English Oak Vineyard, Lytchett Matravers, near Poole

A 350-year-old oak tree symbolises their philosophy of sustainable, small-scale, low-density planting which respects the environment, with a minimal carbon footprint, solar power, water from a well, organic feeds and all-electric vehicles. The wine’s not bad either.

The wine. 14 different Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes on 23,000 vines go to make their sparkling white and rosé using the traditional méthode Champagnoise.

Latest gongs. Quercus Blanc De Blancs Brut, (Silver, Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2024). Quercus Blanc de Blancs Brut 2020 (Silver, International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), 2024).

Tours and tastings. Who better to take you around the vineyard – which includes an oak amphitheatre, koi pond and Purbeck stone waterfalls – than the owners themselves? Fri and Sat, June to Sept, £25.

What else? The beautifully renovated old oak barn can be hired for parties, events, including weddings.

Wraxall Vineyard, Wraxall, near Shepton Mallet

Vines were first planted on beautiful south-facing hill just south of the Mendips in 1974, making Wraxall one of the oldest vineyards in Somerset.

The wine: Pinot Noir, Pinot Précoce, Bacchus, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes making still and sparkling white and rosé wines.

Latest gongs. Bacchus Reserve 2022 (Gold, WineGB Awards 2024), Bacchus 2022 (Silver, WineGB Awards 2024) and (Bronze, IEWA (Independent English Wine Awards) 2024).

Tours and tastings. Guided tastings all year round Weds, Thurs, Fri and Sat at 11.45am and 2.15pm, £15. Vineyard tours and tastings from April to October on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat, 11am and 1.30pm, £25.

Anything else? Enjoy their wine, Somerset food – and views – in The View@Wraxall, a rather fab contemporary glass building with a terrace and a grass roof. Buy wine at The Cellar Door. Live music, supper clubs, pizza evenings. Stay in one of their holiday cottages. Hire the place for a party or celebration – it’s where we held the Muddy Awards 2024 winner’s drinks party.

Bride Valley, Litton Cheney

With chalky soils similar to the Champagne region and a climate suitable to grow the same vines, no wonder this Dorset vineyard produces cases of award-winning sparkling wines.

The wine. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes for sparkling and some still wines.

Latest gongs. Rose Bella Brut, (Silver, DWWA 2024), Cremant Brut, Chardonnay (Bronze, DWWA 2024).

Tours and tastings. Tours start and finish in the vineyard’s tasting room, with a tour of the 10-hectare in the middle and a guided tasting of four of their wines at the end. Thurs and Sat throughout the season until late Sept. £25.

Anything else? Buy wine from The Cellar Door and browse the owners’ art collection whilst you’re there.

Dunleavey Vineyard, Wrington, near Bristol

Ingrid Bates planted her first vines when she was just 28 and her very first bottles of Pinot Noir Rosé in 2013 won her a bronze in the International Wine Challenge (IWC) – impressive.

The wine. Rosé and sparkling wines from Regent and Seyval blanc grapes.

Gongs. Seyval Blanc 2022 (Bronze IEWA 2024), Sparkling Rosé 2022 (Bronze, WineGB Awards 2024).

Tours and tastings. Join Ingrid for a 90-minute tour and a wine tasting Fridays in Sept, £15 (or if you want to get a group together, contact for a bespoke tour).

Anything else? Ingrid’s paired her still rosé with music, celebrating Bristol’s vibrant music scene with fab photos of musicians and a QR code on the side of the bottle so you can listen as you sip.

Fenny Castle Vineyard, Worth, near Wells

Located on the edge of the Somerset Levels with views over to Glastonbury Tor, Fenny Castle Vineyard not only make award-winning wines, in true Somerset style, they also produce their own cider.

The wine. Bacchus, Ortega and Pinot Noir grapes making rosé and still and sparking white.

Latest gongs. Pinot Noir Rosé 2022 and Bacchus 2022 (Silver, WineGB Awards 2024), Blanc de Noir 2016 (Bronze, WineGB Awards 2024).

Tours and tastings. Stroll through their two vineyards, find out about the wine-making process in the winery and sip their wine and ciders at the end, throughout the summer. £20.

Anything else? Book yourself onto one of their private tasting tours, tours with mezze and wine masterclasses, or a stay in the vineyard cottage.

Furleigh Estate, Salwayash, near Bridport

Former dairy farm turned vineyard and winery, with 22,000 vines growing on 85 acres of vineyard, lakes and grazing land surrounded by woodland, not far from the Jurassic Coast.

The wine. Mostly sparkling, but also still white and rosé wines. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes for sparkling wines; Bacchus and Rondo for still.

Latest gongs. Baccus Dry 2022, Special Reserve NMW (Silver, IEWA 2024); Blanc de Blancs Brut, 2017, Blanc de Noirs, 2015 (Silver, IWC 2024); Bacchus Dry, 2022, Special Reserve, NV (Bronze, IWC 2024).

