Would you believe that there are many vineyards in Yorkshire and that they offer tours? Yes, Yorkshire! In this article, we’ve compiled a selection of vineyards and plenty of information to help you decide which one to choose.
We are always searching for ways to have a memorable day out with friends or family. If, like us, you’re a wine lover looking for some incredible wine-tasting experiences right here in the UK, in this article, we explore a selection of vineyards within Yorkshire. With beautiful views of the vineyards and informative tours, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and plenty of wine to try!
This area has a deep-rooted history in viticulture and winemaking, dating back to the Roman era, even though growing grapes in Yorkshire can be tricky due to the climate. The region isn’t exactly known for its warm, sunny weather! But with lots of passion and determination, the Yorkshire region produces some of the finest wines. With a good selection of vineyards and wineries, they produce over 100,000 bottles of wine annually.
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Yorkshire Heart Vineyard
Yorkshire Heart Vineyard produces exquisite wines from grapes grown in their vineyard in Nun Monkton, between York and Harrogate. The team at Yorkshire Heart Vineyard are incredibly passionate about their work and take great care to nurture the vines throughout the year. During the Autumn harvest, a group of wonderful volunteers and friends handpick the grapes, ensuring that only the best grapes are selected for processing.
The grapes are processed on-site in the winery, where the chief winemaker, Gillian Spakouskas, oversees the 12-month fermentation and maturation period. The wines are carefully monitored and stabilised before they are filtered, bottled, labelled, and packed in-house. Everything is done on-site, from grape to glass, ensuring the wine is of the highest quality. They create a range of unique and beautiful tasting reds, whites, rosés, and sparkling wines. Each bottle is a testament to the care and attention that goes into creating fine artisan Yorkshire products.
Yorkshire Heart Vineyard Tours
Chris and Gillian, the owners, provide both summer and winter tours for their guests. Upon arrival, you will receive a glass of their exquisite sparkling wine. Your tour will begin with a stroll through the vineyard and a visit to the winery. Afterwards, you will be treated to a tasting of three of their finest still wines, perfectly paired with a plate of delicious nibbles to enhance your wine-tasting experience. Learn more about the vineyard tours here.
Winehouse Cafe
If you don’t fancy a tour but would like a bite to eat and a taste of the wines, you can visit their Winehouse Cafe. They offer an assortment of cakes and snacks for those who want a light bite or lunches if you want something more substantial. They also provide a delicious afternoon tea, made special by the unique environment surrounding the Café.
You can also take part in the Cellar Door Tasting. You’ll get to taste all three Latimer wines – red, rosé, and white – and they even provide complimentary tasting dishes. For a more luxurious experience, we recommend the Signature Tasting. With this option, you can try seven of their top-notch wines, including the Winemaker’s Choice and signature Eleanor. As with the Cellar Door Tasting, you’ll receive three tasting dishes.
You can even stay over at the vineyard! For events, glamping and camping options and further information. Visit the website via the link below.
Sheveling Wine Estate at Holmfirth Vineyard
Rebecca and Ian Sheveling are owners of Holmfirth Vineyard, located in West Yorkshire. The couple took a risk by venturing into the vineyard industry. Despite the challenges of growing grapes in the area, they have succeeded! Holmfirth Vineyard has found a solution to the Yorkshire weather by using hybrid grapes that grow in less sunny environments.
Rather than relying on traditional grape varieties like merlot, pinot grigio and syrah, Holmfirth Vineyard grows grapes such as solaris, seyval, red rondo and regent, which are more suited to colder and variable weather conditions. Despite the challenging climate, their efforts have paid off as they continue producing quality wines.
Sheveling Wine Estate at Holmfirth Vineyard Tours
Discover the vibrant history of the vineyard here and learn how they cultivate award-winning English wines on a tour and tasting session. Take a leisurely walk through the vines (weather permitting) as they introduce you to the hybrid grape varieties that flourish in the Holme Valley and explain how the vineyard is managed. Get an intriguing glimpse into the production process on a winery tour before sampling a range of wines with expert guidance to quench your thirst. They offer a range of tour packages to suit you, which you can find here.
Afternoon Tea
You can appreciate the beauty of the Holme Valley from the Tasting Lounge while indulging in traditional afternoon tea. The afternoon tea includes various savouries, sandwiches, scones, and cakes. Alternatively, if you are in the mood for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, they also have menus with a great variety of options. You can visit their website via the link below for booking, events, and further information.
