Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino – Northern California’s classic wine country is high on wine enthusiasts’ bucket lists. Not only because of its impressive vineyards, but also its laid-back soul, generous hospitality and relaxed farm-to-table dining, a distinctive wine country experience that’s the very essence of slow travel.
But for those who can’t make a trip across the Atlantic just yet, there’s a compelling case for Hampshire as England’s wine heartland.
Sussex and Kent may have more vineyards, but Hampshire has the prestige, history and beautiful countryside to rival any wine region: rolling hills, grand country estates, orchards and winding lanes edged with wildflowers. It also shares California’s relaxed wine culture, where vineyard and cellar-door visits feel personal and unhurried.
Hambledon Vineyard, England’s oldest commercial vineyard, was first planted in 1952. And the county also has a geological advantage: Hampshire’s chalky soils are part of the same geological formation found beneath parts of Champagne’s Côtes des Blancs. Free-draining yet able to retain water, this ‘sponge-like’ chalk is well suited to growing fresh, high-acid grapes used in English sparkling wine.
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Of course, a quick trip across the Channel takes you to Champagne or Bordeaux, French regions synonymous with fine wine. Here, grand wine houses, ornate hotels and centuries-old cellars dominate itineraries. But a visit to Hampshire feels more relaxed – more like California’s wine country, where vineyard visits are less structured and just one part of the experience.
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Spend a morning in nature, on hiking trails through fairytale-esque woodlands or exploring Winchester, England’s ancient capital, followed by a vineyard tour with a relaxed, hearty lunch sampling local treats like Lyburn farmhouse cheese and freshly landed Solent oysters, before retiring to the terrace of a swish country house hotel overlooking Hampshire’s hills, a glass of English fizz in hand.
Both Hampshire and California are trailblazers when it comes to wine, offering a fresh, new perspective; younger wine countries with new ideas. Unlike traditional European regions like France or Italy with ancient histories, Hampshire and California have more recent stories to tell. Particularly Hampshire, where the first commercial vines were planted in 1952, less than 100 years ago.
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And wine is only part of the draw. Vineyard visits can be slotted in between country walks, lake dips, long lunches and stays in grand country estates for wine tasting at a slower pace. Summer offers balmy evenings, and al fresco dining with weather that feels more like California, but Hampshire’s vineyards really shine in autumn, brought alive with the harvest, the vines lit with golden autumnal light.
Al fresco dining amidst breathtaking scenery
Hampshire really has perfected the art of the long, leisurely lunch. It’s easy to while away an afternoon, sampling local produce from juicy Hampshire strawberries and chalk-stream trout to a selection of local hard and soft cheeses. The county has a rich landscape, including chalk streams, farmland, woodland, vineyards and coastline, making it ideally placed to provide delicious seasonal produce.
Vineyard dining intertwines food and wine experiences, encouraging visitors to try another dish or grape. The Restaurant at Hambledon Vineyard has a wonderful sun-drenched terrace with views over its manicured vines, with an elegant menu focused on pairing wine with the county’s produce (and some pretty special tasting menus).
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For something a little more low-key, Hampshire has a reputation for excellent pub food that goes way beyond the typical fish-and-chips offering (though check out Mister Pink’s on the coast in Milford on Sea if the craving strikes). The Mayfly in the heart of the Test Valley is perched on the banks of the River Test with some of the best waterside views in the area. If you’re looking for a pretty pub garden in the heart of the South Downs, The Shoe Inn is a traditional inn serving real comfort food and local ales – they even make their own coffee here.
A vineyard tour of Hampshire 
Coats & Seeley
Hampshire has around 70 vineyards, with The Test Valley housing the biggest share of the county’s growers. There are far too many worthy contenders to mention, but these are a few highlights to include if you’re planning a wine tour of Hampshire.
Hambledon Vineyard
Perhaps Hampshire’s most famous vineyard and definitely its oldest, Hambledon Vineyard deserves a place on the itinerary due to its storied history, pretty setting and excellent restaurant.
