Unmissable harvest celebrations

As the grape picking comes to an end, the celebrations begin. There are some fantastic harvest events taking place around the country to mark the pinnacle of the vineyard calendar. These ones don’t involve getting your hands dirty but do plan ahead as most need booking in advance.

Black Chalk in Hampshire are celebrating the end of harvest with an Autumn Supper Club with Grate Fire Kitchen on 18 October. Visitors will enjoy a seasonal four course menu and a glass of Black Chalk Wine on arrival.

Rathfinny Estate in Sussex have a range of harvest experiences including short break packages, restaurant takeover events and a brilliant harvest dosage tasting & tour where visitors get to experiment with sugar levels in sparkling wine! Running on various dates until the beginning of November.     

Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey has two very special events to celebrate the end of their earliest harvest in 39 years! The Harvest secret vineyard trail and wine tasting experience on 17 October includes a 2 hour vineyard walk, crush pad tasting and a food & wine matching or how about the Cellar Master harvest tasting & vintage dinner on 25 October where you’ll get an overview of the 2025 vintage, do a vertical tasting of Denbies Orange Solaris and 2022 vintage tasting followed by diner in the Gallery restaurant.           

Vineyard and English wine specialists The Shiny Vine on the Warwickshire / Leicestershire border are celebrating their first harvest with a special event on 18 October (12-4). There will be live music, a tapas food truck and wines by the glass. Reserve a free place in advance.  

Newly opened Bailey Hills Estate on the Essex / Hertfordshire border is hosting a Harvest Supper on 25 October – an intimate evening filled with delicious seasonal produce all paired with English wines.  

It's Harvest Party time at Hencote Estate in Shropshire on 25 October. This family-friendly event includes wine / grape juice tasting with the Head Winemaker, a buffet-style autumn feast and live entertainment. Raise a glass to the end of grape harvest.

Get out and enjoy this special time of year!

photos credits (l to r): Bailey Hills Estate, Denbies Wine Estate, Rathfinny Estate (taken by BBB)