Alder Vineyard

Alder Vineyard: A Devon Family Vineyard on the Edge of Dartmoor

Set in the rolling farmland on the western edge of Dartmoor, just a mile outside the village of Lewdown, Alder Vineyard is one of the most exciting family-run English wine estates to have emerged in Devon over the past decade. What began as a Hodgetts family challenge to do something different with their slice of Devon has grown into a thriving visitor destination - a working vineyard of around 7,000 vines, a modern on-site winery, an award-winning kitchen and bar, and a busy calendar of tours, tastings, suppers and live music. The team's wholehearted mission is to "inspire and nurture a love of wine, far beyond the bottle", and every tour, tasting plate and evening of live music on the estate shows just how seriously they take that brief.

The estate picked up the title of Best Casual Dining Venue in Devon 2025 and second place UK-wide, building on a haul of earlier Devon Tourism Awards (gold for Best Café/Tearoom, gold for Small Visitor Attraction, and the Winner of Winners trophy). Their wines have also won recognition on the show circuit, including a Silver at the 2023 WineGB West Awards, a Bronze at the 2025 Food Drink Devon Awards for the Madeleine Angevine, a Gold for the Rondo Rosé, and most recently a Bronze at the 2026 Independent English Wine Awards (IEWA) for the Madeleine 2023.

Our Story: From Family Farm to English Wine Estate

The Hodgetts family have lived at Alder Farm in Devon for generations. Until the 1960s it operated as a working farm; afterwards the old sheds were converted into the home of the family's surf brand, Alder Sportswear. In the same spirit of reinvention, the vineyard was planted over ten years ago by Mike and Sarah Hodgetts, who wanted to "grow something unusual they could all be proud of".

The first vines went in - around 5,000 of them to begin with - and the original plan was simply to enjoy the process and sell the crop at the end of each season. Then came the exceptional 2014 harvest, when a perfect summer allowed the family to make a small number of bottles with friends at Polgoon Vineyard in Cornwall. They also began running tours of the site, and from there the project snowballed. More vines were planted, more tours were given, and a genuine love of English wine took hold. Son Tom went back to college to study winemaking, and in 2020 the family opened a brand-new winery, kitchen and shop on site, taking the business to the next level.

Today, the estate is run as a true family team - Mike Hodgetts as co-founder and head of vine care, Sarah Hodgetts as co-founder and head of experiences, Tom Hodgetts as head wine wizard (and the winemaker behind every bottle), and Adam Birch as head of creativity - supported by a friendly crew of local staff.

The Vines and the Wines

Alder now tends roughly 7,000 vines across three varieties, all planted on the free-draining slopes that look out towards the tors of Dartmoor. The maritime climate and south-westerly weather give the site a cooler, longer ripening season that suits classic cool-climate varieties beautifully.

Madeleine Angevine 2023 - £14.95 per bottle

The estate's flagship white, originally found in the Loire Valley in France, where 3,500 of these vines now call the edge of Dartmoor home. The 2023 vintage is pale in colour, gloriously dry and bursting with notes of melon, pineapple and green apple. Best served chilled at 4°C with chicken dishes, fresh Devon seafood or pasta. Bronze at the 2025 Food Drink Devon Awards and Bronze at the 2026 IEWA. Order the Madeleine Angevine 2023.

Rondo Rosé 2024 - £14.95 per bottle

Bold in colour and off-dry in style, the Rondo rosé has become one of the estate's most popular releases, with hints of strawberry, raspberry and a zingy cranberry finish. Pair it with delicate duck or lamb, fresh Devon seafood, charcuterie, paella or Asian dishes. Gold at the 2025 Food Drink Devon Awards. Order the Rondo Rosé 2024.

Madeleine Angevine Sparkling 2024 - £29.95 per bottle

A very limited traditional-method sparkling release - only 600 bottles crafted - made from earlier-picked Madeleine Angevine grapes for vibrant, crisp acidity with notes of crisp apple and grapefruit. The 2024 vintage was "undeniably one of the toughest in recent memory", yet the smaller crop has yielded greater ripeness and character. Perfect with smoked fish or light canapés. Order the Madeleine Angevine Sparkling 2024.

