When we say ‘wine’ you probably think of France or Italy, not Devon. But the region produces some of the best wines in the country, many of which are internationally acclaimed.
The warm(ish) climate gives many grape varieties exactly what they need to flourish. Despite growing vines and producing wines since Roman times, Devon’s wines aren’t commonly-known – although we think they should be! Thanks to our social media followers, we’ve got a list of 10 of the best vineyards in the county for you to try.
Castlewood Vineyard, Axminster
Tucked away beneath the ancient hill fort of Musbury Castle is Castlewood Vineyard. The wine makers specialise in sparkling wine, and each year they have a wine festival that features food, drink, and music!
https://www.castlewoodvineyard.co.uk/
Pebblebed Vineyards, Exeter
Back in 1999, 11 local families joined together to plant half an acre of vines just south of Exeter Now, there are more than 20 acres of vineyards, and around 50,000 bottles of Devon wine are produced each year.
https://www.pebblebed.co.uk/
Sharpham Wine & Cheese, Totnes
Soil, climate, and terroir grapes come together and create some delicious wines at Sharpham. With a collection of international awards to their name, Sharpham are known as one of the country’s finest wine producers.
https://www.sharpham.com/
Yearlstone, Bickleigh
Located on a steep southerly slope above the River Exe is Yearlstone, a vineyard that has been around since 1976. Yearlstone has over 7.5 acres of vineyard, as well as an apple orchard for cider making – yum!
https://yearlstone.co.uk/
Eastcott Vineyard & Winery, Okehampton
This family-run business may be small, but it is internationally recognised for its sparkling English wines. From April, they’ll be relaunching their vineyard tours, but in the meantime you can make the most of their online shop.
https://www.eastcottvineyard.co.uk/
Lily Farm Vineyard, Budleigh Salterton
Established in 2005, Lily Farm has quickly expanded and create a range of sparkling and regional wines. In the past 11 years, they’ve picked up a multitude of awards and will be reopening their shop in April.
https://www.lilyfarmvineyard.com/
Old Walls, Bishopsteignton
There is evidence that a vineyard once existed on this very site some 2,000 years ago, and the area is shrouded with history. Now, Old Walls creates fantastic wines, and also offer tours, a winery shop, and a tea room. Cake and wine, what could be better?
https://www.oldwallsvineyard.co.uk/
Alder Vineyard, Okehampton
The very first vines were planted in 2009, and now Alder Vineyard is home to over 3,500 vines. Four generations have teamed up to produce wines using part of their family estate. They’ve established two varieties of grapes, and have already won awards.
https://www.aldervineyard.uk/
Froginwell Vineyard, Exeter
The one-acre vineyard was planted in 2005, and the site produces Seyval Blanc as their main crop. Alongside wine, Froginwell produces cider, has a café, and has become well established as a unique wedding and events venue.
https://www.froginwellvineyard.co.uk/
Quance Wines, Swimbridge
Quance Wines was an established vineyard back in 2013 when wine lover Jamie took over and gave it the care it needed. A few years on, the vineyard is producing high quality wines from sustainably grown fruit.
https://quancewines.com/
