Huxbear Vineyard

Huxbear Vineyard: Award-Winning English Wines from the Heart of the Teign Valley

Tucked into the rolling South Devon countryside, a small family estate is quietly redefining what English wine can be

Drive a few miles south of Exeter, leave the A38 at Chudleigh and follow the winding lanes down into the Teign Valley, and you eventually arrive at a place that feels almost defiantly off the beaten track. Vineyards in England tend to be associated with the chalky south-east, but here on the south- and south-west-facing slopes above the River Teign, Ben and Lucy Hulland have been proving since 2007 that Devon can produce seriously good still and sparkling wines. Today, Huxbear Vineyard is one of the most respected boutique wineries in the West Country, and its wines are increasingly finding their way onto lists, into farm shops and onto wedding tables across the region.

Covering just over 15 acres of estate, Huxbear is a true family business. Lucy tends to the front-of-house and customer experience, while Ben - who holds an FdSc in Wine Production - looks after the vineyard, the winery and the day-to-day running of the estate. Visitors are welcomed to the vineyard for tours and tastings, the wines are sold direct through the Huxbear online shop, and the team regularly takes the show on the road to food festivals, farmers' markets and country shows across Devon and beyond.

A vineyard planted in the wrong place, on purpose

Ben is upfront about the fact that Chudleigh is not, on paper, an obvious place to put a vineyard. The English wine industry has historically looked south for inspiration, and cool, wet Devon is about as far from the dry, sun-baked vineyards of southern Europe as you can get. Rather than seeing this as a problem, the Hullands chose their site with the limitations in mind.

What they were looking for was elevation, aspect, drainage and stone. The two fields that make up Huxbear sit on south- and south-west-facing slopes, so they catch whatever sunshine the West Country offers. The land is stony silt loam with granite and siltstone aggregates, which forces the vine roots to work hard, stresses the plants gently and helps ripen the grapes in a marginal climate. Crucially, the fields are not flat - the slopes help cold air and water drain away, reducing the risk of late-spring frosts and waterlogged roots. An accessible flat field of clay is the very definition of where not to plant vines; a steep, stony, free-draining slope in the lee of Dartmoor is much closer to ideal.

Two fields, fourteen varieties, one philosophy

The original nine-acre block was planted in 2007 with 9,500 vines used exclusively for sparkling wine production, predominantly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A further planting in 2013 added another six acres and broadened the range to roughly 16,500 vines in total, with a mix of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Bacchus, Schönburger and Siegerrebe. This second field is where the still wines come from, although some of the more adaptable varieties are now creeping into the sparkling blends too.

The result is a portfolio that mixes the classic Champagne trio with the more aromatic Germanic crosses that have earned an unexpected second wind thanks to the skin-contact winemaking revival. Every wine is fermented, aged, blended and bottled on the estate, and all are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The family prefers to pick the grapes under the watchful eye of the Great Bear - the Ursa Major constellation arcs over the vineyard during the harvest window, which is the source of the bear-themed names that run through the range.

Sustainability is not a marketing line, it is the whole business model

Visit the vineyard today and you will quickly notice that nothing is ostentatious. The winery is a working building, the bar area is small, and the energy that keeps the lights on and the presses turning comes from a large solar array on site. More than 95% of the electricity used at Huxbear is generated renewably on the property, and the estate is fully off-grid for power. The Hullands have re-engineered their winemaking processes to fit around the rhythms of the sun, so that energy-hungry operations happen at the time of year when they can be powered by the panels rather than by the grid.

But the low-intervention approach runs deeper than that. No broad-spectrum pesticides are used in the vineyard; instead, the team has built up biodiversity by encouraging wild flowers under the vines and set-aside margins around the fields, which in turn supports a natural balance of insects and pollinators. Hedgerows of blackthorn, gorse and dog rose separate the plantings, giving bees, birds and beneficial predators a place to live. The grass between the rows is never cultivated, which protects the soil structure, reduces erosion and retains organic matter. Prunings are cut and mowed back into the soil, reducing the need for additional fertiliser. The water used in the winery is rainwater harvested from the winery roof, and the supply at home comes from an artesian well.

Even the packaging choices reflect the same philosophy. Every wine is closed with natural cork (no screw caps, no synthetic closures), and the boxes and leaflets are produced from recycled cardboard and paper. While the wines are shipped to customers across England, the majority are sold in Devon, often direct to the consumer at the place of production - a deliberately short supply chain that keeps food miles and energy use to a minimum.

The Huxbear wine range

The current portfolio spans classical method sparkling wines, skin-fermented orange wines, aromatic single varietals and a couple of crowd-pleasing blends. Each bottle is named after a bear, in keeping with the constellation theme that watches over the harvest.

