Fenny Castle Vineyard - Award-Winning English Wines on the Somerset Levels
Tucked into the steep south-facing slopes above the Somerset Levels in the hamlet of Worth, just two miles from Wells, Fenny Castle Vineyard is a small, family-run boutique winery that has quietly become one of the most decorated English wine producers in the West Country. Owners James and Gill Cumming planted the first parcel of Bacchus vines in 2011 and the main vineyard of Ortega and Pinot Noir the following year, and in barely a decade they have built a portfolio of still and sparkling wines that have picked up multiple Gold medals, trophies and WineGB Awards - including Wine of the Year in 2024 and 2025, and WineGB Awards 2026 Gold.
A very special site on the edge of the Somerset Levels
The vineyard sits on the edge of the Somerset Levels, just outside England's smallest cathedral city. The site faces due south towards Glastonbury Tor, which provides the dramatic backdrop for almost every photograph of the vineyard. The main vineyard is divided into two distinct parcels: gently sloping land at the bottom planted with Ortega, and a steeper slope above planted with Pinot Noir. The whole site rises from around 3 m above sea level at the bottom to just under 50 m at the top.
What makes the geology so unusual - and so well suited to viticulture - is the layer of Celestine sandwiched between Tea Green Marl and red Marl. This rare mineral formation is the reason the land above the vineyard has been designated as the Ben Knowle Site of Special Scientific Interest. Before planting, the site was deep-ripped to 70 cm, ploughed and power harrowed, dressed with 200 tonnes of cow manure, then worked twice more with the power harrow before 500 posts were put in by hand. In early May the team planted the Pinot Noir at the top and the Ortega on the lower ground.
The vineyard - Ortega, Pinot Noir and Bacchus
Three grape varieties are cultivated at Fenny Castle, each chosen to suit the conditions of its particular parcel.
Ortega
Ortega is the vineyard's signature white variety. The vines are cane pruned as double Guyot on Vertical Shoot Positioned (VSP) trellising with 10 - 15 canes per metre of canopy length, planted on the gently sloping lower ground. Ortega is a difficult variety to grow in every respect, but winemaker James Cumming believes it is worth the effort: the wines are intensely aromatic, with rich aromas of melon and pear layered with apricot on the palate, and have been likened in style to Spanish Albariño.
Pinot Noir
The Pinot Noir is grown on the steep upper slope, where the additional elevation and aspect give the ripest fruit. The vines are spur pruned on the Lyre trellising system first developed by Dr Alain Carbonneau in Bordeaux in the 1980s. Lyre trellising divides the canopy into two upward-facing curtains, which works well on a high-potential site like Fenny Castle where vine vigour needs to be balanced by increased fruit production.
Bacchus
The first parcel of Bacchus was planted in 2011 and now produces around 650 bottles a year of a delicate, fragrant dry white with elderflower and rose petal notes. The oldest vines, closest to the winery, are used to make the limited-release Wild Ferment Bacchus.
The winery - small, characterful, award-winning
The winery is small but well equipped, combining traditional method winemaking with cutting-edge knowledge. Grapes are carefully selected, gently pressed and fermented cool to preserve the delicate aromas and freshness that have become a Fenny Castle hallmark.
Winemaker James Cumming graduated with distinction from Plumpton College, Europe's leading centre for wine studies, and holds Advanced and Diploma level qualifications from the Wines and Spirits Education Trust. His philosophy is to produce vibrant, fruit-driven wines with complexity, weight and a distinctive sense of place.
The signature sparkling wines are made from 100% Pinot Noir. With very gentle pressing the team is able to minimise colour pick-up and produce the palest of sparkling rosés, while the still Pinot Noir Rosé is a dry, food-friendly style. Only in exceptional years - such as 2022 - is a red Pinot Noir made, fermented in stainless steel with daily pigeage and aged in small new French oak barrels.
The Wines
English Sparkling Wines
The sparkling wines have earned the most recognition. The flagship wines include:
- Fenny Castle Blanc de Noir 2021 - Wine of the Year 2025 - 97 Points - from £38.50. Crafted from 100% Pinot Noir 777 from the steepest vineyard parcel, with no fining or filtering of the base wine, four years on the lees, hand riddling and disgorging. Awarded 97 points by Suzy Atkins MW in the WineGB West competition, plus Gold and Trophy in the WineGB Awards 2026 and Best Producer in the WineGB West.
- Fenny Castle Blanc de Noir 2018 - Special Reserve WineGB Awards 2026 Gold Medal - from £45.00. The 2018 vintage, hot and dry, produced ideal grapes for sparkling wine. Six years on the lees has developed a beautifully balanced wine with crisp acidity, red apple and pear fruit, and integrated autolytic notes.
