Eglantine Vineyard - Nottinghamshire's Original Wine Family, Est. 1975
Fifty years on from the day Tony and Veronica Skuriat planted their very first vines in the rolling countryside between Bunny and Costock, the family name attached to those original rows of grapes is now better known to many visitors as Hanwell Wine Estate. But it is the parent vineyard they call Eglantine Vineyard that quietly does the heavy lifting: it is where every bottle in the Eglantine and Hanwell ranges is fermented, aged and disgorged, and it is the home of one of the most decorated English dessert wines ever made.
Established in June 1979 and still run on family principles, Eglantine is a four-acre, hand-tended site with a purpose-built winery that today produces the entire Eglantine and Hanwell portfolio under the guiding hand of original winemaker Tony Skuriat. The wines are sold exclusively through the family's daughter Helenka Brown's second-generation vineyard at Hanwell Wine Estate in Hickling Pastures - but every drop of fizz, red, white, rosé, fruit wine and mead in that cellar door has come from Eglantine's winery.
A short history of Eglantine Vineyard
The Skuriat wine story begins long before 1975. In the late 1960s, Tony and Veronica moved into a house in West Bridgford, South Nottinghamshire, and discovered a neglected vine in an old greenhouse. The vine fascinated them. Without the internet to consult, they devoured books, magazines and resources from around the English-speaking wine world - and quietly began hatching a plan that, at the time, English agriculture regarded as eccentric at best.
In 1975 they planted their first vineyard. A few years later they moved those vines to a permanent home on the hill between Bunny and Costock, off the Nottingham to Loughborough road, and christened it Eglantine. Sceptics said it was too far north for grapes to ripen. The Skuriat family politely disagreed, and have spent the half century since proving the doubters wrong.
The 1980s and 1990s were the era of the experimenters. Tony and Veronica set out to collect and trial as many grape varieties as they could lay their hands on. By the time the trial block was grubbed up they had assessed 250 different varieties for disease resistance, quality, yield and the ability to ripen in the Nottinghamshire sunshine. Some of the rarer vines from that collection were donated to the UK National Collection. Today, the family continues that experimental instinct across both Eglantine and Hanwell, where they have planted 15 PIWI varieties bred for disease resilience and are watching closely to see how they perform in English conditions.
In the 1990s the Skuriat name picked up its first major industry recognition: an award for innovation in sparkling winemaking, after Tony devised a manual wooden "giro-pallet" capable of rotating and riddling champagne bottles in bulk. In the early 2000s, the family created North Star, the country's first commercially produced ice wine - a multi-award-winning dessert wine that has since been poured at the King's Coronation Banquet at the Ritz, Piccadilly, London.
The winery today
Eglantine's purpose-built winery sits on the original South Nottinghamshire site and is now run on largely natural principles. Grapes from both Eglantine and Hanwell are hand-harvested, then travel the fifteen minutes down the road to the Eglantine winery to be made into wine. All fermentations are natural, no animal-derived fining products are used, and every bottle is suitable for vegans.
The team of family and staff is small but experienced. Margaret has been caring for the vines from bud-burst to harvest for more than a decade and also assists in the winery. Darren keeps the estate's machinery, trellising and buildings in working order. Helena, the assistant winemaker, is learning the art of disgorging sparkling wine the traditional way. Sue the catering consultant, Jane and Lauren in food service, Karen on events, David and Jane leading tours, Pam on the bar, Alison on the vineyard and winery team, and Helenka Brown - Tony and Veronica's daughter - as owner, complete the line-up.
Everything is grown, made and bottled within a few miles of each other. The result is a producer with one of the lowest food miles of any English winery: grapes, wine and visitors all move through the same Nottinghamshire landscape.
The Eglantine wine range
Although the family's visitor centre sits at Hanwell, the wines themselves are labelled under either the Eglantine or the Hanwell mark. The Eglantine range - still the original line - is the heart of the estate.
- Eglantine Sparkling Dry White - £31.95 per 75cl bottle. A traditional-method fizz with bruised apple and elderflower character, made on the estate.
- Eglantine Pinot Sparkling 2018 - £31.95 per 75cl bottle. A red-fruit traditional-method sparkling made from Pinot Noir grown at Eglantine.