All Alder wines are bottled in lightweight glass with aluminium caps, packaged in plastic-free shipping boxes and delivered by APC courier in modern, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Vineyard Tours and Tasting Experiences

Visiting the vineyard for a tour is at the heart of the Alder experience. Each tour is led by a member of the family team and typically lasts around 90 minutes, split between a walk through the vines and a tasting session in the winery. Prices are kept refreshingly accessible.

Summer Edition Vineyard Tour + Wine Tasting - £20pp

Running April to October, this 90-minute experience takes in a 50-minute walk through the vines (where you'll learn about the year-round care for the estate's three varieties), followed by a 40-minute session in the winery where the team are busy preparing the current vintage. The tour finishes with a relaxed tasting of the latest estate-grown wines. Under-18s go free. Book the summer tour.

Winter Edition Vineyard Tour + Wine Tasting - £20pp

Running November to March, this version swaps the long summer walk for a shorter 30-minute vineyard stroll focused on the essential winter pruning and care tasks, followed by a longer 60-minute winery session that goes deeper into the still vintages and the intricate process behind the limited sparkling releases. Book the winter tour.

Sunset Winemakers Tour + Supper - £54.95pp

The headline evening experience. From 5:30pm on selected Saturdays through the summer you'll be welcomed with a Mimosa and local nibbles before joining Tom for a guided tour and tutored tasting in the winery. Then it's back to the kitchen for warm house-baked sourdough and the vineyard's signature flame-cooked Paella (king prawn, chicken and chorizo, with a plant-based option available), finished with a homemade dessert such as warm brownie or lemon tart. Voucher holders also get an exclusive 10% discount on wines to take home. 18+ only. Book the Sunset Winemakers Tour.

Private Group Vineyard Tours

Perfect for corporate away days, hen dos, birthdays and family get-togethers. Two packages are on offer:

• Private Vineyard Tour - £20pp: a 90-minute walk through the vineyard and winery, meet the family, hear the story and enjoy a relaxed tasting of the latest vintages. Discounts for groups of 15+; groups of 10 - 30 as standard.
• Private Vineyard Tour + Winemakers Lunch - £36pp: the same tour followed by the signature Winemakers Platter in the kitchen, loaded with local charcuterie, Devon cheeses and fresh sourdough.

Bookings for fewer than ten guests are taken with a £150 minimum charge to cover the tour and tasting element. Enquire about a private group tour.

For groups with an Activity Superstore or WonderDays voucher, the team runs a dedicated voucher redemption page - simply choose your voucher type, pick a date and time, and enter your code at checkout. Children under 18 are welcome on tours free of charge (though the uneven ground means pushchairs aren't ideally suited), and well-behaved dogs on leads are very welcome too.

The Kitchen + Bar

Since opening in 2020, the on-site Kitchen + Bar has become as much of a draw as the wines themselves. The team take their food seriously, with everything cooked to order from fresh local ingredients and served against the backdrop of the Dartmoor tors. The kitchen is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm, with breakfast club from 9 - 11am, the full lunch menu from 12 - 3pm, and coffee, cake and sharing platters served until 5pm. Bank holidays run an all-day brunch menu from 10am to 4pm (or 3pm). The new summer menu for 2026 launched on 29 April, with the return of the signature Caesar salads (including a smoky cauliflower twist), new open sandwiches and fresh vineyard platters. View the kitchen or book a table.

Breakfast Club (9 - 11am, Wed - Sun)

Stacked Devon breakfasts, eggs Benedict (ham, mushroom or smoked salmon), French toast, granola pots, bacon, sausage or smashed-pea sourdough sandwiches and more - with maybe a breakfast mimosa to wash it all down. The kitchen is dog-friendly inside and out.