- Fenny Castle Sparkling Rosé 2020 - Wine of the Year 2024 - Golden 50 - from £38.50. The signature sparkling rosé, with five years on the lees, soft cherry fruit and bright acidity. Gold at WineGB 2025, Silver at the International Wine Challenge 2025, and trophies for Best Sparkling Rosé, Best Sparkling Wine, Wine of the Year and Best Small Winery at the WineGB West 2024.
- Fenny Castle Sparkling Rosé 2019 - 10th Anniversary - from £36.50. Released to celebrate the team's tenth year as wine producers. Gold medal in the WineGB 2023 Awards, 93-point Silver in the 2023 International Wine Challenge, and trophy for Best Sparkling Rosé in the West.
Still Wines
The still wine range is built around the aromatic Ortega variety, complemented by Pinot Noir rosé and red and the limited-release Bacchus.
- Fenny Castle Ortega 2022 - Special Reserve - from £25.00. A small allocation held back and released in 2026, described as the estate's best ever still wine, with rich peach and apricot fruit, lovely weight and soft acidity. Silver medal WineGB West 2023.
- Fenny Castle Ortega Classic 2023 - Wild Ferment - from £18.50. A rich, silky white with perfectly balanced acidity and soft aromas of peach and apricot.
- Fenny Castle Bacchus Wild Ferment 2024 - New Limited Release - from £24.00. Fragrant and aromatic with a delicate elderflower nose and soft citrus palate. Three-time trophy winner for Best Bacchus in the WineGB West competition.
- Fenny Castle Rosé 2023 - Wild Harvest - from £18.50. The first Wild Harvest Rosé, made with Pinot Noir from the spectacular 2023 vintage. Dry, with soft strawberry character and mouth-watering vibrancy.
- Fenny Castle Pinot Noir Red 2022 - from £19.50. Made only in exceptional years, this is an old-world style red with fresh, delicate cherry notes, well balanced tannin and acidity, aged six months in small new French oak.
- Late Harvest Pinot Noir Rosé 2022 - New Release - from £15.00. A richer Clairet-style rosé made from exceptionally ripe Pinot Noir grapes, with 24 hours of maceration; perfect as an aperitif or with cheese.
Wine Selections and Gift Boxes
For those who want to sample the range, the estate offers two curated selections:
- Fenny Castle Vineyard Wine Selections - from £55.50. Four combinations of three or six bottles, ranging from the still trio (£55.50) to the sparkling collection of Rosé 2020, Blanc de Noir 2021 and Blanc de Noir 2018 (£118.00).
- Fenny Castle English Wine Selection - £157.50. A six-bottle case of the best wines for you to try, including the award-winning Sparkling Rosé 2020, Blanc de Noir 2021, Pinot Noir Rosé 2023, Classic Ortega 2023, Bacchus 2024 and Pinot Noir Red 2022.
Craft Cider
Alongside the wine, Fenny Castle produces a range of single-orchard craft ciders from traditional Somerset varieties. The flagship product is the 9 Bottle Craft Cider Selection Box at £44.00, which includes:
- Monk's Ford x 2 - strong vintage single-orchard cider made from Yarlington Mill, Dabinette and Chisel Jersey, fermented in small French barrels, 7% abv.
- Fenny Castle x 2 - Vintage Reserve Dry single-orchard cider made from Major, Stoke Red, Yarlington Mill, Dabinette and Chisel Jersey, fermented in American barrels, 6.5% abv.
- Little Burcott x 2 - dry single-orchard cider from Yarlington Mill, Browns, Sweet Alford, Dabinette and Chisel Jersey, fermented in stainless steel, 6.5% abv.
- Yarley Hill x 2 - medium sweet single-orchard cider, 6.5% abv.
- Single Barrel x 1 - the super-premium craft cider, aged a second year in American oak, 6.5% abv.
Wine Club
The Fenny Castle Wine Club is a unique opportunity to be part of a small, family-run winery at an exciting stage of development. Membership is £345.00 for 12 months and includes:
- A membership card with an invitation for two people to visit the vineyard for a tour and tasting (to use yourself or as a gift).
- 10% discount on all wine purchases.
- 12 bottles of Fenny Castle wine delivered in one consignment - 4 sparkling and 8 still, drawn from different vintages across the medal-winning range.
- Priority access to exclusive special release and limited-edition wines not available to others.
- An invitation for you and a guest to member-only events at the vineyard.
- A guaranteed place at the Fenny Castle Harvest.
The current consignment includes 1 x Sparkling Brut 2018, 1 x Sparkling Rosé 2019, 1 x Blanc de Noir 2020, 1 x Sparkling Rosé 2020, 1 x Bacchus Special Reserve 2022, 4 x Classic Ortega 2022 and 3 x Pinot Noir Rosé 2020. Membership is for 12 months and delivery is to UK mainland addresses only.
