Castlewood Vineyard: A Boutique Devon Producer of Minimal-Intervention Sparkling Wines
Nestled on a south-facing hillside in the heart of the Axe Valley, Castlewood Vineyard is one of East Devon's most distinctive boutique wine producers. Run by the Corbett family, the vineyard sits beneath the ancient Iron Age hill fort of Musbury Castle, a stone's throw from the Jurassic Coast and the beaches of Lyme Regis and Seaton. Castlewood's quietly confident philosophy - quality not quantity, and less is more - shapes everything from how the vines are tended to how the wines are bottled. The result is a small but focused range of traditional-method sparkling wines and minimal-intervention still wines that have earned the respect of leading UK sommeliers, chefs and wine writers.
What sets Castlewood apart is not just the wines, however. The estate is a complete Devon destination: a working farm with heritage Aberdeen Angus cattle, two 18th-century holiday cottages, a converted 1970s Canadian Bluebird Bus, luxury glamping during festival season, vineyard tours and tastings, and a much-loved annual wine festival that brings together some of the South West's best musicians, chefs, brewers and cider makers. Find them online at castlewoodvineyard.co.uk.
A South-Facing Devon Hillside
Castlewood's vineyard aspect is directly due south on a rolling slope, which allows cold air to drain gently to the valley floor and creates a frost-free microclimate in which the vines flourish. Beneath the topsoil, a fertile clay-loam gives way to a free-draining subsoil that feeds into a stream running along the southern boundary. The vines are planted at a deliberately low density, with three-metre row widths that prevent row-to-row shading and maximise the sunlight hours during high summer. A close grass cover is maintained year-round, improving soil structure and preventing erosion through the wetter months.
The Castlewood Story
Castlewood Vineyard emerged from this Devon hillside between 2006 and 2009, planted in steady progression once traditional sparkling varieties had been trialled on site. Three-quarters of the vineyard is given over to the classic Champagne trio: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, responsible for the estate's vintage sparkling wines. The remaining quarter is planted with non-classic varieties that ripen earlier - Seyval Blanc, Madeline Angevine, Reichensteiner and Bacchus - which contribute fruit, blend material and reserve wines for the NV sparkling range.
In 2016 a further two hectares of Bacchus (clone Gf 1) were planted on Block HH, the steepest and most exposed hillside on the estate. The fruit from this block is the sole source of the estate's celebrated Devon Minnow English oaked Bacchus, while remaining parcels and pressings go into the Artefact range and the still Rosé.
The vineyard is owned and managed by the Corbett family. Throughout the growing season they tend the vines themselves, then call on extended family and friends for the harvest - a community effort rewarded, as the Corbetts wryly note, by everyone's free wine as payment.
Winemaking at Castlewood
Harvest is dictated by a combination of grape quality, ripeness and weather, and is always the most thrilling period of the vineyard year. As the team puts it: you can make bad wine from good grapes, but you can't make good wine from bad grapes. Once picked, the grapes travel only a matter of minutes back to the winery, where they can be sorted and into the press within the hour. This short transit protects the juice from oxidation and preserves freshness.
After cold settling, the must is transferred to a combination of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels - an advantageous start for primary fermentation. Castlewood wines undergo no filtration and no fining chemicals. Production is small enough that the wines are left to clarify naturally. Bottling is carried out using gravity alone, never pumps, reducing oxygen exposure and protecting the character of every wine.
The Wines
Castlewood's range is built around traditional-method sparkling wines, complemented by a small, characterful line-up of still whites, rosés and an orange wine. Most wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, with no dosage where appropriate.