Laurel Vines Vineyard and Winery
This vineyard and winery is a family-run business nestled in the charming hamlet of Aike. Since the initial planting in 2010, they have grown from 2,000 vines to an impressive 15,500 in 2023. At Laurel Vines, they focus on producing exceptional quality wines with sustainability as the cornerstone of their production. Their goal is continually improving their wines while achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. You may have even seen them featured on the Hairy Bikers Go North.
They oversee the entire wine-making process, from the grape harvest to the bottling of the fine wines. One of the main ways they continue to improve the vineyard is by investing in whole-team training in gentle pruning techniques. This helps to ensure the longevity of the vines, which is crucial for producing excellent wines year after year. They also use organic pest and fertiliser treatments to reduce the reliance on harmful agricultural chemicals.
Laurel Vines Vineyard Picnics
The Vineyard Picnics are a fantastic way to spend time at the vineyard. You can enjoy your picnic in either the outdoor or indoor seating areas or borrow one of their picnic blankets and take in the stunning surroundings of the vineyard. The picnic package for two includes:
- A friendly vineyard and winery tour.
- Two sandwiches of your choice.
- Two packets of Yorkshire crisps.
- Two scones (fruit or plain).
- Two bottles of water (still or sparkling).
- Your choice of one bottle of Laurel Vines wine or three local beers.
They are excellent value for money and a lovely experience. You can find more information about the Vineyard Picnics here.
Saturday Wine Bar
Are you just looking for a laid-back afternoon in the beautiful vineyards of Yorkshire? The wine bar event is the perfect opportunity to experience this little slice of heaven. The event is priced reasonably at just £5.00 per ticket, including a glass of your preferred wine. The time is flexible, so you can join anytime between 11:30 am and 5:00 pm. Enjoy light bites, a variety of soft drinks, and hot beverages.
Ryedale Vineyards
Ryedale Vineyards is located near York and Castle Howard at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds. What’s impressive about this vineyard is that it’s one of the most northerly commercial vineyards in the United Kingdom.
They were voted one of the 12 best vineyards to visit and tour in England and Wales in 2019. They regularly win awards for their wines. Everything from pruning to harvesting to pressing, fermenting, bottling, and labelling is done by hand in their converted cow byre. It’s a truly unique place to experience, and we highly recommend visiting if you’re in the area.
Ryedale Vineyard Tours
There are 15000 vines on this vineyard featuring 18 different varieties of grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Bacchus. The guided tour and tasting is a fun and informative experience, where visitors see the vines and vineyard before heading to the winery.
The tour ends with a delicious sampling of the wines and ciders paired with some locally sourced cheeses. Tours are available from Easter until the end of harvest in late October, and they even offer an optional pre-tour cream tea to start your experience off right. Events are held regularly at the vineyard, including Open Days, Live Theatre and Yorkshire Day celebrations with a brass band and Morris Dancing. You can even stay over in one of the two luxurious farmhouse rooms.
Dunesforde Vineyard
The Townsend family founded this charming four-acre vineyard in the Vale of York. They work in perfect harmony with the cool climate to produce exceptional quality fruit that goes into crafting distinct and characterful English wines. It’s worth noting that this is one of the most northerly vineyards in the UK, which makes their wines even more unique and impressive.
In 2016, the family began planting near their Upper Dunsforth home in North Yorkshire, drawing inspiration from the vineyards in Tuscany and the local Roman heritage. They carefully selected four grape varieties, Bacchus, Solaris, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir Précoce, based on their suitability to this northern location. The land is now home to these varieties, thriving and producing delicious wines. It’s been four years since they started their journey, and they are thrilled to share that they released their first harvest wines in October 2019, followed by the 2019 harvest in June 2020.
Dunesforde Vineyard Tours
When you visit Dunesforde, you’re in for a treat! You’ll experience the beautiful North Yorkshire vineyard and its excellent facilities. Take a step back as you witness their recreation of a Roman winery, complete with amphoras. You’ll even see a stunning 27ft by 8ft mural painted by Lynn Ward, depicting her vision of nearby Roman Aldborough during the 4th century.
During your visit, you’ll learn about their history, the grapes they grow, and why they produce them. Their Halfpenny Green Wine Estate partners will also provide insight into the winemaking process. You’ll even glimpse how the Romans would have made wine centuries ago. Finally, it’s time for the all-important tasting of their wine collection. You can relax and enjoy the views as you sip the delicious wines. In addition, they also host events and provide the impressive vineyard building as a venue for your events.
Visiting one of Yorkshire’s vineyards and tours is a great way to experience the region’s beauty, taste and take home some fantastic wine. The vineyards offer a unique opportunity to learn about the winemaking process, discover new flavours, and meet passionate experts in the field. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or just looking for a unique day out, Yorkshire’s vineyards and tours are worth booking.
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