Essex isn’t instantly associated with winemaking in the same way as Kent and Sussex are. The more recognisable house-hold brand names like Chapel Down, Nytimber and Gusbourne, tend to come from further south in the country. But there are many vineyards in Essex worth visiting.

Recent reporting suggests Essex county now ranks third by planted vineyard area. Wine enthusiasts are now increasingly interested in wines produced in Essex. It is one of England’s warmest and driest areas, with fertile estuary soils ideal for certain grapes. The region lends itself to making fantastic still wines, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

If Sussex with its chalky soil is England’s champagne region, the Crouch Valley in Essex is more akin to Burgundy.

There’s now a cluster of vineyards in Crouch Valley, all of which are super easy to get to from London. If you want a car-free wine tour of Crouch Valley, consider one of these vineyards.

How to get there: Train from London Liverpool Street to Althorne in Essex, which will take you about 1 hour.

Hop on a Greater Anglia service from London Liverpool Street to Wickford (on the Shenfield-Southend line). Change to get a train to the Crouch Valley line, and get off at Althorne.

Crouch Ridge Vineyard

7 min walk from Althorne Station. Tours, flights and other tasting experiences available most days of the week.

This is a family farm which started off with cattle rearing, moved to farming cereal and is now a vineyard. It’s so close to the station you can skip a taxi entirely and just walk over. Highlights include:

• Terrace overlooking the vineyard, where you can enjoy a drink or cheeseboard.
• Option to finish off your tour with afternoon tea or mezze board. They even do a wine and chocolate tasting.
• Known for making a zingy and zesty Sparkling Premier Cuvée, as well as a still Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

New Hall Wine Estate

10 min taxi from Althorne Station. Open most days of the week.

The vibe here is more young and casual. They host gigs, sun downers and pop-up street food markets, which feel like a departure from formality typically associated with wine tourism. Highlights include:

• A newly released sparkling Bacchus and a sparkling rosé.
• The laid-back unstuffy and welcoming vibe which doesn’t take itself too seriously.
• They have a “own a row of vines” model, which means you can lease a bit of their vineyard. This makes you a co-owner of the vineyard! It’s a great way to “crowd fund” while also building a community.

Clayhill Vineyard

10 mins by taxi. Private bookings can be made via email.

This is a relatively new vineyard which the first vines planted in 2006. It’s located on the south facing slopes overlooking the River Crouch so the views are often sunlit and always gorgeous.

Highlights include:

• A sparkling red Pinot Noir which is less common in England, but is now all the rage.
• A warm and friendly cafe which attracts wine lovers and cake. They even make their own honey onsite.
• Their onsite winery used to be a butcher’s shop, located right on the farm. So their grapes don’t have to travel far to get from farm to bottle.

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