Lunch (12 - 3pm, Wed - Sun)

Open sandwiches piled high on homemade sourdough are the lunch speciality, alongside Caesar salads (chicken + bacon, classic, roast cauliflower or salmon), grilled peach and buffalo mozzarella salad, and signature sharing platters loaded with local charcuterie and cheeses. The summer 2026 standout is the Sage-Butter Pork & Romesco open sandwich.

Coffee + Cake (9am - 5pm, Wed - Sun)

The coffee bar is bursting with homemade cakes that change weekly - favourites include red velvet, lime coconut rum drizzle, carrot walnut, lemon and elderflower drizzle, sour cherry and pistachio, espresso martini cake, Devon fudge cake and more. Hot or boozy desserts and Devon splits with local jam and cream are also on offer. Plant-based, gluten-free and vegan options are clearly marked across all menus.

Drinks from Across Devon

Even the bar list is local, stocking bottles and cans from a roll call of brilliant Devon producers: Papillon Gin, Devon Rum Company, Luscombe, Sandford Orchards, Utopian Brewing, Atlantic Spirit, Tors Vodka, Firebrand Brewing, Wicked Wolf Gin, Thunderflower Gin, Shanty Spirit, Powderkeg Beer, Gusto and Hattiers. A wide range of non-alcoholic beers, gin-alternatives, mocktails and soft drinks ensures there's something for everyone.

Gift Boxes and Vouchers

The on-site and online shop is packed with giftable treats, many of them curated with other Devon makers.

Gift Boxes

• Madeleine + Cheese Gift Box - £26.65: a bottle of the crisp Madeleine Angevine paired with a 150g slice of Quickes buttery clothbound cheddar, a box of oat and buttermilk crackers and a 225g jar of apple and Westcountry cider chutney. View the box.
• Rondo Rosé and Cheese Gift Box - £26.65: a bottle of the off-dry Rondo rosé with Quickes mature clothbound cheddar, sea salt savoury thins and tomato relish. View the box.
• Devon Rum Co Gift Box - £29.65: a 200ml bottle of Devon Rum Co's signature spiced rum with two 250ml cans of Jolly's Cola. View the box.
• Coffee + Caramel Tors Gift Box - £21.95: a 200ml bottle of Tors Vodka coffee and caramel liqueur, an 80g bar of Barber's 50% milk chocolate and a 100g box of Madagascan vanilla Devon fudge. View the box.

Gift Vouchers

• Vineyard Tour + Wine Tasting Gift Voucher - £20: a 90-minute walk through the vines and a tasting of the latest estate-grown wines, valid for 12 months. Voucher holders also enjoy priority window seating in the kitchen and an exclusive 10% discount on any wine bottles purchased from the shop. View the printed voucher or send it digitally.
• Vineyard Tour + Devon Cream Tea Gift Voucher - £32.50: the same tour topped off with a portion of the kitchen's freshly baked Devon splits and a regular glass of wine in the kitchen. View the printed voucher or send it digitally.
• Vineyard Tour + Winemakers Lunch for Two Gift Voucher - £89.95: the ultimate vineyard experience for two - a tour, tasting, the signature Winemakers Platter loaded with Devon charcuterie and cheeses, and two regular glasses of wine. View the printed voucher or send it digitally.
• Money Gift Vouchers: flexible vouchers in any amount between £10 and £500, redeemable online against tours, bottles and gifts, or in person against food, drink and the on-site shop. View the money voucher.

Live Music and Events

Alongside tours and tastings, Alder runs a packed calendar of "Live in the Vines" Sunday music afternoons, seasonal events and special evenings. Most live music events run on Sunday afternoons from 2:30pm and carry a small £5pp entry fee that secures a table for the afternoon, with Devon sharing platters, nibbles and drinks served throughout. Highlights of the 2026 season include The Buskateers on Sunday 26 April, Boundless Brothers on Easter Sunday 5 April, Conscious Club on Sunday 31 May, Rose Kimberley on Sunday 28 June, and Taylor Latham on Sunday 30 August. A previously advertised Leon Oxenham date on Sunday 26 July was unfortunately cancelled due to the artist injuring his hand.

