England
English vineyards to visit
The chalk that runs under Champagne surfaces again in the hills of southern England. On it grows some of the best sparkling wine made outside France, and many estates now welcome visitors for tours, lunch and a night among the vines. Here is where to start.
14 November 20266 min read
Picolo Editorial
In short: English vineyards
Kent and Sussex have the most vineyards to visit, and several are within easy reach of London by train. Chapel Down and Gusbourne in Kent run tours and tastings from £30, and Ridgeview in Sussex from £20. Denbies in Surrey is the easiest without a car, a short walk from Dorking station. Ockenden Manor in Cuckfield, near Ridgeview and Bolney, is our first choice for a wine weekend.
Last checked: November 2026.
Why southern England makes sparkling wine
Champagne and the South Downs share the same band of chalk, which drains well and keeps the vines' roots cool. A cool climate gives grapes high acidity, which is exactly what sparkling wine needs. Most English estates grow the three champagne grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, and make their wine the same way, with a second fermentation in the bottle. At Hambledon in Hampshire, vines were first planted in 1952.
Kent
Kent has some of the largest estates. Chapel Down at Small Hythe, near Tenterden, offers a tour and tasting for £30, and you can add lunch or afternoon tea in the Swan Restaurant. Gusbourne at Appledore was founded in 2004 by Andrew Weeber and has 60 hectares of vines, with tastings from £30. Balfour near Staplehurst, first planted in 2002, has a 400-acre estate, tours from £15 and its own restaurant, The View.
Sussex
Sussex lies on the South Downs, the chalk ridge along England's south coast. Ridgeview at Ditchling Common planted its chardonnay in 1995 and runs tours from £20, with lunch at Rows & Vine. Rathfinny near Alfriston, close to the coast at Cuckmere Haven, has ten bedrooms in the Flint Barns and The Hut, an open-air wine bar. Bolney Wine Estate is a short drive from Cuckfield, which makes it an easy first stop.
Surrey and Hampshire
Denbies near Dorking has 265 of its 380 acres under vine, making it one of the largest single vineyards in England. Tours start at £16.95, and the estate has several restaurants and its own 17-room hotel. In Hampshire, Hambledon has a cellar door and restaurant where English wine began again, and Black Chalk near Andover, which made its first wine in 2015, runs tours from £25.
Getting there without a car
Denbies is the easiest, a short walk from Dorking station. For Kent, take the train to Ashford for Chapel Down, or to Headcorn for Gusbourne, and a bus or taxi from there. Ridgeview is a short taxi from Burgess Hill or Hassocks on the line from London to Brighton.
When to go
Most cellar doors open from spring to autumn, and many run tours only at weekends outside summer. The harvest falls in late September and October, when the vineyards are at their busiest. Book tours ahead, especially on summer Saturdays. To taste English wine without leaving town, see our guide to wine tasting in London.
Picolo picks the hotel for you
Picolo is the hotel guest's best friend. We take on the role of guide and do the work before you book: we look at the hotels in the area, where they stand, what guests say and what is actually there. Then we choose the one hotel that suits this particular trip best. For a vineyard weekend in Sussex the choice fell on Ockenden Manor, a short drive from Ridgeview and Bolney, with a spa for the day after. Guests rate it 9.0 out of 10 on Hotels.com.
Our first choice in Sussex
Ockenden Manor
Ockenden Manor is an Elizabethan manor house in the village of Cuckfield, listed Grade II* and extended in the 17th and 19th centuries. The restaurant looks out over Cuckfield Park, and the spa has a pool, part indoor and part outdoor, fed by a natural spring. Bolney and Ridgeview are a short drive away, and Haywards Heath station on the London to Brighton line is close by. After a day of tastings, the evening ends by the fire.
Frequently asked questions about English vineyards
What are the best vineyards to visit in England?
Chapel Down and Gusbourne in Kent, Ridgeview and Rathfinny in Sussex, and Denbies in Surrey are among the most visited, with regular tours and tastings. Hambledon in Hampshire, where vines were first planted in 1952, and Black Chalk near Andover are also worth the trip.
Can you visit English vineyards by train?
Yes. Denbies is a short walk from Dorking station. Chapel Down is reached via Ashford and Gusbourne via Headcorn, with a bus or taxi for the last stretch. Ridgeview is a short taxi from Burgess Hill or Hassocks on the line from London to Brighton.
How much does a vineyard tour in England cost?
Most tours with a tasting cost between £15 and £30 per person. Balfour starts at £15, Denbies at £16.95 and Ridgeview at £20, while Chapel Down, Gusbourne and Hambledon start at £30. Longer experiences with lunch cost more. Check prices and book on each estate's own website.
When is the best time to visit English vineyards?
Late spring to early autumn is best, when the vines are green and most cellar doors are open. The harvest, in late September and October, is the busiest time. In winter many estates open only at weekends or by appointment, so check before you travel.
Sources
Estate details and tour prices come from Club Oenologique's guide to English vineyards. Details on Rathfinny come from the estate's own website, and on Denbies' hotel from The Hotel Guru. Train routes to Kent come from The Nudge. The history of Ockenden Manor comes from Historic Sussex Hotels and Historic England. Ian Hawfinch and Peter Trimming took the vineyard photographs, via Wikimedia Commons. Hotel photographs are from Hotels.com (Expedia Group). Last checked November 2026.
Cheers from England
Picolo Editorial