Bucks &amp; Oxon

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daws-hill"><a href="https://dawshillvineyard.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Daws Hill (opens in a new tab)">Daws Hill</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Daws-Hill-Vineyard.jpg" alt="Daws Hill English wine" class="wp-image-106145" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Daws-Hill-Vineyard.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Daws-Hill-Vineyard-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Daws-Hill-Vineyard-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Daws-Hill-Vineyard-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Daws-Hill-Vineyard-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What? This family-owned and run vineyard in Bucks is small but mighty, and grows all the traditional grape varieties to make excellent sparkling wines. There are plenty of tastings, tours and events throughout the year, and BackWoods run their signature outdoor workshops here too (think wreath making and willow sculpture). 



Where? Daws Hill is set across three acres in Radnage, High Wycombe, in a Chilterns Area of Outstanding Beauty. 



How do I try? You can buy directly from their <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="online shop (opens in a new tab)" href="https://dawshillvineyard.co.uk/shop/" target="_blank">online shop</a>.



Stand-out sip Their Sparkling White (2018) won Silver in the Sparkling Wine category at 2022’s Thames and Chiltern Vineyard Association competition, as well as Silver at the last WineGB Awards &amp; IEWA 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hendred-vineyard"><a aria-label="Hendred Vineyard (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.hendredvineyard.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hendred Vineyard</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500-1000x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-146397" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500-1100x1100.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hendred-wines-1500.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What? Originally founded in 1972, this 3-acre Oxfordshire vineyard has gone from strength to strength after being bought by David and Eileen Bell in 2014. Their flagship sparkling wine, Hendred Brut, is a crisp and zesty sip made with Pinot Noir and Seyval blanc grapes &#8211; the perfect summer sip. 



Where? East Hendred is just outside the South Oxon market town of Wantage, in the Vale of the White Horse &#8211; excellent for a spot of sight-seeing or rambling if you&#8217;re in the area. 



How do I try? <a href="https://hendredvineyard.co.uk/order-wine-online/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="You can order online (opens in a new tab)">You can order online</a>, either for free collection directly from the vineyard, or there&#8217;s free delivery for orders over £30 in the local area. Just outside their radius? There&#8217;s courier delivery too for an extra charge. 



Stand-out sip  It&#8217;s gotta be the Hendred Brut &#8211; it consistently scoops medals, and their 2017 vintage was awarded Silver in the 2022 Thames and Chiltern Vineyard Association competition. The Hendred Rosé is also a big hitter, and picked up Gold at T&amp;C this year. It’s so popular that it’s currently sold out, but new stock lands next month. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hundred-hills"><a href="https://hundredhills.wine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Hundred Hills (opens in a new tab)">Hundred Hills</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="858" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hundred_Hills.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-133247" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hundred_Hills.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hundred_Hills-800x458.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hundred_Hills-1000x572.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hundred_Hills-400x229.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Hundred_Hills-900x515.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



What? Hard to say how you&#8217;d hide a 42-acre vineyard in the Oxfordshire countryside, but wine-makers Fiona and Stephen Duckett have managed to do just that, keeping Hundred Hills under wraps for nearly ten years while they perfected its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines, sustainable winery and eco-friendly packaging. 



Where? Near Pishill in The Stonor Valley, just north of Henley and a mere 1.5 miles from Muddy favourite <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Stonor Park (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/stonor-park-henley/" target="_blank">Stonor Park</a>. Apparently the chalky soil is almost indistinguishable from that in Côte des Blancs, Champagne &#8211; who knew? 



How do I try? You can order from <a aria-label="their online shop (opens in a new tab)" href="https://hundredhills.wine/shop-wines/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">their online shop</a> &#8211; with a juicy 15% discount on all wines collected from the cellar door &#8211; or you can try Preamble No. 1 and No. 2 at nearby <a aria-label="Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/belmond-le-manoir-aux-quatsaisons-3/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Le Manoir aux Quat&#8217;Saisons</a>. Raymond Blanc is a big fan, calling Hundred Hills wines &#8216;amongst the very finest that I have tasted’. High praise indeed!



Stand-out sip If you didn’t get your hands on the inaugural Preamble 2016 First Edition, popular successor 2018 Preamble No.2 is now available to buy in cases of six from the vineyard website. Spenny, but worth it for serious sparkling wine fans. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinton-wines"><a aria-label="Dinton Wines (opens in a new tab)" href="https://dintonwines.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dinton Wines</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Dinton-Folly-wines.jpg" alt="Dinton Folly english wines" class="wp-image-146380" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Dinton-Folly-wines.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Dinton-Folly-wines-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Dinton-Folly-wines-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Dinton-Folly-wines-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Dinton-Folly-wines-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



What? Dinton is a proper local affair &#8211; and the best-kept secret of the region. The brainchild of retiree Laurie Kimber, who was at a loss as to what to do with a field he&#8217;d bought and decided to give vines a go, Dinton Wines has been producing since 2013 and now the entire family (and many of the locals) come out to harvest the grapes.



Where? It&#8217;s based in Aylesbury, overlooking the Chiltern Hills &#8211; a location well-known for excellent chalky soil (which means happy grapes!). 



