Daws Hill Vineyard: A Family-Run Sparkling Wine Estate in the Chilterns
A Boutique Vineyard Tucked into the Chiltern Hills
Half a mile off the A40, down a twisting single-track lane lined with high hedges and an almost vertical hill, you will find one of England's smallest and most quietly distinctive wineries. Daws Hill Vineyard sits at the end of a tarmac bridle path on the family farm at Town End Road, Radnage, in the heart of the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Three acres of vines, roughly 5,000 of them, climb a gentle slope behind a row of converted stables that serve as the winery and cellar. The setting is unmistakably English - chalk-fed soils, beechwood on the ridge, and the kind of stillness you only get this far from the M40.
What makes Daws Hill unusual is the scope of what is done by hand on such a small site. From winter pruning to summer leaf-stripping, from harvest to labelling, almost every stage of the winemaking process is carried out by a tiny, dedicated team. There are no contract growers here, no outsourced bottling lines. Every bottle that leaves the estate has been pressed, fermented, aged, riddled, disgorged and labelled in those converted stables, then rested on its lees for a minimum of four years before release. It is a slow, deliberate way of working, and it is at the core of the winery's character.
From Orthopaedic Surgeon to Vigneron: The Story of Daws Hill
The vineyard was founded in 2004 by Nigel Morgan, a former orthopaedic surgeon whose career had taken him from operating theatres to a decade spent restoring old houses in rural France. Together with his partner Sarah, Nigel fell for French wine country in the mid-1990s and began to take winemaking seriously as more than a hobby. When the couple returned to Buckinghamshire to live on Sarah's family farm in Radnage, they looked at the chalky, free-draining slopes behind the farmhouse and saw a landscape not unlike parts of the Côte des Blancs.
The first vines went into the ground in 2004. They chose the classic Champagne varieties - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier - alongside a small planting of Auxerrois, a grape more commonly found in Alsace but well suited to the cool, south-facing slopes of the Chilterns. The intention was always to make traditional method sparkling wine, and from the outset the project was conceived as a small, family-scale estate rather than a commercial venture.
In 2016 the vineyard passed into the hands of the next generation. Holly Morgan, Nigel's daughter, returned to Radnage after several years working abroad in Ibiza, France and Argentina to take over the day-to-day running of the estate. Under her leadership, the winery has broadened its range, launched a calendar of public tours and food-led events, and started bottling its own cider from locally hand-picked apples. Holly's winemaking style - informal, generous, and deeply hands-on - is the through-line that runs from the public Saturday tours to the bespoke Sushi & Sparkling afternoons and the increasingly popular disgorgement workshops.
The Grapes and the Wines
Around 5,000 vines are spread across the three-acre site at Daws Hill. The dominant planting is Chardonnay, which forms the backbone of the estate's blanc de blancs style, supported by Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in roughly equal measure for blending, and a thin layer of Auxerrois that adds floral lift to certain cuvées. All fruit is estate-grown; nothing is bought in.
Sparkling White Wine 2021
The current release of the estate's signature white sparkling is a blend of 80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier, made entirely in the traditional method and aged on its lees before disgorgement. Bottles are priced at £32 and can be bought from the Daws Hill online shop. It is the wine most often used to lead the public tastings.
Sparkling Rosé 2018
The 2018 vintage rosé is a richer blend of 10% Chardonnay, 70% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier. The Pinot Noir dominates the colour and the fruit profile - expect a mid-rosé hue, small persistent bubbles, red berry, strawberry, raspberry and watermelon, with a toasty autolytic backbone and brisk acidity on the finish. This cuvée took Silver at the Thames and Chiltern Vineyard Association competition in the sparkling wine category in 2022. It retails at £32 a bottle.
Sparkling Cider
Made from a blend of local garden apples hand-picked within the Chilterns, the Daws Hill Sparkling Cider is bone-dry, with subtle apple fruit, lemon-pith brightness, a strong mousse and a long-lasting fizz. It sells for £16 a bottle and is a useful introduction to the estate for visitors who prefer something other than wine.