Established in 1952 by Major-General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones, Hambledon helped put English Sparkling Wine on the map, and it remains one of the country’s most celebrated producers today. The vineyard often hosts special events like jazz afternoons, wine masterclasses and wine-and-cheese pairings.
Coats & Seeley
Coates & Seely
More understated than some of Hampshire’s better-known vineyards, Coats & Seeley is a hidden gem of the English sparkling wine scene, earning international acclaim for its beautifully crafted wines.
Consistently earning top medals at the International Wine Challenge, it is regarded as the finest producer in Hampshire by The Drinks Business – for sparkling fans, it’s worth the trip just to taste their award-winning fizz. While they don’t offer a walk-in cellar door, visitors can book a private tour that involves a guided tour of the vines, sparkling tasting and wine-pairing lunch.
Raimes Vineyard & Tasting Barn
The Tasting Barn at Raimes Vineyard is a relaxed place to sample some delicious Hampshire wines. Visitors can sit out on the patio while enjoying a glass, overlooking the 15-acre vineyard.
Tuck into a delicious regional cheese and charcuterie grazing board to get the full experience. Situated in the beautiful South Downs National Park, this vineyard is the ideal place to stop after a morning hike in Hampshire’s peaceful woodlands.
Luxurious rural estates and sleeping under the stars 
Heckfield Place
Rather than, say, the grand châteaux of Champagne with sweeping staircases and ornate chandeliers, Hampshire offers a more relaxed, yet still luxurious, take on rural accommodation. Hampshire is big on the English country house and spa hybrid, with the likes of Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa and Heckfield Place leading the charge. If you decide to stay somewhere else, there’s a vast choice of country house hotels with grand and atmospheric restaurants so you can still have the manor house experience.
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The area’s unique glamping sites really showcase Hampshire’s wild beauty. The Meadow Glamping features colourful, eccentric glamping options (a narrowboat, wagon and trailer each decked out in vibrant, bohemian-style decor) positioned around a private lake. Wild Escapes offers a luxury Scandi-style treehouse experience in the woods above Black Chalk Vineyard & Winery in Hampshire’s Test Valley.
Where to stay
A vineyard stay really epitomises the Hampshire wine experience – with the added advantage of being moments away from bed after an evening enjoying Hampshire’s wine, try Danebury Vineyard, which offers self-catering cottages on site, or the Vineyard View Apartment at Otium Wine Estate, if you want to be in the heart of the action.
Otherwise, stays in Hampshire tend to consist of cosy inns with rooms or bedrooms seamlessly integrated into grand country estates. Here are three of our favourite options.
The Ropemaker, Emsworth
The Ropemaker
This affordable B&B is a renovated coastal pub with design flair, housing 43 individually decorated rooms with luxurious extras like Roberts radios and Bramley sleep spray, and a French Bistro-meets-English inn restaurant serving tasty cocktails.
Pretty Emsworth is worth a wander around, and The Ropemaker makes an excellent base for exploring all Hampshire has to offer, with the option for afternoons by the sea. Hambledon Vineyard is around a 20-minute drive from here.
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Rhinefield House Hotel, New Forest
Rhinefield House Hotel
If you’re looking for a more dramatic location, Rhinefield House Hotel in Hampshire’s New Forest National Park is a gothic-style Tudor mansion that’s brimming with history and atmosphere. Wander through the extensive grounds before relaxing at the hotel’s outdoor pool, surrounded by manicured gardens. The family-run Setley Ridge Vineyard is just a ten-minute drive away.
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Lime Wood Hotel, New Forest
Lime Wood Hotel
This five-star country house hotel has luxury at every turn – from the award-winning Herb House Spa and impressive gardens, to its Michelin-recommended Hartnett Holder & Co restaurant (headed up Angela Hartnett) and the Hunter wellies waiting in the hallway, ready for a rejuvinating ramble. Stays here are chic yet comfortable, thanks to a fine selection of rooms with something for every guest – from secluded forest suites to grand rooms in the main house.
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