- Eglantine Cherry - £17.50 per 75cl bottle. Still wine made from local morello cherries, rich and warming.
- Eglantine Cherry Fizz - £26.00 per 75cl bottle. The sparkling version of the cherry wine - a sweet, decadent aperitif.
- Eglantine R&R Red Wine - £22.00 per 75cl bottle. A smoky, hedgerow-fruit red named in tribute to relaxation and recuperation.
- Eglantine Mead - £17.50 per 75cl bottle. A smooth, honey-forward mead from the family's own bees.
The flagship, however, is North Star Dessert Wine (£41.95 per 75cl bottle) - the multi-international-award-winning ice wine described by the estate as having a "wonderful fruity bouquet, a smooth silky feel in the mouth and a superb, multi-faceted flavour, comprising elements of apricot, mango and marmalade." Served at the King's Coronation Banquet and a regular trophy winner at the Drinks Business Spring Tasting, North Star remains one of the most distinctive English dessert wines on the market.
The second-generation Hanwell range uses the Champagne varieties - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier - planted at Hanwell in 2012 from a German nursery.
- Hanwell 'Classic' 2018 - £32.95. Pale gold, traditional method, 15 months on the lees, individually hand numbered.
- Hanwell 'Classic' 2017 - £39.00. The previous vintage, limited stock.
- Hanwell 'Classic' Magnum 2018 - £74.95. Over five years on the lees.
- Hanwell 'Blush' Rosé 2018 - £35.95. Sunset-pink traditional-method sparkling with redcurrant, cherry and shortcrust pastry on the nose.
- Hanwell 'Romance' Rosé 2021 - £18.00. A still dry rosé with raspberry, redcurrant and crisp red apple.
All bottles can be ordered for UK delivery from the Hanwell Wine Estate shop (typically £11.50 for 1 - 12 bottles, free on UK mainland orders over £160), collected from the cellar door, or picked up in person at one of the many markets and food festivals the family attends around the East Midlands throughout the year.
Visiting Hanwell Wine Estate
Although the wines themselves come from Eglantine, every tour, tasting and visitor experience is run from the family's Hanwell Wine Estate at Melton Road, Hickling Pastures - a 35-acre site set in rolling South Nottinghamshire countryside, just off the A46 Newark-to-Leicester road. It is approximately 20 minutes from Nottingham, 35 minutes from Leicester and 20 minutes from Melton Mowbray. The what3words address is worry.weeds.respected.
Seasonal opening hours for the cellar door and Café Bar are:
- Summer (April - September 2026): Friday and Saturday 12:00 - 15:30, often later.
- Winter (October - 19 December 2026): Saturday 12:00 - 15:30.
- Closed 20 December 2026 - 3 April 2027.
- The bar remains open an hour after the last vineyard experience finishes; outside of these hours visits and tastings can be arranged by appointment.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome everywhere on the estate - indoors and out, on the terrace, on tours and on the campsite. Children are equally welcome, and the venue operates Challenge 25 at the bar.
Guided Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting
The signature experience. For £30.00 per person you spend about 1.5 hours with one of the estate's WSET-qualified hosts, beginning in the Stable Yard with the family story, walking the gently sloping 170 m meadow path into the vineyard for a seated talk on the vineyard year, then returning for a tutored tasting of six family-made wines. Samples are hand-poured at around 30 ml each, with North Star served as a 15 ml taster. Non-drinkers can join in with a soft-drink tasting quiz. Bookings are taken for selected Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Book online here.
Sip and Stroll
For visitors who prefer to set their own pace, the Sip and Stroll self-guided trail starts at the bar, where you collect a map and a flight of six wines with tasting notes, and follows the 1 km vineyard and nature trail at leisure. £19.00 for one person, £38.00 for two, with around 60 minutes recommended. Available every Friday and Saturday afternoon in summer and on Saturdays through March, April, October, November and December. Reserve your slot online.
Chocolate & Wine Pairs
A relaxed, self-paced pairing of four Eglantine or Hanwell wines with a curated selection of artisan chocolates from Cathy's Chocolates and Cakes - chocolatier to Sat Bains for the past 13 years. £22.00 per person, available Saturdays in summer. Book here.
