Wine Tastings and Tours in Essex

Essex is now the third largest grower of grapes in the UK and the largest wine producer in the Eastern region. The county is one of the fastest-growing wine growers, with hectarage up 60% from 2020.

Essex is home to 58 vineyards. The region offers perfect conditions for growing grapes, thanks to its dry sunny climes and geology.

To the north west of the county, its chalky soil is like the Champagne region of northern France. This is ideal for producing award-winning sparkling wines. Whereas the clay soils along the Crouch valley have seen a huge growth. Here, the Pinot Noir and Bacchus grapes have become some of the most sought-after English wines.

Many Essex wine producers are capitalising on the tourism market by not just offering wine tasting tours and cellar door sales. The boom in tourism has grown from vineyards being imaginative about their offer. Many vineyards now offer alfresco dining, weddings, floristry classes and jazz events. Wine makers have also seized the opportunity to open cafes, restaurants and places to stay.

Discover Vineyards in Essex

Crouch Ridge Vineyard

Set on gentle south-facing slopes overlooking the river Crouch, Crouch Ridge Vineyard will host tours and tastings on select dates from May to September 2025. From £17 per person, you can do a self-guided wine tasting to sample three of their wines. For a more detailed wine tasting, led by a trained sommelier, Crouch Ridge also offers gold, silver and bronze wine tasting packages (from £27 per person). The tours & tastings takes place on selected dates from May to September.

Make sure to try their Blanc de Blancs 2021, which won the Sea Breeze Trophy at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2025.

The wine bar and terrace at Crouch Ridge offers inside and outside dining. The cellar menu has been designed to complement the vineyard’s wines. Locally sourced fish, shellfish, meat, poultry and vegetables are included on the sharing boards. The monthly five course tasting evenings and private dining experiences are very popular.

An exquisite barn conversion containing luxurious self-catering flats, Hall Farm Cottages, stands on-site at Crouch Ridge Vineyard. Each cottage offers spectacular views over the river Crouch and the vines, plus two bedrooms, a spacious open-plan lounge and kitchen area, plus outdoor seating with a barbecue. Prices vary by season; high season runs from 1 April to 30 November and low season from 1 December to 31 March. A stay in one of these self-catering cottages starts at £499 for seven nights.

Tuffon Hall

Tuffon Hall’s six-bedroom converted farmhouse provides accommodation for up to 12 guests. Guests receive a large welcome hamper upon arrival with cupboard essentials and extra treats, including a bottle of award-winning Classic Cuvee, and visitors can upgrade the stay to include a vineyard tour and wine tasting experience. Farmhouse stay prices start at £1160 for two nights (two-night minimum stay).

Make sure to try their Charlotte 2020, which won a Silver Medal in the Summer Days category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2025

Dedham Vale Vineyard

The Dedham Vale Vineyard offers strolls through its scenic vineyard, learning the secrets of winemaking with Vineyard Manager Mike. From vine to bottle, Mike’s expert insights and passion for winemaking make this tour both engaging and educational. The tours include an informal tasting session featuring four of the vineyard’s signature wines. Discover their unique flavours and characteristics while soaking up the beautiful surroundings.

Tours start at 11am and are £30pp, or £45 to include a picnic. The tours run until mid-August.

Michael Beeching, Vineyard Manager, Dedham Vale Vineyard: “Vineyards provide the perfect setting for people to escape the everyday, enjoy a glass or two of wine and enjoy themselves. We’ve invested in our tourism offer by launching new food and wine events, in our woodland pavilion and stunning weddings on our Vineyard Green overlooking the Vines and Lake.”

Clayhill Vineyard

Also overlooking the river Crouch and valley, Clayhill Vineyard benefits from sunny climes, relatively low rainfall and proximity to the river to produce tasty wines. Tastings and tours of the vineyard are available during the summer months.

Bardfield Vineyard

Set within a rural estate in north Essex, Bardfield Vineyard puts on vineyard tours, tastings and lunches on the first Thursday of the month from May to September. For £30 per person, you’ll receive a personally guided tour through the estate, information on the work undertaken on the vineyard and a chance to taste their four varieties of wines, followed by a ploughman’s lunch. You can also organise a group visit by appointment and self-guided trails are available to explore the estate independently.

Stay at the luxurious Great Lodge at Bardfield Vineyard in one of their three converted barns; visitors can choose from bed and breakfast or self-catering options. Relax in a cosy room with comfy double beds, stunning wooden floorboards and a contemporary rustic design, with floor-to-ceiling windows. Prices start at £60 per night with a two-night minimum stay.

New Hall Wine Estate

One of the oldest commercial vineyards in the UK, New Hall Wine Estate has been growing vines and producing wines since the 1960s. Their Barons Lane range won silver and bronze awards at the Independent English Wine Awards in 2023. To try New Hall’s award-winning wines, visit their cellar door shop, where you’ll get complementary samples and special offers. New Hall’s Friday Tasting Experiences run throughout the summer at £30 per person, including a welcome glass of wine, a walk through the vines, a wine masterclass and tasting session.

Saffron Grange Vineyard

Saffron Grange is a spectacular vineyard located in Saffron Walden and sits on the same chalk that runs through Northern France. The unique soil formation combined with the climate and geology makes perfect conditions to produce award-winning wines. Saffron Grange won a 2023 Wine GB Silver award for their Classic Cuvee 2019 and a bronze award for their Pinot Noir Rose 2020. Tours and tastings take place regularly. Tickets are priced from £25 per person and are now available for the 2025 season. Tours run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to the end of September.