Sparkling Wines
- Two Winters Classic Cuvée 2022 - £40
Matured through two winters in barrel before bottling, this 100% Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier blend takes inspiration from Coteaux Champenois Blanc. Straw gold in colour with aromas of wild strawberry, red apple and peach melba, and a silky, rounded mouthfeel. 13% ABV, acidity 6.8 g/L. - Castlewood Brut Reserve NV - £32
A non-vintage blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bacchus, with the classic trio often complemented by Seyval Blanc, Madeline Angevine and Reichensteiner. Cold-fermented in small vats, blended the following spring and aged a minimum of 24 months on lees. Crisp, citrus-led, with English hedgerow character and a long, creamy finish. 12% ABV. - Castlewood Rosé Brut 2022 - £35
A traditional-method vintage rosé of 70% Pinot Noir (Champagne and Burgundy clones) and 30% Pinot Meunier. Delicate salmon pink, with strawberries and cream on the nose, crunchy red apple acidity and a naturally lower dosage. 12% ABV, acidity 9.3 g/L. - Castlewood Pinot Meunier 2022 - £40
Castlewood's first single-variety Pinot Meunier, made by fermenting the first-press juice in oak, ageing for two winters in barrel and then secondary-fermenting in bottle for at least 24 months. Deep golden, exceptionally fine bead, with ripe orchard fruits, brioche, hazelnut and acacia honey. 11.5% ABV. - Castlewood Nature - £32
A Brut Nature Chardonnay and Bacchus blend, zero dosage, bottled unfined and unfiltered. Bright elderflower, cut grass, green citrus and flinty minerality; pure expression of the Castlewood terroir. 11.5% ABV. - Castlewood / Glebe House Pét Nat - £28
A vivid ruby Pétillant Naturel made by the méthode ancestrale from a tiny experimental plot of Rondo and Dornfelder, planted in 2006. Morello cherry, hedgerow fruits and a creamy lactic mouthfeel. Made exclusively for Glebe House and available direct from Castlewood. - HIX Reserve Cuvée 2015 - £40 (sold out)
A limited release of 500 bottles, made with a greater proportion of reserve wine. The 2015 is 100% Chardonnay. Originally launched at Wilderness Festival in 2016 and selected by chef Mark Hix for his restaurants.
Still Wines
- Two Winters Chardonnay 2023 - £32
100% Chardonnay, fermented and aged through two winters in barrel. Bright lemon colour, orchard fruits and fragrant pear, lemon shortbread and a beautifully balanced freshness. 12% ABV. - Devon Minnow - from £28
Castlewood's English oaked Bacchus from Block HH, fermented and aged for 22 months in oak. Powerful citrus, broad tropical and herbal layers, subtle vanilla and buttery roundness. Acclaimed by wine writer Matthew Jukes: “I advise everyone in this land to drink this wine, it will reconfigure the Bacchus landscape forever.” Available in 75cl and Magnum formats. - Castlewood Rosé 2023 - from £22
Pinot Noir from the oldest, most easterly vineyard blended with Bacchus from the lowest altitude plot, fermented in stainless steel, oak and one clay amphora, then aged for 11 months. Orange-rosé in colour, Provençal in style, with pineapple, ruby grapefruit, peach and a refreshing mineral finish. - Fifth Season - £26
Castlewood's orange wine: a skin-contact blend of Bacchus, Reichensteiner and Pinot Noir, macerated for 10 days in Tuscan clay amphorae, returned to clay for a further 12 months, then rested for three months in neutral French oak. Wild ferment, unfined, unfiltered. Guava, grapefruit zest, mandarin peel, Darjeeling-like tannin and bracing acidity. Served ice cold it's like a long Negroni!
Gift Boxes and Accessories
- 1 Bottle Gift Box - from £53
Bespoke presentation boxes made-to-order from the estate's own fallen Ash and Oak trees, seasoned for a year and laser-engraved locally. Choice of Blanc de Blancs 2019, Brut Reserve NV or Rosé 2020. - 2 Bottle Gift Box - £90
The same handcrafted wooden box, tailored to a pair of Castlewood sparkling wines. - 3 Bottle Gift Box - £120
The flagship gift format for showing off a vertical or trio of Castlewood wines. - Stainless Steel Flute - £10
Castlewood-logo-engraved 200ml double-wall stainless steel flute, BPA free, available in Rose Gold or Stainless Steel. Designed in partnership with VIDA natural and included with every adult festival ticket.
Free shipping is offered on orders of six bottles or more, and on gift boxes over £150. The full collection is available to order online at the Castlewood shop.
Collaborations
Castlewood has built long-term relationships with some of the most respected names in UK hospitality, each project an opportunity to experiment and push the boundaries of what English wine can be.
Artefact - ‘A Moment in Wine’
Artefact is the collaboration between Rob Corbett of Castlewood, Luke Harbor (Head Sommelier at The Pig Hotels) and filmmaker Tommy Gillard. Luke has been lending a hand at Castlewood for more than eight vintages, and together the trio set out to make a wine that captures the feeling of a single year - unconventional, memorable, surprising. In summer 2019 they sourced two 300-litre Tuscan clay amphorae and began experimenting with skin contact and wild ferment. Each vintage evolves with different varieties, different techniques, and a new piece of artwork by Tommy on every label.
