Balfour vineyard walk and tasting
A walk through the vines at Hush Heath, home of Balfour, and a tasting of three of their wines.
Starts Balfour Winery, Staplehurst, Kent
Kent Wine Tours / Guides / Wine tour gift ideas
Gift guide
Wine tour gift ideas
A day at an English vineyard is one of the easier presents to get right. These are the tours we’d choose for different people and budgets, and how to give one when you don’t know their diary.
Updated September 2026. Prices change, so check the listing before you book.
Under £50: a tasting at the vineyard
A tour and tasting at a Kent estate costs roughly £25 to £40 a head. It works as a present on its own, or paired with a bottle from the same vineyard. They’ll need to get themselves there, so it suits someone who lives in Kent or doesn’t mind a taxi from the station.
Warehorne vineyard tour and tasting
A guided tour and a flight of wines, with cheese or charcuterie boards to add.
Starts Warehorne Vineyard, near Ashford, Kent
Yotes Court vineyard tour and tasting
A morning tour of the 75-acre vineyard, then a tasting in the cellar door or on the lawn.
Starts Yotes Court Vineyard, Mereworth, near Maidstone, Kent
Gusbourne sparkling wine tasting
A tasting of four of Gusbourne’s vintage sparkling wines at the estate on the edge of Romney Marsh.
Starts Gusbourne Estate, Appledore, near Ashford, Kent
No date needed: a vineyard voucher
They choose the day and make their own way there. Most vouchers last a year, and several arrive by email, which helps at the last minute.
Tour and tasting at Chapel Down
A guided tour of the vineyard and winery with a tutored tasting, at one of England’s biggest producers. Vouchers for a cheese and wine pairing or lunch at The Swan, its restaurant, cost more.
Good to know Chapel Down sends its vouchers by email, so they work as a last-minute present.
A full day out, transport included
For a bigger present, a day tour takes care of everything: the travel, two or three vineyards, the tastings and lunch. Nobody has to drive, which is half the point.
Cellar Door Wine Tour from London
Three vineyards including Chapel Down, with a picnic lunch in the herb garden. Leaves from London Bridge.
Starts London Bridge, central London
Kent Wine and Cheese Day
Six English wines paired with six cheeses, a picnic among the vines and a visit to a working farm. Leaves from London Bridge.
Sussex Vineyards Tour from Brighton
Two Sussex vineyards on a 1960s Routemaster bus, with a picnic of local produce between the tastings.
Starts Brighton station, Brighton
Sussex Vineyard and Cheesemaker Tour
A vineyard tour and tasting, lunch with the cheesemaker at High Weald Dairy, then a second vineyard.
For a family or a group of friends: a private day
A private tour gives a group the day to themselves, so it makes a generous shared present for a birthday or an anniversary.
Private Kent Wine Tour for Groups
Your own driver and guide, two Kent vineyards, tastings and lunch. Starts at Ashford International, under an hour from St Pancras.
Starts Ashford International station, Kent
Private Surrey Countryside and Wine Tasting
Denbies, Shere village, a gin distillery and a pub lunch. Meets in West Clandon, near Guildford.
More on how private tours work: private wine tours in Kent.
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Giving it
How to give a wine tour as a present
- Agree a date togetherTours are booked for a particular day, so the simplest way is to pick one with them and book it. Summer weekends go first.
- Or keep it a surpriseBook a date you know is free. Most of these tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before, but check the terms on the listing.
- Not sure of their diary?Put a note in a card promising a vineyard day, with a link to this guide. Once they’ve picked a tour and a date, book it together.
- Wrap something realPrint the booking confirmation and put it in a card with a bottle of English sparkling wine, or a glass for the day.
Good to know
Questions people ask
Can I buy a wine tour as a gift without choosing a date?
Yes. A vineyard voucher from Chapel Down, Gusbourne, Balfour, Silverhand or Warehorne lets them pick their own date, and most last a year. Or book a date you know works and check the cancellation terms.
How much does a vineyard tour in Kent cost?
At the time of writing, a tour and tasting at a Kent vineyard costs roughly £25 to £40 a head. Full-day tours from London or Brighton with lunch cost more, and a private day is from £190 a head (checked October 2026).
When is the best time of year for a vineyard visit?
April to October is best for walking round the vines, and September and October are harvest. Tastings run all year, so a winter date works too.