Tours and tastings. Drop in for a tasting any time (£5) or book yourself onto a 90-minute Classic Tour on Weds (£20) or a two-hour Grand Tour (£30) twice a day Thurs to Sat, from now until the end of Oct. The Foraging Talk & Tasting on 20 Sept sounds good.

Anything else? From a vineyard on land where dinosaurs once roamed, one of their wines was a Tyrannosaurus Red.

Langham Wine Estate, Crawthorne, near Dorchester

When John Langham bought the Grade I-listed Bingham’s Melcombe manor house and grounds in 1980, he planted a vineyard as a hobby. It was his son Justin who turned the hobby into a business, planting 30 acres of vines on their land at Crawthorne Farm and a winery to turn the grapes into award-winning wines.

The wine. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes – the classic Champagne varieties.

Latest gongs. Corallian Classic Cuvee Extra Brut, Culver Classic Cuvée Extra Brut, Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut, Pinot Noir Brut Nature (Silver, Decanter World Wine Awards 2024), Rose Extra Brut, (Bronze, DWWA 2024). Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut NV and Pinot Noir Brut Nature 2019 (Silver IWSC 2024), Corallian Classic Cuvée Extra Brut NV, Culver Classic Cuvée Extra Brut NV and Rosé Extra Brut NV (Bronze IWSC 2024). Blanc de Blancs NV, Corallian Classic Cuvée NV, Culver Classic Cuvée NV, Rosé NV, Pinot Noir 2019 (Gold GBWine Awards 2024), Search For Enlightenment 2022 (Silver, WineGB Awards 2024).

Tours and tastings. Follow a trail around the estate and taste three of their wines (£15); take a two-hour tour with an expert and have a tutored tasting (£25, with an optional lunch with fizz for another £25); let head winemaker Tommy Grimshaw take you on a Winemaker’s Tour around the vineyard and winery and then help you taste your way through their entire range *hic* (£37.50).

Anything else? Come for brunch, lunch, afternoon tea at the Vineyard Café. Fizz Friday in July and August pairs their wine with Dorset seafood and live music.

Oatley Vineyard, near Bridgwater

They’ve been producing low-intervention, eco-friendly wine on this small vineyard between the Quantock Hills and the Bristol Channel coast for over 30 years.

The wine. Dry white wines, still and sparkling, from Kernling and Madeleine Angevine grapes.

Latest gongs. Leonora’s 2018 & 2022 (Silver IEWA 2024), Fraîcheur Barrel Matured 2022 (Bronze IEWA 2024). Leonora’s 2018 (Bronze, WineGB Awards 2024).

Tours and tastings. Self-guided tastings (bring your own picnic) and private tastings from £88.

Anything else? An impressive 35 International Wine Challenge awards over the years.

Aldwick Estate, Redhill, near Bristol

The same family have been farming in the Mendips for five generations, planting vines in 2008 and 2010, producing award-winning wines since 2013 at Somerset’s largest vineyard.

The wine. Six varieties of grape including Seyval Blanc, Pinot Noir and Bacchus result in white, rosé, red, still and sparkling wines.

Latest gongs. Seyval Jubilate 2022 Gold and Pinot Noir 2022 Silver in the IEWA (Independent English Wine Awards) 2024. Woodlands Oak 2022 (Gold, GBWine Awards 2024), Pinot Noir 2022 (Silver, GBWine Awards 2024).

Tours and tastings. Start off with a glass of sparkling, tour the vineyard with your guide and then sip more wine back in the tasting room. Sun and Mons from April to October, 12pm & 2.30pm. £22.50.

Anything else? Get married amongst the vines or in the Old Barn, eat your wedding breakfast in the New Barn, stay in the Vineyard Lodge. Four bedrooms and two apartments are available for breaks and overnight stays.

Smith & Evans, Aller, near Langport

Husband and wife Guy Smith and Laura Evans sold their house in suburbia to move to Somerset and the nine-acre Higher Plot Farm to make wine. The unspoilt land with 300-year old apple orchard terraces, has soil that’s identical to some of the world’s greatest vineyard sites and a climate that’s one of the best in the UK for growing grapes.

The wine. Sparkling wines made from Burgundian Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier grapes.

Latest gongs. Trilogy NV (Silver, WineGB Awards 2024).

Tours and tastings. Self-guided tours and tastings every Sat from now until Sept, £5. Private group tours of around 90 mins, including tastings and a small platter of local bread, cheeses and charcuterie, £27.

Anything else? They’ve used meadow sweet, rosemary, thyme and bay from their land – so biodiverse, it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest – to make their own Langport Gin.

Glug! Celebrate English Wine Week with award-winning wine from Dorset & Somerset vineyards

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