Cheese & Wine Pairs
The cheese version of the above, pairing four family wines with cheeses from Clawson Farms - makers of Stilton just six miles from the vineyard. £25.00 per person. Book here.
Celebration Vineyard Experience
A private group booking for anniversaries, birthdays, hen parties, stag dos and other special occasions. The £300.00 group deposit covers up to eight guests, including a complimentary welcome glass of family-grown fizz; £28.00 per additional guest. Each booking is private to your party, includes the full guided tour and tasting, and is available all year round by arrangement. Enquire here.
Private Group Vineyard Experience
Ideal for WI, U3A, Rotary, networking groups, coach trips and wine circles. The £300.00 deposit covers up to 12 people and is also your final balance for the core group; £25.00 per additional person. Sessions run on weekdays to suit your group (typical starts 10:45, 13:00, 15:15, 17:30 or 19:00). Enquire here.
Bubbles and Babies
A baby-friendly wine tasting designed for parents and carers with babies aged 1 month to 2 years. Six family-made wines in 30 ml servings, plenty of breaks for changing and feeding, mocktails for non-drinkers, and ample buggy space. £30.00 per person, 2:00 pm start, relaxed finish at about 4 pm. Book here.
Twilight Vineyard Cocktails
An evening of mixology in the vineyard, with three handcrafted cocktails - each featuring a family-made wine - guided by an experienced mixologist. £38.00 per person, 75 minutes of cocktail-making followed by a bar open until 11 pm. Book here.
Sparkling Vineyard Picnic for Two
A pre-ordered picnic basket including a bottle of the family's finest English sparkling wine, local cheeses, olives and Mediterranean treats. £75.00 per couple. Choose a spot among the vines or on the terrace. Book here.
Camping at the Sunset Retreat Paddock
For those who want to make a weekend of it, the Hanwell Sunset Retreat Paddock opens from May to September on Fridays and Saturdays (plus Sundays in August) and welcomes tents, caravans and motorhomes. From £14.00 per adult per night, with optional electric hook-up at £15.00 per night and child overnight stays at £5.00. Book here.
The Café Bar and food
Drop-in visitors are warmly welcomed at the Hanwell Café Bar, which serves a seasonal light-lunch and snack menu on summer Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 until 15:30, and on winter Saturdays from 12:00 until 15:30. Seating is on the terrace, in the Tasting Room or in the cosy, heated Barn, all with wide views over the vines. Children, dogs and muddy boots are all welcome.
Pre-orderable platters include:
- Sparkling Vineyard Picnic for Two - £75.00
- Afternoon Tea - £23.50
- Cheese Board - £14.00
- Mediterranean Platter - £14.00
- Houmous & Bread Sticks - £4.75
- Tortilla Chips & Dips - £4.75
- Mixed Olives - £4.00
- Glass of Hanwell Sparkling (125 ml) - £7.75
The vineyard nature trail
Behind the café, a free, self-guided vineyard and nature trail of less than 1 km loops through the vines and around the lake, taking a leisurely 30 minutes. The estate has never used pesticides and allows hedgerows to grow high for birds, hedgehogs and insects. The trail leaflet, available free from the bar, lists the flora and fauna you might encounter - blackbirds, skylarks, kestrels and hobbies above; brown hares, badgers, muntjac deer, roe deer, otters and weasels below; peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies among the wildflowers. Recent sightings in spring 2026 included a white egret and a kingfisher.
Weddings, vow renewals and venue hire
Set in 35 acres of vineyard, fields, woodland and lake, the estate is also a venue for weddings, vow renewals, corporate away-days, training sessions, networking events and family celebrations. The on-site spaces include the Rural Antics Barn (a bright, heated venue seating up to 30 for dinner, 24 boardroom-style or 50 theatre-style), the Tasting Room and Bar (26 seated indoors with a >50 m² terrace), and the Lodge (a self-contained 16-seater private space). Outdoor areas include a 2.5-acre grass paddock, a smaller stock-proof paddock and a 2.5 km tractor-mown cross-country running track.
Daytime hire is from £18 - £25 per hour depending on the space, with evening and weekend rates from £20 - £70 per hour. Catering is available from the on-site kitchen (Mediterranean-style vegetarian buffets, local cheese boards, quiche, sandwiches, afternoon tea and staffed bars) and the team offer tailored wedding packages. Hire a space online here.
