The 7 best wineries and vineyards in Cornwall

Skip to sections:

• Camel Valley
• Polgoon
• Knightor
• Trevibban Mill
• Looe Valley Vineyard
• St Martin’s Vineyard & Winery
• The Atlantic Vineyard
• Book a wine-tasting holiday in Cornwall

Camel Valley

Ex-RAF pilot Bob Lindo and his wife Annie planted the first 8,000 vines on the sun-drenched slopes of their farm in the Camel Valley back in 1989. Their very first wine won a medal, and since then, the awards for Camel Valley Winery have come thick and fast – including beating 450 competitors (among them some of the finest Champagne producers in the world) to the title of best sparkling rosé. 

Bob and Annie’s son Sam now runs this vineyard in Cornwall, which today produces red, white and rosé offerings, as well as an extensive range of sparkling wines. You can book a guided tour of the vineyard at 10.30am every weekday from April to September, which includes a wine flight of four flagship wines and costs £20. 

Polgoon 

Once a flower farm, the 15 acres of land by the A30 just outside Penzance had been derelict for more than ten years when former Newlyn fish merchants John and Kim Coulson bought it in 2002 and set about planting 3,500 vines. Polgoon Vineyard produces still and sparkling wine, a variety of flavoursome ciders, and a range of delicious fruit juices and pressés.

There’s a popular shop and rustic restaurant, plus regular markets, pop-up stalls and events. As for tours and tastings, you have a choice: opt for self-guided and relax in the restaurant afterwards with a flight of three award-winning wines (£12.50), or book a 90-minute guided tour, followed by a tasting of five award-winning Polgoon wines and ciders (£20). 

Knightor

In addition to being a boutique wine producer, Knightor Winery is also a sought-after wedding venue. Its handsome stone buildings and 4-acre estate serve as a stunning backdrop to celebrations large and small. The winery produces premium sparkling and still wines from grapes grown at its two vineyards – in Seaton near Looe, and at Portscatho on the Roseland Peninsula. 

Enjoy a guided or self-guided wine tasting (£18/£10 for four samples) at the Cellar Door – you’ll only need to book if you’re a large group or want a private tasting. Another option is the unique Cornish Cocktail Experience, which includes a tutored tasting and the chance to create your own blend.

Trevibban Mill

London-based careers in medical physics and business are a far cry from a vineyard in Cornwall, but early retirement in 2004 led Engin and Liz Mumcuoglu to buy a ruined watermill at Trevibban, intending to renovate. All of Trevibban Mill’s ciders and some of its wines are certified organic, and you can get a behind-the-scenes look into how they’re produced by booking a guided tour (£25), usually led by one of the owners or a family member, followed by a tutored tasting in the beautiful tasting room. 

Tours run from February to December on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 3pm. You can also book a wine or cider tasting (£17.50) between 12pm and 4pm on days the winery is open, or indulge in drinks or lunch on the terrace overlooking rolling countryside – or in a tranquil, sunny spot amongst the vines. 

Looe Valley Vineyard

Among the many things to do on holiday in Looe, a visit to Looe Valley Vineyard is essential. On a sunny site in the East Looe Valley, the artisan vineyard was established in 2008 by Charles Boney and Sue Brownlow, with the aim of creating high-quality, hand-crafted wines. Today, with 7,000 vines, they produce red and white wines, and both still and sparkling rosés – among them several award winners. 

Looe Valley Vineyard is open from May to October for tours and tastings. Self-guided tastings cost £8.50, including a guide and samples of four wines, while self-guided tours cost £4.50 for up to 2 hours. It’s the guided tour and tasting with Charles Boney himself, however, which is the biggest hit with visitors. At £18.50, it’s a 2-hour, hands-on experience that’s both informative and inspiring. It offers the chance to use real tools to tend the vines and learn all about the wine-making process. 

St Martin’s Vineyard & Winery

Just 100 metres from the beach, St Martin’s Vineyard & Winery is unique: one of the most south-westerly in the UK, set on a small island in the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago 28 miles from Land’s End (reached only by plane, helicopter or ferry). A tour of this regeneratively managed vineyard is not only a treat for wine lovers, but also for anyone interested in wildlife – it’s full of wildflowers, birds, bees, butterflies, bats and small mammals such as the Scilly shrew. The easiest mainland location to get to Isles of Scilly is Penzance, where it takes 2hr 45m to get there.

To visit, there’s no need to book – just turn up during opening hours. A self-guided tour, following a signposted trail around the vineyard, plus a tasting, costs £10 – or you could do one or the other for just £6. 

The Atlantic Vineyard

Only planted in 2022, The Atlantic Vineyard is a newcomer to the scene, aiming to breathe new life into the English wine business with exciting innovations and by working in harmony with nature. In addition to grape growing, this pioneering, family-run business is also a venue for weddings, events and retreats. In a beautiful, 30-acre site on the outskirts of Newquay, it’s off-grid, sustainable and organic, generating electricity from solar and wind power, and sourcing water from a borehole. 

Vineyard tours and tastings cost £20, with a guided tour by the founders, which covers not only how the grapes are grown and the wine made, but also how they care for the land sustainably. There are spectacular coast and country views from the hillside, and you’ll finish with a tasting of three wines accompanied by snacks in the charming tasting barn. 

Book a wine tasting holiday in Cornwall

If you can’t wait to book a vineyard tour or wine tasting in Cornwall, follow the link below to see our range of Cornish self-catering properties. From couples’ escapes and large-group getaways to seaside cottages and rural retreats – your dream stay is just a click away.