Devon Minnow
A collaboration between Castlewood, restaurateur Mark Hix and hotelier Robin Hutson (of The Pig Hotels and Lime Wood). Named after a 200-year-old Devon fishing lure, Devon Minnow is an English oaked Bacchus now poured at The Pig Hotels, Lime Wood, Angela Hartnett's Murano and Café Murano, a selection of Mitch Tonks' Devon and Cornwall restaurants and the Castlewood cellar door.
HIX Reserve Cuvée
First launched for Wilderness Festival in 2016, the HIX Reserve Cuvée was celebrated over a long-table banquet pairing Glenarm Estate sirloin with Dorset Blue lobster. Mark Hix selects just 500 bottles from the Castlewood cellars - often older vintages or with a greater proportion of reserve wine - releasing them at his discretion for The Oyster & Fish House and private events.
Castlewood / Glebe House Pét Nat
Made exclusively for Glebe House, the Sunday Times B&B of the Year, this Pétillant Naturel is adorned with artwork by Olive and captures the terroir of the Axe Valley and the spirit of Glebe's slow-food philosophy.
Castlewood / River Cottage ‘Wine & Dine’
Castlewood is just two miles from River Cottage HQ, and the two have teamed up to offer a full-day Wine & Dine experience: a guided vineyard tour and tasting followed by a two-course lunch in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's famous farmhouse. Available throughout the summer, with flexible dates for groups of ten or more.
Vineyard Tours & Tastings
Throughout the summer, Castlewood hosts guided vineyard tours and tastings for groups of six or more. The walk wends through the vines, learning about the trials and tribulations of growing grapes in East Devon, before pausing to take in the breath-taking views across the vineyards and over the Axe Valley. Guests then descend to Castlewood's 150-year-old cellar door at the farm for a guided tasting of every wine in the range, paired with local bread and cheese.
Tours are run by Matt, who has been pouring Castlewood wines for many years while running some of the team's favourite South West places to eat, drink and stay (including Coombshead Farm and HOLM). Tours start at the times listed below and last approximately two hours, depending on questions from connoisseurs.
The 2026 tour dates are:
- Friday 21 August 2026, 5pm
- Saturday 22 August 2026, 3pm
- Saturday 5 September 2026, 3pm
Tickets are £25 per person and can be booked online via the booking link. Private tours on alternative dates can be arranged by contacting the team directly.
Smaller groups and individuals are welcome to visit the cellar door by arrangement - call ahead so the team knows you're coming - and there's a wonderful picnic spot at the top of the vineyard with sweeping views across the Axe Valley.
The Castlewood Wine Festival
The annual Castlewood Wine Festival is the highlight of the East Devon summer calendar. Born out of the harvest celebration, it has grown into a multi-stage weekend of music, feasting, food and drink, glamping and family activities, all set among the vines beneath Musbury Castle.
The 2026 festival featured:
- Two music stages - a Main Stage headlined by Land of the Giants, Horses on the Beach and the Andy Quick Band, with Russell Sinclair & The Smokin' Locos, The Yonder Folk, Kate Hall, Our Atlantic Roots, Funky Gordano, John Maybey, The Grove and Moneypenny on the Brewery Stage.
- An on-stage wine tasting with James Matyear of Brindiwell Wines.
- The Farm-to-Fire Feast, a long-table three-course lunch by Chiara Tomasoni (MasterChef: The Professionals finalist and former River Cottage Head Chef) and Connor Reed of Half Penny Farm. Tickets were £55 per person and pre-booked only.
- Food and drink from Glebe House, Soulshine, Rebel Town Pizza, Tom's Lyme Regis, the Castlewood hog roast and BBQ, Goose & Badger Coffee and Emese Patko's Homemead Bake.
- Wines and cider from Castlewood, Artefact, Offbeat Wines, Danbury Ridge, Swanaford Estate, Dalwood Vineyard, Sandridge Barton, Lyme Bay, Brindiwell, Nutbourne Vineyards, Otter Brewery, Harry's Cider, Burrow Hill Cider, Find & Foster and Gilt & Flint.
- Glamping in luxury bell tents from Bell & Breakfast - double or twin £250, additional beds £30 (maximum six per tent).
- Vineyard tours, Free Range Explorers woodland activities for children, and the climb up to the Musbury Castle Iron Age hill fort.