Events and what's on
The estate runs a busy annual events programme. Highlights for summer and autumn 2026 include:
- Blackberry Picking - Friday 7 August 2026, 12:00 - 16:00. Bring a tub and pick from the vineyard hedgerows. Details here.
- Twilight Vineyard Cocktails - selected summer evenings, 7 pm start, bar open until 11 pm.
- Bubbles and Babies - baby-friendly wine tasting on selected dates.
- Grape Harvest volunteer days - September - October 2026. Sign up via the website for a briefing the morning of each day, a complimentary sandwich lunch and a free bottle of wine at the end of picking.
- Markets and food festivals - including Ruddington Market (1 Aug, 5 Sept, 3 Oct, 7 Nov, 5 Dec 2026), Sherwood Market, the East Midlands Food Festival in Melton Mowbray (3 - 4 Oct 2026), ChocFest (14 - 15 Nov 2026), the Bingham Christmas Market (27 Nov 2026) and One Kegworth Christmas Market (6 Dec 2026).
Charitable giving
The Skuriat family and the wider Hanwell team have an unusually active charitable programme. A percentage of every wine, voucher and event ticket sold is donated to a wide list of local and national causes. By September 2025, the total given since records began stood at over £8,957. Beneficiaries include the MS Society (the chosen charity of the annual 5K Wine Run), Children in Need, Cancer Research, Macmillan, Teenage Cancer Trust, Maggie's, Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust, the Brain Tumour Charity, local primary schools, village halls, Rainbows Hospice and dozens more.
Volunteering and jobs
Eglantine and Hanwell's 8,000 vines are still hand-tended by family, staff and a small army of volunteers - known as the Hanwell Hands. Up to ten times a year, from pruning and bud-rubbing in winter and spring, to tucking-in, de-leafing and the October harvest in summer and autumn, volunteers put in a minimum of three hours per session, typically on a Wednesday or Thursday between 10:00 and 13:00. There is also the option to help label bottles by hand on Thursdays, serve at market stalls, or work in the on-site cellar door. Anyone interested can email hello@hanwellwine.co.uk.
Current paid roles are listed on the Jobs page - the team hires for vineyard, winery, hospitality and admin positions, with applications sent to jobs@hanwellwine.co.uk.
How to find Eglantine Vineyard and Hanwell Wine Estate
Eglantine Vineyard itself sits on the hill between Bunny and Costock, off the Nottingham-to-Loughborough road. It is a working farm and winery without public visitor facilities - all visits, tastings, tours and sales are run from the family's second-generation vineyard, Hanwell Wine Estate, at Melton Road, Hickling Pastures, Melton Mowbray, LE14 3QG.
By car, leave the A46/A606 "Widmerpool" roundabout towards Melton Mowbray along the A606; Hanwell is about 500 m on the right past the Hickling Pastures village sign. By bus, NottsBus on Demand (the Z7 Central Rushcliffe zone) stops on Melton Road, or take the Centrebus Route 19 from Nottingham Broadmarsh to Melton Mowbray. By train, the closest stations are Nottingham (25 minutes' drive), Loughborough (20 minutes) and Melton Mowbray (20 minutes). East Midlands Airport is 30 minutes away. Parking at the estate is free.
The estate is dog-friendly, family-friendly and - as one visitor put it - home to "the best £25 sparkler I've ever bought." Whether you come for a glass of Hanwell Classic on the terrace, a guided tour through the vines, a baby-friendly Bubbles and Babies tasting, a twilight cocktail workshop, a sparkling picnic for two, or a few nights under the stars on the Sunset Retreat Paddock, the wine in your glass will have started life a few miles up the road at Eglantine, where it all began in 1975.
Contact
- Email: hello@hanwellwine.co.uk (general) / info@hanwellwine.co.uk (online orders) / jobs@hanwellwine.co.uk (recruitment)
- Phone: 01949 81393
- Address: Hanwell Wine Estate, Melton Road, Hickling Pastures, Melton Mowbray, LE14 3QG
- Facebook: @HanwellWine
- Instagram: @hanwellwine
- YouTube: @hanwellwine
- LinkedIn: Hanwell Wine Estate
- Pinterest: @hanwellwine