Details
Dorset Vineyard Tours
Date:
What to Expect:
Most Dorset Vineyard tours and tastings follow a similar shape
A guided walk through the vines, covering how they're grown and which grapes are planted, a look around the winery - covering how the wine is made, matured and bottled - and a seated tasting, usually of two to five wines, often weighted towards local sparkling.
The standout names for a Dorset vineyard tour at the moment, include:
Furleigh Estate (near Bridport), Langham Wine Estate (near Dorchester), English Oak Vineyard (near Poole), Bride Valley Vineyard (West Dorset), Sherborne Castle Wines (Sherborne), Melbury Vale Winery (North Dorset), Little Waddon Vineyard (near the Jurassic Coast) and D'Urberville Vineyard (rural Dorset).
Each has its own character, from a relaxed tasting overlooking the vines to a deeper dive into sparkling wine production.
What makes Dorset worth the detour
Dorset has quietly become one of England's more interesting wine regions. Free-draining soils, south-facing slopes and a mild coastal climate suit cool-climate grapes well, particularly those used for traditional-method sparkling wine.
Whether you already know your Pinot Noir from your Pinot Meunier, or simply fancy an afternoon among the vines, Dorset has guided tours, informal tastings and self-guided walks to suit most levels of curiosity.
Wareham makes a sensible base for exploring most of these vineyards, with The Priory Wareham sitting close to the river and within easy reach of West and North Dorset alike.