- A firm commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle: stainless steel Castlewood flutes in every adult ticket, PLA cups for other drinks.
The team has announced: “Thank you for coming - we'll be back.” Follow @castlewoodwines on Instagram for the 2027 dates announcement.
Stay With Us
Castlewood is as much a place to stay as it is a vineyard. Three very different - but equally charming - options put guests within walking distance of the vines.
Newhouse and Wonover Holiday Cottages
Two traditional stone holiday cottages set in spacious gardens with views over the vineyards and towards the coast at Axmouth and Beer. The Grade II listed cottages date back to the 18th century and retain inglenook fireplaces, beamed ceilings and window seats. Each has its own private garden for relaxing or alfresco dining. Wonover has the added indulgence of a wood-fired hot tub.
The Bluebird Bus
A former 1970s Canadian school bus, lovingly restored by friends of the Corbetts and driven home from Canada, the Bluebird Bus now sits at the end of a private drive in a secluded glade with open views of the Axe Valley. Inside, a light and spacious lounge, wood burner, dining area, well-equipped kitchen, bedroom compartment with original retro fittings, and a compact wet-room shower with WC. Outside, garden furniture, a BBQ, a fire pit and logs are provided. Book the Bluebird Bus.
Castlewood Beef
The vineyard is one half of a wider family farm. Castlewood's Aberdeen Angus herd is born and raised on the herb-rich pasture that surrounds Musbury Castle, a native British breed renowned for marbling, tenderness and flavour. Every cut is hand-finished by skilled West Country butchers using time-honoured methods.
Beef is sold directly from the farm in two box sizes:
- 10 kg Box - £170
Minimum: 4× prime steaks, 2× traditional steaks, 3× roasting joints, pasture-fed mince and hand-pressed burgers. - 5 kg Box - £90
Minimum: 2× prime steaks, 2× roasting joints, pasture-fed mince and hand-pressed burgers.
Specific cuts can be requested on a pre-order basis. Enquiries about beef boxes can be made online at castlewoodvineyard.co.uk/our-beef.
Visiting Castlewood Vineyard
Castlewood is in the heart of the Axe Valley, beneath the ancient hill fort of Musbury Castle in East Devon. The estate is within minutes of the Jurassic Coast beaches at Lyme Regis, Seaton and Beer, and just ten minutes from River Cottage HQ at Park Farm. The Axe Estuary bird-watching reserve and the Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliff National Nature Reserve are both a short drive away.
For all enquiries - cellar-door visits, group bookings of six or more, accommodation, the Wine & Dine experience and the festival - contact Rob and Kate on 07812 554 861. The team aims to reply to emails as soon as possible, though during busy periods this can take a few days.
Follow Castlewood on Instagram and Facebook for harvest updates, festival announcements, and the latest releases.
FAQs
Where is Castlewood Vineyard?
Castlewood Vineyard is on a south-facing hillside in the Axe Valley, beneath the Iron Age hill fort of Musbury Castle in East Devon, close to Axminster and within easy reach of Lyme Regis, Seaton and the Jurassic Coast.
What wines does Castlewood make?
Castlewood specialises in traditional-method sparkling wines from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier (including Two Winters Classic Cuvée, Brut Reserve NV, Rosé Brut, Pinot Meunier and Brut Nature). The still range covers an English oaked Bacchus (Devon Minnow), a Chardonnay (Two Winters), a Pinot Noir / Bacchus rosé and an orange wine called Fifth Season.
How much is a Castlewood vineyard tour?
Castlewood vineyard tours and tastings cost £25 per person, last approximately two hours, and include a guided tasting of every wine in the range paired with local bread and cheese. Minimum group size is six; private tours on other dates can be arranged by contacting the team.
Does Castlewood host events?
Yes. The annual Castlewood Wine Festival is the flagship event, with live music on two stages, fire-cooked feasting, vineyard tours, glamping and a wide line-up of South West food, wine and cider producers. The festival is held beneath Musbury Castle each summer.
Can I stay at Castlewood?
Yes. Castlewood has two 18th-century holiday cottages (Newhouse and Wonover) and a beautifully restored 1970s Bluebird Bus, all bookable through holidaycottages.co.uk.
Does Castlewood sell beef?
Yes. Castlewood's pasture-fed Aberdeen Angus beef is sold direct from the farm in 5 kg (£90) and 10 kg (£170) boxes, with prime steaks, traditional steaks, roasting joints, mince and hand-pressed burgers.