Inside look: Denbies Wine Estate this summer

8th June 2018

Nothing goes hand-in-hand with summertime better than a glass of wine and lush scenery. Hosting everything from secret vineyard trails to afternoon tea amid the vines, Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey holds the key to the summer.
 

A panoramic and historic estate, Denbies has 627 acres of land – with 200 acres of woodland and 10 estate houses. While the estate itself dates back to the 1850s, the first vines were planted in 1986. With a location in the North Downs, the famous chalky soil of the region and a protected valley of south-facing slopes in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the conditions are just right for the production of English wines. Surrey’s most popular vineyard has even captured the imagination of the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, who have all visited to try their hand at planting a few vines themselves.

Denbies is nowadays a hive of activity in the Surrey town of Dorking. Restaurants, a farm shop, bed and breakfast accommodation and a calendar of interesting and innovative events means there’s always something new to discover. And this summer is no different.

Secret Vineyard Tasting Trail

For those looking for a new wine experience and to visit parts of Denbies not usually accessible to the public, the Secret Vineyard Tasting Trail is just the way to satisfy your curiosity this summer. These events will only be advertised a few days in advance on the Denbies website and social media channels, as this secret tour relies on great weather in order to run. So keep your eyes open and get in quick if you want to take part.

When the sun is shining, these small group walking tours will take place on Saturdays throughout the summer. Visitors will visit ‘secret’ areas of the vineyard and enjoy tastings of the different wines produced from the very vines they’re looking at. Paired with local produce such as honey originating from the estate’s beehives, this promises to be a true Surrey experience. Tours happen at a leisurely pace and last for up to three hours, for guests to make the most of the exclusive experience. The introductory offer price is just £25 per person.
 

New terrace and afternoon tea hamper

Denbies also has a new addition this summer, in the form of a brand-new terrace opening up in the heart of the vineyard. Firstly, this new experience involves indulging in the Sparkling Vineyard Tour, where guests enjoy a glass of Denbies Sparkling Whitedowns Cuvee while enjoying the tour and scenery. Be sure to look out for six acres of newly planted Pinot Noir on The Dell. Afterwards, afternoon tea is served on the new Vineyard Terrace. Accompanying the finger sandwiches, home-baked scones and cakes made with local ingredients, is a choice of teas and another glass of Denbies award-winning sparkling wine.

Other Denbies events

Other events being hosted at Denbies this summer include a horse drawn carriage ride followed by dinner in The Gallery Restaurant (Saturday 14 July) on the estate, cheese and wine making experiences (Thursday 12 July and Thursday 19 July), a traditional tea dance (Sunday 22 July) and the Sparkling Outdoor Train Tour and dinner in The Gallery Restaurant (Thursday 19 July and Saturday 28 July).

A visit to Denbies this summer will also whet the appetite for more to come on the wine estate next year too, when their first ever vineyard hotel will launch in the heart of the vineyard, with rooms overlooking the vines. A raft of new and innovative hotel-vineyard experiences will also be launching.

Enjoy a summer of wine, wandering and wonderment this summer in Surrey at Denbies Wine Estate.

Read our other summer 2018 related stories:

Beaverbrook: a sublime summer in Churchill's Surrey bolthole
Woking Food and Drink Festival 2018: the lowdown
North Downs Way: celebrating 40 years of a stunning walking trail
Godalming highlights: summer 2018