How do I try? You can buy directly from the vineyard by giving them a call on 01296 748187, or you can pick up a bottle at The Stables at Long Crendon Manor in Aylesbury or BeerGinVino online. Want to try a glass before you commit to a bottle? Order a glass of Dinton Folly at The Seven Stars in Dinton, Hartwell House and Spa or The Broad Keys in Aylesbury. 



Stand-out sip Pink fizz lovers will be all over Dinton Folly Pink, but Dinton Folly Brut is a classic (no wonder it’s bagged awards from Thames &amp; Chiltern Vineyard Association several years running). 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fairmile-vineyard"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Fairmile Vineyard (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.fairmilevineyard.co.uk" target="_blank">Fairmile Vineyard</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="998" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Fairmile-Vineyard.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-133258" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Fairmile-Vineyard.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Fairmile-Vineyard-800x532.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Fairmile-Vineyard-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Fairmile-Vineyard-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Fairmile-Vineyard-789x525.jpg 789w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



What? Jan and Anthea Mirkowski set up shop in the chalky Chiltern hills back in 2011, planting 12,000 Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay vines (aka, the best blend for sparkling wine) across 7.5 acres. Now, the family-run vineyard makes classic cuvée and rosé sparkling wines that are scooping awards left, right and centre. 



Where? As the name suggests, Fairmile &#8211; just outside the centre of Henley-on-Thames. 



How do I try? You can buy directly from the <a href="https://www.fairmilevineyard.co.uk/shop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="vineyard's online shop (opens in a new tab)">vineyard&#8217;s online shop</a> for free local delivery or click-and-collect, or if you&#8217;re further afield, from selected wine merchants like <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Tanners (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/Fairmile-Vineyard" target="_blank">Tanners</a> or <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Vivino (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.vivino.com/wineries/fairmile-vineyard" target="_blank">Vivino</a>. 



Stand-out sip This year marked the release of the vineyard’s first pure vintage Blanc de Blancs 2017, made only from Chardonnay grapes, and matured for more than four years. It’s a limited release, so pick up your bottle sharpish. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brightwell-vineyard"><a href="https://www.brightwellvineyard.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Brightwell Vineyard (opens in a new tab)">Brightwell Vineyard</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Brightwell-Vineyard.jpg" alt="Brightwell Vineyard" class="wp-image-106137" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Brightwell-Vineyard.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Brightwell-Vineyard-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Brightwell-Vineyard-667x500.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Brightwell-Vineyard-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/Brightwell-Vineyard-700x525.jpg 700w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What? If you&#8217;re just dipping a toe in English wines, Brightwell have plenty of excellent vintages under their belt for you to choose from, covering red, white, rosé and sparkling. They&#8217;re even home to one of the first English brandies! 



Where? Just 8 miles outside of Oxford, the vineyard is sheltered in the lovely market town of Wallingford.



How do I try? Brightwell has a <a href="https://www.brightwellvineyard.co.uk/stockists.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="very handy map of stockists (opens in a new tab)">very handy map of stockists</a> (it even shows you which wines are stocked in case you&#8217;re after a specific bottle), and Waitrose Cellar also have a selection <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="available online (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.waitrosecellar.com/search/brightwell+vineyard" target="_blank">available online</a>. 



Stand-out sip Brightwell&#8217;s red wines are particularly popular &#8211; their Pinot Noir has previously won trophies for Best Wine Overall and Best Red Wine at the Thames and Chiltern Vineyard Association competition. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chafor-wine-estate"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="CHAFOR Wine Estate (opens in a new tab)" href="http://www.chafor.co.uk" target="_blank">Chafo</a><a href="http://www.chafor.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="CHAFOR Wine Estate (opens in a new tab)">r</a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="CHAFOR Wine Estate (opens in a new tab)" href="http://www.chafor.co.uk" target="_blank"> Wine Estate</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1535" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Chafor-Wine-Estateimageoptim.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-133229" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Chafor-Wine-Estateimageoptim.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Chafor-Wine-Estateimageoptim-782x800.jpg 782w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Chafor-Wine-Estateimageoptim-977x1000.jpg 977w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Chafor-Wine-Estateimageoptim-391x400.jpg 391w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Chafor-Wine-Estateimageoptim-513x525.jpg 513w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



What? One of the bigger vineyards on this list, Chafor Wine Estate is a whopping 23-acre affair in the heart of rural Bucks. Owner Tim planted the vines from scratch back in 2003, and on colder days can be found lighting hundreds of candles to stave off frosts from his precious grapes. If that&#8217;s not dedication, we don&#8217;t know what is. 



Where? Chafor sits just outside of Buckingham, in the countryside near Gawcott. The estate takes advantage of its rural surrounds with a lakeside picnic area and self-guided nature trial (to be undertaken before the wine is consumed, presumably). 



How do I try? You can buy directly from their <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="online shop (opens in a new tab)" href="http://www.chafor.co.uk/our_wines.html" target="_blank">online shop</a>, or from <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Waitrose Cellar (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.waitrosecellar.com/search/chafor" target="_blank">Waitrose Cellar</a>.



Stand-out sip Fancy an alternative to your pinot grigio? Chafor&#8217;s Vintage Elegance (2019) is a zesty white that was awarded a Bronze Medal by UKVA. 



Still thirsty? Take a look at <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/drink/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="more Muddy drinks recommendations here (opens in a new tab)">more Muddy drinks recommendations here</a>.

Glug! Local vineyards to support in English Wine Week

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