Vineyard Tours and Tastings
Guided tours have been running at Fenny Castle for over ten years and have become the most popular item in the online shop. The classic tour consists of a walk around the two vineyards with an informal talk about producing wine in England, the different grape varieties and an overview of the vineyard year. From the top of the main vineyard the views across the Levels to Glastonbury Tor are spectacular. The second part of the tour visits the winery and tasting room, where the winemaking process is explained with a particular focus on English sparkling wine, followed by a tasting of the award-winning wines in the small vineyard next to the cellar door shop.
Public Saturday Tours
Public tours run at 4 pm on Saturdays between April and October and last approximately two hours. The price is £20.00 per person. The 2026 schedule lists the following Saturday dates:
- Saturday 20 June 2026 - Fully Booked
- Saturday 27 June 2026
- Saturday 4 July 2026
- Saturday 11 July 2026
- Saturday 18 July 2026
- Saturday 25 July 2026
- Saturday 1 August 2026
- Saturday 22 August 2026
- Saturday 29 August 2026
- Saturday 5 September 2026
- Saturday 19 September 2026
- Saturday 10 October 2026
Places can be booked directly through the online shop, and gift vouchers are available.
Tour Gift Voucher
The Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting Gift Voucher at £60.00 includes the tour and a bottle of still wine. Tours usually last about an hour and a half and the bottle of wine is available for collection on the day of the tour.
Private Tours and Group Events
For birthdays, special events, corporate hospitality or just a get-together with friends, Fenny Castle hosts intimate private events amongst the vines, often under canvas canopies, to create a relaxed vineyard experience. Private bookings are accepted for a minimum of 8 people at the following rates:
- Private Classic Vineyard Tour - £25.00 per person, minimum 8 guests.
- Private Classic Vineyard Tour with Mezze Light Lunch - £45.00 per person, minimum 8 guests. Served in the tasting garden among the Bacchus vines, with all wines available by the glass.
Enquiries can be made via the Events page.
Stay at the Vineyard Cottage
For visitors who want to make a weekend of it, the vineyard also offers a charming holiday cottage on the farm. The cottage is a sympathetically converted cow barn with an open-plan living room and kitchen, a large inglenook fireplace with wood burner, a double bedroom with a small single bed suitable for a child, and a luxury shower room. Exposed elm beams, stonework, thick stone walls and an eclectic mix of antiques, reclaimed and contemporary furnishings, plus local artwork depicting the Somerset Levels, give the cottage its restful character.
The cottage is two miles from Wells, with its cathedral, Bishop's Palace, shops, pubs and restaurants, and the famous Wednesday and Saturday market. Bath and Bristol are both easily accessible for day trips, and quirky Glastonbury is a scenic cycle across the Levels. Three pubs are within walking distance: the Ring o Bells, the Pheasant Inn and the Burcott Inn, with the more out-of-the-way Sheppey at Godney a short drive away.
Weekly rates for 2026 - 27 are:
- Low season (January, February, November, December except Christmas and New Year) - £595 per week, or £350 for a three-night short break.
- Mid season (March, April, May except Easter, and October) - £695 per week, or £395 for a three-night short break.
- High season (June, July, August, September and Christmas and New Year) - £795 per week, with a seven-day minimum booking.
Bookings are taken by Gill on 07968 732 628 or James on 07970 162 798, or via the enquiry form on the cottage page.
Shop, cellar door and delivery
The full range of wines, ciders, gift vouchers, wine club memberships and tour tickets is available through the online cellar door shop. Customers can collect from the cellar door at the vineyard, from Wells Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, or have their order shipped anywhere on the UK mainland at a flat rate of £10. UK delivery is free on orders of six or more bottles.
The cellar door shop is also open daily for wine, cider and apple juice, although it is advisable to call 01749 678900 ahead to ensure a member of the team is there to greet you.
Visit and contact
Fenny Castle Vineyard is easy to find, just outside the village of Worth and only two miles from Wells in Somerset. The full address is:
James and Gill Cumming
Fenny Castle Vineyard
Panniers Farm
Castle Lane
Worth
Wells
Somerset BA5 1NL
Tel: 01749 678 900 or 01749 678 928
Email: james@fennycastlevineyard.co.uk
Cottage bookings: Gill on 07968 732 628 or email gill@panniersfarm.co.uk
The vineyard is active on Facebook and Instagram at @fennycastlevineyard, and visitor reviews can be read on TripAdvisor. The vineyard has been featured in Vineyard Magazine and the Wells Voice newspaper, and its Blanc de Noir has been served at a sparkling reception for the Hong Kong Museum Society in the Chapter House at Wells Cathedral.
Whether you come for a Saturday tour, a private tasting, a wine club allocation, a holiday in the cottage, or simply to pick up a bottle of multi-award-winning English sparkling rosé from the cellar door, Fenny Castle is a small, family-run winery that punches well above its weight - a true Somerset gem and one of the most exciting boutique vineyards in England today.