Visiting a vineyard during the harvest season is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in all parts of the English winemaking (and tasting) process.

Wine estates come alive at this time of year, as juicy grapes are plucked from their vines and sent to the winery for pressing and fermenting, before being turned into our favourite vinos.

While a few vineyards will close over the autumn months, many celebrate the harvest season with exclusive winery tours and tastings.

Some estates even ask for volunteers to help pick the grapes, which can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience – especially as your hard work will often culminate with you enjoying a glass of sparkling wine.

Having started in late September last year, harvest in the UK lasts for just over a month, so now is an ideal opportunity to plan a visit to the vineyards dotted across England, to learn more about harvesting and winemaking.

With many of the country’s vineyards located in the South East, we’ve hand-picked a selection to visit.

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Oxney Organic Estate

Location: Rye, East Sussex

Harvest is a big deal at East Sussex’s Oxney, which is famous for making some of the best organic wines in the country – here, the 35 acres of vines produce around 20 per cent of all organic grapes grown in the UK. Oxney’s tour and tasting summer season runs from 4 May through 26 October 2024.

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Greyfriars Vineyard

Location: Puttenham, Surrey

Surrey-favourite Greyfriars will run winery tours and tastings until mid-September when you’ll have the opportunity to stroll between the vines, take tutored sips and taste the new 2024 wines straight from the tank.

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Tinwood Estate

Location: Chichester, West Sussex

Family-owned Tinwood Estate, in the heart of Sussex, has put together the ultimate harvest package. Start the day with some light picking, as the winemakers guide you through how they hand-pick the best grapes for every single one of their wines. You’ll then be given a three-course rustic harvest buffet, paired with three sparkling wines.

This one isn’t free (the experience costs £65pp) but it makes a great gift for someone who has a real passion for wine, or wants to learn more.

Join the harvest

Stanlake Park Wine Estate

Location: Twyford, Berkshire

Just a short walk from Twyford station (on the Elizabeth line), Stanlake Park is a great place for a day visit from London. During the harvest season, tour guests will be shown the whole winemaking process, including crushing, pressing and even the opportunity to taste the grape directly from the press if it’s available.

There’s also an onsite wine bar that serves all of Stanlake’s wines, as well as cheese and charcuterie platters. It’s a great date spot.

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Exton Park Vineyard

Location: Exton, Hampshire

Hampshire’s Exton Park is a private estate but the vineyard opens its doors for a limited number of tours and tastings each month. The exclusive visits include the chance to explore the vines, winery and Exton Hall, followed by a tasting. It’s a very intimate tour, ideal for people who want to learn a little more about English wine during the harvest season.

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Westwell Wines

Location: Charing, Kent

This year, Westwell Wines will be collecting the first small harvest from last year’s planting, so the estate needs all the help it can get. Soon, the low-intervention vineyard will release tickets for dates when you can join in with picking the grapes. It’s free to attend, and Westwell will even lay on a big feast, overlooking the vines, with a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate.

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Kinsbrook Vineyard

Location: Pulborough, West Sussex

Make it an experience to remember with a full day of picking at Kinsbrook Vineyard. Here, they ensure volunteers are well-fuelled, with pastries and coffees to start the day, followed by lunch and a glass of wine. If you stay for the afternoon, you’ll even get a bottle of wine to take home with you.

If you’d rather drink your wine than help make it, Kinsbrook also hosts harvest vineyard tours, supper clubs and music nights.

Join the harvest

Rathfinny Estate

Location: Alfriston, East Sussex

Rathfinny Estate really knows how to celebrate the harvest season. Enjoy all aspects of the estate, from dining at the Flint Barns Harvest Restaurant to a unique harvest dosage tasting experience that explains how the addition of sugar in sparkling wine changes the style and structure.

If you want to make a weekend of it, book the harvest experience package, which includes an overnight stay at Flint Barns from 25 September to 9 November 2024.

Join the harvest

Other UK vineyards to visit

There are even more vineyards to visit across the rest of the UK. Check out Canalcome Vineyard in Devon, Chet Valley in Norfolk, Oaken Grove in the Chilterns, Velfrey in Wales, or England’s oldest vineyard: Hambledon in Hampshire.

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