Why visit one vineyard when you could visit five? That’s my motto. And luckily for my fellow wine-loving Londoners, a bunch of wine-derful vineyards near the capital city also seem to have gotten on board with that sentiment. Known as the Vineyards of the Surrey Hills, these five glass-clinkingly gorgeous spots have joined forces to champion Surrey’s sensational wine offering, and place the region firmly on the map.
Perched upon chalky limestone and sandstone hills (that happen to be made up of the very same geology as the Champagne region), each independently-owned vineyard is set against the breathtaking backdrop of the sweeping Surrey countryside. The five locations allow visitors to get up close and personal with the vines that provide our vino. And with their delicious surroundings and even more delicious wines; the Vineyards of the Surrey Hills certainly boast all the ingredients to make for a pretty perfect day-trip from London.
Which vineyards make up the Vineyards of the Surrey Hills?
Leading the way on the English vino scene, the five vineyards that make up the wine route are Albury Organic Vineyard (a small family-run, biodynamic vineyard), Denbies Wine Estate (one of the country’s largest vineyards, producing a whopping 1 million bottles of wine a year), Chilworth Manor Vineyard (a 10-acre south-facing site, complete with a Grade II listed manor house), Greyfriars Vineyard (a 50-acre site planted in 1989), and High Clandon Estate Vineyard (a spot founded in 2004 that specialises in English sparkling wine).
Visiting the Vineyards of the Surrey Hills
Each of the vineyards that make up the route sit within the North Downs of Surrey, less than an hour outside of London. Each vineyard offers its own tours and tastings throughout the year, and they are all located within fairly easy reach from each other. The vineyards are connected by bus routes, but there are also some pretty spectacular walking and cycling routes that run between them.
Whilst it is doable to visit all five spots in a day; we’d recommend spending an entire weekend there, sipping, sampling, and strolling between them all. Alternatively, you can book on to one of the award-winning Grape & Grain Tours, where you’ll be expertly guided around three of the five spots that make up the Vineyards of the Surrey Hills.
Find out more and plan your visit here.
