also run occasional evening events, including wine pairings with pizza or chocolate. Make a weekend of it and book a stay in one of the spacious guest rooms in the vineyard’s barn or ‘retreat’ quarters.

PRICE: Tours from £10 per person / stays from £120 per night

Kingscote, West Sussex

Kingscote Estate in West Sussex boasts orchards as well as vineyards and produces cider as well as wine. The 150-acre site also offers a range of activities – clay pigeon shooting and fishing among them – as well as tours of the crops. With the gorgeous 15th century Tithe Barn as its focal point, it’s unsurprising Kingscote is a popular venue for weddings and corporate events, too.

There are several tiers of tours on offer. Our advice? Book onto the Gourmet Vineyard Tour (£85 per person) which comes with a sumptuous lunch, then follow this with an on-site activity of your choosing to make the most of your time on the picturesque grounds.

Price: Tours from £15 per person

Vineyards of the Surrey Hills, Surrey

The chalky limestone hills Surrey's vineyards are set upon are made up of the same geology as the Champagne region, meaning the area is in a strong position to make first-class wine. This summer, several vineyards in Surrey Hills are joining forces in what could be seen as a serious bid to become the wine destination in the south east.

Five vineyards – Denbies, Greyfriars, High Clandon, Albury and Chilworth Manor – have come together to launch the ‘Vineyards of the Surrey Hills’. The collaboration, a celebration of the area’s excellent wines, is being marked with a weekend-long launch party of festivities. Hop between the vineyards and expect to find live music, picnics and plenty of wine tastings wherever you go. Highlights include a live jazz concert from the FB Pocket Orchestra at the Albury Organic Vineyard, and a pop-up restaurant from Masterchef finalist Dan Britten and My Million Pound Menu’s Emily Lambert on the Denbies Wine Estate.

Sharpham wine and cheese, Devon

As the name suggests, Sharpham wine and cheese in Devon is as well-known for its cheese as its wine. The site, which overlooks the meandering River Dart, produces more than a dozen different wines as well as several unpasteurised cheeses, which are sold throughout the country.

Visitors can opt to wander through the vineyard alone or take a guided tour to learn about the wines. We recommend the latter, which comes with a chance to taste five wines and two cheeses along the way. Don't forget to purchase your favourites from the cellar door before you leave.

Price: Tours cost £20 per person

Three Choirs, Gloucestershire

Three Choirs is the largest and oldest vineyard in Gloucestershire. Its first vines were planted back in 1973 and today its 75 acres have produced 250k bottles of wine between them. Tours lead you from the cellar door to the edge of the vineyard and end with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.

To extend your stay, book a room in the Lodge, snuggled in the heart of the vineyard. From your glass-walled, wooden-framed room, you’ll enjoy views of the tumbling grapes and vines stretching across the fields beyond.

For dinner, head to the onsite brasserie, where head chef Chris Fryer cooks up a flavourful feast made with seasonal, often local produce. Before you turn in for the night, indulge in the moment by relaxing in the room’s roll-top, claw-footed bathtub. We’ll raise a glass of English sparkling wine to that.

Price: Tours from £12.50 per person / stays from £129 per person

Camel Valley, Cornwall

Since 1989, the sun-drenched slopes of the Camel Valley in Cornwall have been producing exquisite wines, including its most famous bottle: the Cornwall Brut. The vineyard is part of a farm which has been run by Bob Lindo and his wife Annie for the past 30 years.

Tours are guided, offering a chance to learn more about the wine-making process as well as the grapes used, and end with a tasting session featuring no less than five wines. During fishing season, guests can extend their time on the grounds with a fishing trip on the Camel River, where salmon and sea trout can be caught.

You can also book a stay in one of the two holiday cottages, both barn conversions, which offer panoramic views of the vineyards below and ample space to sip your wine of choice on the terrace.

Price: Tours from £9.50 per person / stays from £600 per week

Raimes English sparkling wine, Hampshire

Nestled in the chalky hills of the South Downs in Hampshire, the south-facing slopes of Raimes vineyards have been producing wines since 2011. The site is still run by the Raimes family, and produces award-winning chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier between its 10 acres. Tours last one-and-a-half hours and offer a glimpse into life on the Tichborne Estate, as well as a chance to sip the bubbles it produces in the wine barn.

Price: £10 per person

Hush Heath Estate and Winery, Kent

Winning serious points on the scenic scale is Kent’s Hush Heath Estate and Winery, a Tudor-framed manor house surrounded by picturebook pretty vineyards, orchards and ancient woodland. The site is also home to the award-winning, golden-pink Balfour Brut Rosé.

A big pull of visiting Hush Heath is the fact you can take a self-guided tour of the site (using a map provided), which culminates in a single tasting of wine, beer or cider, for free. And for just £5, you can add on three more tastings. That said, we recommend the full guided tour of the estate and winery, which lasts three hours and ends with a tasting session of six wines, beers or ciders in the gorgeous tasting room: The View.

Price: Free for self-guided tour or £25 for full tour and tasting