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. Below are the tours we would pick at each budget, and what to do when you don’t know which weekends they have free.
Updated September 2026. Prices change, so check the listing before you book.
A tasting at the vineyard, under £50
A tour and tasting at a Kent estate costs roughly £25 to £40 a head. That is enough of a present by itself, though a bottle from the same vineyard goes well with it. They will have to get themselves there, so this one is for 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
A vineyard voucher, with no date to fix
They pick the day and make their own way there. Most vouchers last a year. Several come by email, which is a relief if you have left it late.
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. The retailer vouchers are valid for twelve months; the cheapest covers visits from Sunday to Friday, the others any day.
Tour, tasting and lunch at Gusbourne
A long lunch at one of England’s most admired sparkling wine estates: a glass on arrival, a tour of the vines, an extended tasting and three courses with matched wines. About four and a half hours.
Good to know Thursday to Sunday. The estate’s own experience vouchers are valid for twelve months.
Wine and dine at Balfour
A vineyard and winery tour, a tasting of six wines, then a seasonal three-course lunch with a glass matched to each course. Transfers from Marden station are included, so nobody drives.
Good to know Thursday to Sunday, all year. The retailer voucher is £300 for two and valid for twelve months; the estate charges £190 a head for the same experience, and its own tour voucher is an open amount from £10 that lasts a year.
Tour and tasting at Silverhand
A glass of sparkling wine, then a tour of a 600-acre organic vineyard on the North Downs and a tasting of two still and two sparkling wines. About an hour and a half.
Good to know Friday to Sunday, all year.
Tour and tasting at Warehorne
A short tour of a young vineyard on the edge of Romney Marsh, then an hour tasting four of its still wines. Ham Street station is a short walk away.
Good to know Thursday to Sunday, all year, at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, according to the retailer. The vineyard’s own cellar door opens at weekends and it charges £15 a head, but its own vouchers were showing as sold out in October 2026.
A full day out, transport included
For a bigger present, a day tour sorts out the travel and lunch and takes them round two or three vineyards. 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.
Find out moreBook now
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.
Find out moreBook now
A private day for a family or a group of friends
On a private tour the group has the day to itself. Split between several people, it makes a generous 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.
Find out moreBook now
Our page on private wine tours in Kent explains how they work.
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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 thing is to choose 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 can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, though it is worth reading the terms on the listing.
- Not sure of their diary?Write a card promising a vineyard day and add a link to this guide. When they have picked a tour and a date, book it together.
- Wrap something realA printed booking confirmation looks thin on its own. 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. Chapel Down, Gusbourne, Balfour, Silverhand and Warehorne all sell vouchers that let them pick their own date, and most last a year. The other way is to book a date you know works and check the cancellation terms.
How much does a vineyard tour in Kent cost?
Roughly £25 to £40 a head for a tour and tasting at a Kent vineyard. Full-day tours from London or Brighton with lunch cost more, and a private day starts at £190 a head (checked October 2026).
When is the best time of year for a vineyard visit?
April to October, if they want to walk round the vines, and September and October are harvest. Tastings carry on all year, so a winter date is fine.