Seasonal events include the four-day Easter Weekend in the Vines (Friday 3 to Monday 6 April 2026) featuring tours, the signature "Roast on Toast", live music on Easter Sunday and an all-day brunch on the bank holiday Monday, plus Mother's Day on Sunday 15 March with a complimentary mimosa or glass of wine for every mum at breakfast or lunch. The Sunset Winemakers Tour + Supper is the headline evening event, running on the first Saturday of every month from May to September.

Local Stockists

You can also find Alder wines in person at a number of local pubs, restaurants and shops across Devon:

• Lewtrenchard Manor, Lewtrenchard, Okehampton EX20 4PN
• Roots & Vines, 12 West St, Tavistock PL19 8AD
• Grape & Grain Wine Merchants, 130 High St, Crediton EX17 3LQ
• Homeleigh Garden Centre, Dutson, Launceston PL15 9SP
• Strawberry Fields Lifton, Fore St, Lifton PL16 0DE
• The Dartmoor Inn, Moorside, Lydford, Okehampton EX20 4AY
• Bearslake Inn, Lake, Sourton, Okehampton EX20 4HQ
• Blue Lion Inn, Lewdown, Okehampton EX20 4DL
• The East Gate Café and Brasserie, 3 Market Rd, Tavistock PL19 0BW
• Dartmoor Deli, Tavistock PL19 0AL
• Riverside Stores & Post Office, Bridestowe, Okehampton EX20 4EG
• Farmer Luxtons, Stockley, Okehampton EX20 1RX
• Ebdons Refreshments, 174 Sidwell St, Exeter EX4 6RH
• Smith's Wines & Spirits, 39 Magdalen Rd, Exeter EX2 4TA
• The Yard Appledore, 5 Market St, Appledore, Bideford EX39 1PW
• No 37, 37 South St, Great Torrington EX38 8AB

Sustainability and Ethics

Sustainability is at the heart of the estate. 100% of the estate's power comes from renewable provider Octopus, energy-saving light bulbs are used throughout, and a natural spring on the farm is harnessed for vehicle washing, vineyard work and watering the gardens. Wildflower "wild areas" have been introduced around the kitchen and below the vineyard, with a large area of land set aside as a nature haven surrounding a stream. The team refuses to use insecticides and send zero waste to landfill - everything is recycled, reused, composted or used to make energy. The wines are bottled in lightweight glass with aluminium caps and shipped in plastic-free packaging, and the team work closely with local producers to keep food and product miles down. Future plans include adding solar panels and battery storage to the building and reducing sprays further by exploring organic alternatives.

Visiting Alder Vineyard

Alder Vineyard is at Lewdown, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4PJ (///blurs.responded.figure). From Tavistock, follow Drake's Road out of town, turn left following signs for Chillaton and Lewdown, then right onto the Old A30 towards Bridestowe; the entrance is roughly a mile from Lewdown on the right. From Okehampton, follow the B3260 and join the A30 south to Sourton, then exit following signs for Lewdown; the entrance is on the left before the village. From Launceston, take the A388 to Lifton, follow the Old A30 through Lewdown and look for the entrance on the right about a mile beyond the village.

The kitchen, shop and winery are fully wheelchair accessible, with flat paved parking directly in front of the entrance. The vineyard walk itself is unfortunately not wheelchair friendly due to a steep slope and uneven terrain, though the team are happy to discuss adapting a tour where possible (email tom@aldervineyard.uk). Complimentary tickets are available for personal assistants and carers. Dogs on leads are very welcome both indoors and out.

For bookings, table reservations or vouchers, call 01566 783 409 or email hello@aldervineyard.uk. Follow the team's daily updates on Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter), and see how visitors have rated them on TripAdvisor. Free Click + Collect is available from the vineyard (Wed - Sun), and UK mainland delivery starts from £1.50 for vouchers and £5.50 for single bottles.

Whether you come for a tasting flight, a long lunch under the tors, a sunset supper or an afternoon of live music with the family, Alder Vineyard is proof that English wine, Devon hospitality and a generous slice of Dartmoor go together beautifully.