Mixed Case of 6
For those who want to compare across the range, the Mixed Case of 6 lets you choose any combination of the current sparkling wines and cider. Cases start at £86 and can be configured online with a mix of Sparkling White, Sparkling Rosé and Sparkling Cider.
Visiting the Vineyard: Tours and Tastings
Daws Hill runs a regular schedule of public vineyard tours and tastings throughout the summer. The standard format is a two-hour, vine-to-bottle experience beginning at 11:00 am and finishing at 1:00 pm, with a tutored tasting of the current sparkling vintages led by an experienced guide. Tickets are priced at £20 per person and can be booked online. Designated drivers are welcome to attend free of charge.
The tour begins in the vineyard itself, walking the rows and explaining the seasonal cycle of the vine - pruning, bud rubbing, tucking in, leaf stripping and finally harvest, which usually runs through October. Visitors then move into the converted stables that serve as the winery, where the team talks through pressing, fermentation, secondary fermentation in bottle, riddling, disgorgement and dosage. The visit concludes with a tutored tasting of the estate's current sparkling wines.
Upcoming Public Tour Dates
Public tours are scheduled on the following Saturdays through to early October:
- Saturday 8 August 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - £20
- Saturday 22 August 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - £20
- Saturday 12 September 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - £20
- Saturday 26 September 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - £20
- Saturday 3 October 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - £20
Tour vouchers are sold separately in the shop at £20 each and can be redeemed against any public tour at checkout. Tours run only during the spring and summer months; the calendar pauses over winter and the team restart dates in March or April of the following year.
Private Tours and Groups
For groups of eight or more, Daws Hill offers bespoke private tours that can be tailored to include a tasting of older or rare vintages, a wine and cheese pairing, or a full Ploughman's lunch served under the vines (or inside the winery on a less obliging English day). Standard private tours start from £20 per person. The wine and cheese option pairs three sparkling wines plus a cider with local cheese and optional charcuterie, and is a popular choice for birthdays, corporate days out and hen parties. Private bookings can be arranged on request via the private tour enquiry.
Special Events and Experiences
Above and beyond the regular tours, Daws Hill runs a calendar of more hands-on experiences throughout the season. Many of these are limited to small groups and tend to sell out well in advance.
Create Your Own Sparkling Wine with Holly
This is the estate's signature workshop, led personally by winemaker Holly Morgan. Held in the winery, the afternoon begins with a guided exploration of how flavour and aroma are perceived individually, before moving into a comparative tasting of dosage levels - Brut, Extra Brut, Sec and Demi-Sec - to help each guest identify their preferred sweetness. Once the choice is made, participants disgorge their own bottle: freezing the neck, removing the ice plug, adding the chosen dosage and finishing with a cork. Your personalised recipe is then recorded on file so you can reorder that exact style in future. The price is £100 per bottle (not per person - solo guests and pairs are equally welcome) and includes your finished bottle to take home. The next scheduled date is Sunday 13 September 2026, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - book online.
Sushi Making & Sparkling Wine
A collaboration with Sakana Oxford, this three-hour afternoon blends hands-on Japanese cookery with a generous tasting of Daws Hill sparkling wines. Guided by Yoko, owner and chef of Sakana Oxford, participants learn to make three different styles of sushi from scratch using fresh, sashimi-grade ingredients, before enjoying the results alongside the estate's fizz. Tickets are £65 per person and include all ingredients, equipment, the wines and the sushi you make. The next confirmed date is Saturday 12 September 2026, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm - reserve online. Spaces are limited.
Foodie Nights and Cellar Tastings
Daws Hill also runs occasional Friday Night Wine Tastings, English Wine Week special events and intimate cellar tastings comparing five vintages from across the estate's history. Past events have included the Sip, Swirl & Discover afternoon in the private wine cellar and the Taste of the Chilterns tasting. These one-off sessions are announced through the events newsletter and on social media.
The Daws Hill Shop
The Daws Hill online shop is small but tightly curated, with just nine lines covering the wines, cider, gift items and experiences. Everything is shipped directly from the estate.
