Visit Essex pops the cork to celebrate boom in wine tourism

16th June 2025

Ahead of English Wine Week (21 to 29 June), the county’s tourism organisation, Visit Essex, is celebrating an increase in wine tourism. 

Visit Essex is shining a light on the county’s stunning vineyards and award-winning wines this English Wine Week. The tourism organisation  marked the occasion at an event at Dedham Vale Vineyard on 10 June 2025. 

Essex is now the fifth¹ largest grower of grapes in the UK and the largest wine producer in the Eastern region. 

The latest figures² by Wine GB reveals that tourism related visits to UK vineyards have increased by 55% to 1.5 million visits in just one year (2022/2023). Wine GB thinks there’s the potential for this to rise to 16 million visits per year, based on the number of tourists expressing an interest in visiting a vineyard.

Essex is home to over 50 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. 

Councillor Mark Durham, Chair of Visit Essex, is excited by these new opportunities. He says: “Essex has the perfect climate and geology to grow fine English wine. Vineyards are popping up all over the county. I’m also proud that our wine producers are winning so many top awards. The potential to grow wine tourism is staggering and it’s a challenge we’re happy to support. The future looks very rosé, white and red.”

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. 

Michael Beeching, Vineyard Manager, Dedham Vale Vineyard, is excited about the growth in wine tourism. He says: “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.” 

The county’s top wine producers, Dedham Vale, Crouch Ridge, Bardfield, Clayhill, New Hall, Tuffon Hall and Saffron Grange, have gathered great reputations. Some of the top wines are served in exclusive hotels and restaurants in London, such as The Dorchester and the Michelin starred Galvin Brothers’ restaurants. 

Essex wines are world-class and have won prestigious awards. Saffron Grange’s Classic Cuvee Brut, 2019, was awarded a Bronze Decanter World Wine Award in 2023.  Over in Castle Hedingham, Tuffon Hall’s Pinot Noir Rose, 2020 Beatrice, won a silver in the National Wine GB Awards and New Hall’s Baccus 2022 Vintage won silver in the 2024 London Wine Competition. 

To discover more about the county’s vineyards, head to www.visitessex.com. 
Notes to editor:
STATS
1 Wine GB Industry report 2023, p. 4
² Wine GB UK Wine Tourism in 2024 report based on Wine GB Industry survey 2024.

Wine tastings and tours
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 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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 
Weddings

Dedham Vale Vineyard
Nestled in the heart of a picturesque vineyard, Dedham Vale’s wedding venue offers a truly magical setting for the special day. Imagine exchanging vows in a serene woodland ceremony area, surrounded by towering trees and the gentle rustle of leaves, before celebrating with loved ones amid rolling vineyards with breathtaking views. Whether an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, the Dedham Vale venue blends rustic charm with timeless elegance to create unforgettable memories for the happy couple and their guests.

Tuffon Hall
What could be more romantic than to hold a wedding ceremony in the gorgeous atmosphere of an English Vineyard with picturesque views across the north Essex countryside. Exchange vows under a bespoke cedar-wood gazebo, enjoy the award-winning English wines with guests on their stunning terrace, then eat and dance in the beautifully converted 16th century barn.

Bardfield Vineyard
The Anne of Cleves Barn is available for only 25 weddings and receptions between 1st April and 31st October each year. An impressive Grade I listed brick and tile barn it was built when the estate was owned by Anne of Cleves following the annulment of her marriage to King Henry VIII.

It is licensed for wedding ceremonies and can seat up to 150 for the ceremony and wedding breakfast with 200 guests in the evening.

Stays

Great Lodge at Bardfield Vineyard
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. 

Hall Farm Cottages at Crouch Ridge Vineyard
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 Farmhouse at Tuffon Hall Vineyard
Tuffon Hall’s six-bedroom converted farmhouse provides accommodation for up to 12 guests. The house contains three large bathrooms, a bright and spacious country kitchen and a cosy sitting room with a log burner. The property is conveniently located on-site and is well-stocked with all the necessities for a relaxing stay, including Sky TV (with movies and sports) and a full range of utensils and cooking equipment. 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).

