Cotswold Hills Vineyard - English Wines from the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester
Nestled in a south-facing field close to the village of Down Ampney, just north of Cirencester, Cotswold Hills is one of the most distinctive student-led vineyards in the English wine world. Operated under the tenancy of the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), the 2.6-hectare site produces an award-winning range of still, sparkling and canned English wines, with every bottle sold contributing to a fund that helps budding RAU entrepreneurs launch their own businesses.
From a Cotswolds field to a multi-award-winning wine brand
The story of Cotswold Hills began in 2010, when a six-acre, south-facing field near Down Ampney was planted with vines. The vineyard now consists of 40 rows of vines, planted predominantly with Ortega grapes alongside two rows each of Bacchus, Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc. These classic cool-climate varieties thrive on the Cotswold brash and limestone-derived soils and are carefully blended to create the winery's signature aromatic whites.
In 2016, the Royal Agricultural University took on the tenancy of the vineyard, transforming it into a living classroom. Since then the project has produced a range of wines that taste great, look beautiful and, crucially, give students the opportunity to gain first-hand enterprise and employability skills. The result is a unique commercial vineyard that doubles as a real-world business incubator.
The winemaker
Once harvested, the grapes travel to Three Choirs Vineyard in Newent, Gloucestershire, where they are turned into wine by winemaker Martin Fowke, himself an alumnus of the Royal Agricultural University. The choice of a Gloucestershire producer keeps the Cotswold Hills supply chain entirely local, from vine to bottle, the wine is rooted in the surrounding countryside.
The wine range
Cotswold Hills produces a focused, quality-driven range of wines that celebrate the Ortega grape at their heart. The current range can be bought online through the Cotswold Hills shop.
Still white wines
- Cotswold Hills White Blend - Celebrating 180 yrs of the RAU (limited edition) - A special blend of Ortega, Bacchus and Chardonnay grapes displaying aromas of delicate florals and honeydew melon, with a palate of fresh cut green apple and peach. Released to celebrate the RAU's 180-year heritage. Price range: £18.00 - £100.00.
- Cotswold Hills White Blend 2024 - sustainable paperboard bottle (limited edition) - The same bright, floral blend packaged in a sustainable paperboard bottle. Price range: £18.00 - £100.00.
- Cotswold Hills White Blend 2023 (Still White) - A blend of Ortega and Bacchus producing aromas of elderflower and delicate florals, with a fruit palate of green apple and peach. Price range: £18.00 - £100.00.
- Cotswold Hills Ortega 2023 (Still White) - Silver Award winner at the WineGB West Awards 2024. A crisp, dry white with a clean, stone-fruit finish. Refreshing citrus and green fruits mellowed with delicate peach and hints of minerality. Price range: £18.00 - £100.00.
Still rosé
- Cotswold Hills Still Rosé 2023 - A blend of Ortega and Rondo grapes producing a well-balanced rosé with aromas of cut grass and floral notes, summer fruit flavours and a hint of lychee. Price range: £18.00 - £100.00.
Sparkling wine
- Cotswold Hills Sparkling White 2020 - An exquisite blend of Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc expressing crisp aromas of citrus, apple and pear with delicate minerality. A clean and refreshing traditional-method English sparkling. Price range: £29.00 - £170.00.
Canned wine
- Cotswold Hills Fizzy White Cans - A 250ml canned aromatic white wine with bubbles, produced from Ortega and Bacchus grapes in Gloucestershire. Introduced in 2019 and winner of "Best Alternative Wine" at the WineGB West Awards in 2023. Perfect for picnics and outdoor events. Sold in cases of 12 for £72.00.
Tasting notes at a glance
Across the still wines, expect aromatic floral and elderflower notes from the Ortega-dominant blends, with crisp green apple, peach and citrus on the palate. The rosé offers a summer-fruit character with a touch of lychee, while the Sparkling White 2020 delivers classic English fizz balance, with citrus, apple and pear and a clean mineral finish. The canned fizzy white carries the same bright, aromatic profile in a portable, picnic-friendly format.
Awards and recognition
Cotswold Hills has built a strong reputation at the regional and national level:
- WineGB West Awards 2024 - Silver Award for the Ortega 2023 Still White.
- WineGB West Awards 2023 - "Best Alternative Wine" for the Fizzy White Cans.
The wines are stocked in over 125 retail outlets across the UK, including a number of Mid-Counties Co-Op stores, making them widely available to English wine lovers in store as well as online.
Student enterprise at the heart of every bottle
What truly sets Cotswold Hills apart is its mission. The vineyard is part of the Royal Agricultural University's award-winning Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme, an inspiring and supportive environment in which students can share, develop and launch their own ideas. The RAU became only the sixth university in the UK to be made a Centre of Excellence by the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE), in recognition of its leading-edge enterprise practice.
Students involved in the Cotswold Hills project learn about vineyard management, grape varieties, wine production, marketing and finances before helping with the annual grape harvest. Past student start-ups supported by the programme include a farm safety app, pre-organic solutions for the food sector, a tourism company and a fashionable eyewear brand.
The First Steps Fund
For every bottle of Cotswold Hills wine sold, £1 goes into the RAU's First Steps Fund, which provides small grants to students wanting to start their own businesses. Buying a bottle is therefore a tangible contribution to the next generation of rural and agricultural entrepreneurs.
Buying Cotswold Hills wines
The full range can be ordered online through the Cotswold Hills shop. All prices are quoted in pounds sterling, include VAT, and may be per bottle or per case as marked.
Delivery
Orders are normally despatched within two working days of receipt and delivered by courier, with an allowance of five working days for standard delivery. Cotswold Hills is currently unable to ship to Northern Ireland due to new export rules. Delivery costs are weight-based as follows:
- 0 - 13 kg: £10.00
- 13.01 - 26 kg: £15.00
- 26.01 - 28.8 kg: £17.50
- 28.81 - 29.99 kg: £20.00
- 30+ kg: £25.00
Age restriction
Cotswold Hills operates a strict over-18s policy. By placing an order, customers confirm they are at least 18 years old. Where wine is bought as a gift, the recipient must also be over 18.
Returns and cancellations
If bottles arrive broken or spoiled, customers should notify Cotswold Hills within 24 hours of receipt for a refund or replacement. Orders can be cancelled at any time before processing, and all refunds are conditional on proof of purchase and are made only to the original purchaser.
Visiting the vineyard
The Cotswold Hills vineyard at Down Ampney operates as a student enterprise project for the Royal Agricultural University rather than a commercial cellar-door attraction. The site is dedicated to hands-on student learning, and there is no regular public tour or tasting programme in place.
Contact
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: Royal Agricultural University, Stroud Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6JS
- Facebook: CotswoldHillsWine
- Instagram: @cotswoldhillswine
Why Cotswold Hills stands out
English wine is one of the fastest-growing categories in UK agriculture, but few producers combine commercial quality with such a clear social purpose. Cotswold Hills manages to do both: an Ortega-led range of still, sparkling and canned wines that have won awards at the WineGB West level, and a business model where £1 from every bottle sold feeds directly back into student enterprise at the Royal Agricultural University. Whether drinking the floral White Blend 2023, the citrus-fresh Ortega 2023, the lychee-lifted Still Rosé 2023 or the traditional-method Sparkling White 2020, every glass helps a Cotswolds student turn a business idea into a reality.