- Tour Voucher - £20. A redeemable voucher for any public vineyard tour and tasting.
- Gift Voucher - from £25 to £100, redeemable across all Daws Hill products and experiences.
- Sparkling White Wine 2021 - £32 per bottle (80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier).
- Sparkling Rosé 2018 - £32 per bottle. Silver winner at the Thames & Chilterns Vineyard Association 2022.
- Sparkling Cider - £16 per bottle, made from locally hand-picked apples.
- Mixed Case of 6 - from £86, mixed across the sparkling range.
- Descorjet - £60. A professional sparkling wine bottle opener (currently sold out).
- Recycled Bottle Candle - £20. Hand-poured candles made from the estate's empty sparkling wine bottles, available in Vanilla, Seaweed & Juniper, and Sandalwood & Black Pepper; burn time around 50 hours.
- Sliding Gift Box with Candle - £55. A presentation box containing a full bottle of wine, a candle and a tour for two.
Wines can be ordered online via the Daws Hill shop, with UK delivery available.
Volunteer Days: A Year in the Vines
For visitors who want a more physical relationship with the vineyard, Daws Hill runs a series of volunteer days throughout the year. These are free to attend, open to anyone willing to muck in, and are a rare chance to learn viticulture hands-on from the team. Sessions start at 10 am with tea and coffee, followed by a briefing and several hours of practical work in the vineyard, finishing with a shared lunch served with Daws Hill sparkling wine. All volunteers also receive 10% off every purchase for a full year.
The seasonal tasks include:
- Winter pruning - the most physically demanding job of the year. Vines are cut back using the Guyot system to two canes per plant, then removed from the wires.
- Tying down - securing the pruned canes to the fruiting wire.
- Bud rubbing - removing unwanted buds from the trunk to direct the vine's energy into the chosen canes.
- Tucking in - training new shoots into the wiring system as they grow.
- Leaf stripping - opening the canopy around the grape clusters to improve ripening and airflow.
- Harvest (October - November) - the most popular sessions of the year, which usually fill up within days of being announced.
Dates are released in batches throughout the season, and anyone interested can sign up online.
Local Partners and Where to Find Daws Hill
Daws Hill works closely with neighbouring producers and food businesses across the Chilterns and the Thames Valley. The most visible collaborations include the Waddesdon Manor Artisan Food Market, Duck Pond Market, Peterley Manor Farm, Chiltern Brewery, Malt the Brewery, the Thame Food Festival and The Crown at Radnage. The vineyard also features regularly in the Chilterns Food Magazine.
In addition to on-site visits and tours, the team can be found at a number of farmers' markets throughout the year. The most frequent fixture is the Henley Market; a full list of upcoming market dates is published online.
How to Find Daws Hill
The vineyard is tucked away at the end of a tarmac bridle path off Town End Road in Radnage, Buckinghamshire, HP14 4DY. From Junction 5 of the M40, take the A40 through Stokenchurch towards High Wycombe. About half a mile after leaving Stokenchurch, turn off signposted to Radnage and follow the winding road down a steep hill for roughly three miles. At the bottom the road bends left and becomes a single-track lane through high hedges. Take the second left; the road begins to climb again and bends right. Just before it turns back left, look out for "White's Farm" on the left, then take the tarmac bridle path on the right immediately after the large green hedge. Follow the bridle path for around 400 yards until you see the white house; turn right at the end of the track and park in front of the barn on the left. The winery is in the second set of stables.
If you are using a sat-nav, the postcode is HP14 4DY, but bear in mind that the lane becomes very narrow and parking is limited - please drive slowly and carefully. The team can be reached on 07833 462597 or via the contact form.
Plan a Visit
If you are looking for a small, family-run English sparkling wine estate where every bottle is hand-tended from pruning to labelling, Daws Hill is well worth the detour off the M40. Public tours run on selected Saturdays from spring through to early October, the seasonal events calendar fills the winery with food-led evenings and creative workshops, and the shop is open year-round for those who simply want to put a bottle of Chilterns fizz on the table at home.
The winery is active on Instagram and Facebook, where updates from the vineyard appear between events.