Events
Dedham Vale Vineyard
The vineyard will be hosting ‘Food Truck Fridays’, a fun, family-friendly evening set in the beautiful surroundings of the vineyard, woodland or winery. Each Friday features a different food truck and some live music. Free to attend. Food Truck Fridays will be on 18 July and 15 August.
Porsche cars and coffee will take place on Sunday 20 July. The worlds of fine wine and fine cars are inherently linked by a similar passion. The unending quest for perfection and attention to detail makes this the perfect collaboration. There will be wine, tours, food and of course Porsches. Free to attend. 
Awaken your senses and rest your body and mind on this sensory immersive forest bathing walk guided through the wood and wildflower meadow on the grounds of Dedham Vale Vineyard you'll experience the art of mindfulness through gentle movement and sensory immersion. Forest bathing takes place on 19 July and 15 August and tickets are £25 per person.
Get a taste of Glastonbury in the vines at VineFest on Saturday 16 August. Enjoy the vineyards annual music festival featuring local bands, street food vendors and award winning wines. Tickets are £25 (pre-booked) and £35 on the door. 

Tuffon Hall
Jazz in the Vines. Now in its seventh year, the hugely popular public event will see the award-winning vineyard open up for an afternoon of live music, delicious foodie offerings, sweet treats and Tuffon Hall’s very own award-winning wine. Ticket prices are £15 for adults (18+ includes a glass of wine on arrival) and £5 for children (3-17yrs, under 3s go free).
Club Alpine. Après Ski party with DJ @foxandbraces has got to be the winter highlight on 6 December, 8 – 11pm. Price: TBC.

Saffron Grange
Slow down Sundays and Seafood Sundays (11am to 4pm). A relaxed end to your weekend with ‘Slowdown Sundays at Saffron Grange’ every Sunday now through to 31st August.
Come along for some delicious food from one of a host of food trucks, grab a drink from the Tasting Room and either sit inside, outside or in the marquee and soak up the atmosphere. 
‘Sundowners at Saffron Grange‘. The vineyard will be open on Friday evenings with food trucks for all to enjoy all the way up until Friday 5th September. 

Cafes and Restaurants
Clayhill Vineyard
Clayhill is a stunning black weatherboarded café set amidst Clayhill vineyard, which overlooks the Crouch valley. Visit for coffee and cake and head upstairs to the glazed balcony for the best views.  Clayhill is the perfect location for light lunch, cake, coffee, or a glass of wine.  

Crouch Ridge
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. 

Picnics
New Hall
Weekly ‘Cellar Door Social Saturdays’ take place throughout the summer in the Tasting Shed or in the vineyard. Buy wine by the glass, enjoy BYO picnics and special guest food pop ups for tasty treats! Available from 10am to 4pm.

Dedham Vale Vineyard
Dedham Vale’s vineyard and winery tours provide the added option of a delicious, prepared picnic featuring locally sourced food. Find a peaceful spot in the vineyard and relax with a fine picnic and specially paired wines from the vines. The tour and tasting cost £30 per person and the inclusion of the picnic is £45 per person. 

VISIT ESSEX
Visit Essex is the official tourism organisation and the only body specifically marketing the whole of the county to the visitor market. We work with visitor attractions, leisure/activity providers, accommodation establishments and other tourism related businesses (including the travel trade, media and wider partners), to ensure that the county remains a leading visitor destination.

Our work encompasses major marketing campaigns, high profile PR work, business support, and the management and promotion of the official Visit Essex brand. Visit Essex will ensure that the county gets the recognition it deserves as a desirable place to visit in the 21st century. We will work closely with partners to develop a sustainable tourism offering for the future, identify new markets and harness visitors at the county's major gateways of Stansted, Harwich, Southend and Tilbury.

FIND OUT MORE
•    Hilary Collins, Big Wave PR, hilary@wearebigwavepr.co.uk, 01206 231807