Sparkling wines

• Huxbear Blanc de Blancs 2021 - £35.00. A 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine with fine, persistent bubbles and delicate aromas of green apple, sultana, apricot, toasted almonds and brioche. The palate leads with mulberry, lemon cheesecake and a clean minerality, finishing on candied lemon and sourdough. Winner of Wine of the Year at the 2025 Food Drink Devon Awards.
• Huxbear Rosé Sparkling Brut 2022 - £28.00. A rose-petal pink, traditionally made sparkling rosé with fine bubbles, complex notes of summer fruits, redcurrants, peach and biscuit, and a dry, well-balanced finish. Winner of a Taste of the West Gold Medal.
• Huxbear Classic Sparkling 2020 - £25.00. A traditional blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier, bottle-fermented with 40 months on the lees and bottled in a brut style. 11.5% alcohol.

Still wines

• Arcas Pinot Noir 2023 - £19.00. An unfiltered, smooth and refined Pinot Noir with aromas of ripe black cherry, violets and subtle vanilla, and a long, expressive palate. Pairs beautifully with roast beef, mushroom risotto or a cheeseboard.
• Huxbear Laid Bare Chardonnay 2023 - £18.00. A 100% unoaked Chardonnay with red apple, cream and sweet almond aromas, and a palate of apple, stone fruit, lime and cardamom that finishes on lime and honeyed cinnamon. 10.5% alcohol.
• Huxbear Dancing Bear 2022 - £17.00. A barrel-aged 100% Chardonnay, pale gold in colour, with aromas of red apple, pea shoot, rose and stone fruits, and a palate of peach, toasted coconut and sweet apple with a grapefruit and mineral finish.
• Huxbear Artio Bacchus 2023 - £16.00. A single-varietal Bacchus with aromas of melon, pineapple and grapefruit, and a refreshing gooseberry and nettle finish. 10.5% alcohol. Taste of the West Gold Medal winner.
• Huxbear Corbinian 2023 - £13.50. A dry white blend of Siegerrebe and Schönburger with a delicate floral bouquet, lychee and pear, and a crisp, mineral finish. 10% alcohol.

Orange wines

• Huxbear Orange Bear 2023 - £18.00. A wild-ferment orange wine made from Siegerrebe and Schönburger, left on its skins for five weeks. Expect a nose of mango, lime, elderflower and linseed, with a complex, tannic palate. Unfiltered, unfined and low-sulphur.
• Huxbear Orange Bear 2021 - £18.00. A skin-fermented, wild-ferment orange wine made from 100% Chardonnay, with aromas of peach, stone fruit and vanilla and a well-developed palate.

Gift selections and accessories

For those who cannot decide, the winery offers a number of curated gift boxes:

• 3 Bottle Sparkling Wine Selection - £82.50. One bottle each of Blanc de Blancs 2021, Rosé Sparkling 2022 and Classic Sparkling 2020, with free delivery included.
• 3 Bottle Wine Selection - £59.50. Classic Sparkling 2020, Arcas Pinot Noir 2023 and Corbinian 2023.
• 3 Bottle Luxury Wine Selection - £66.50. Blanc de Blancs 2021, Arcas Pinot Noir 2023 and Dancing Bear 2022.
• 6 Bottle Wine Selection - £120.00. One bottle each of Blanc de Blancs 2021, Rosé Sparkling 2022, Classic Sparkling 2020, Arcas Pinot Noir 2023, Dancing Bear 2022 and Corbinian 2023.

Every order of three bottles qualifies for a 5% discount, and orders of six bottles receive a 10% discount. The winery also stocks a small range of branded accessories - a Huxbear Sparkling Wine Stopper (£8.00), a Waiter's Friend Corkscrew (£8.00), a sustainably sourced beech and cork Bottle Stopper (£3.75) made in Totnes by Laser + Grain, and a Huxbear Black Beanie Hat (£15.00) for the colder months in the vineyard.

Delivery and local collection

Standard UK mainland delivery is £7.50 (or £5 for a single bottle), and is free on orders over £85. Free delivery is also offered within 10 miles of the vineyard - covering Chudleigh, Chudleigh Knighton, Bovey Tracey, Lustleigh, Bridford, Dunsford, Christow, Trusham, Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Ashburton. Local collection is available on orders over £30.

Visiting the vineyard

The Devon vineyard tour is the main way to experience Huxbear. Tours are not run on a fixed weekly schedule, but a number of dates are released in advance; for 2026, the published dates have included Saturday 8th August at 2.30pm (now fully booked), Sunday 9th August at 1.30pm, and Wednesday 9th September at 2pm. After the 9th September the vineyard closes for tours while the team focuses on harvest, so the autumn and winter months are off-limits to visitors.

A standard tour lasts about 90 minutes and is led by Lucy. It begins with the story of how the vineyard came into being, walks through the vineyard calendar and explains the winemaking processes from grape to glass, before finishing with a free tasting of the wines. Standard tours are charged at £14.50 per person, with minimum charges for groups of fewer than six adults; small groups are combined wherever possible. Tour guests also receive exclusive discounts on any wine purchases made on the day. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to join the walk, and a non-walking tour, presented in the bar area, is available on request for visitors with limited mobility.

Bookings can be made via the enquiry form on the tour page. Tours can also be booked as a gift via the Devon Vineyard Tour Voucher (£14.50), which is delivered free of charge and can be redeemed against a single or multi-person tour.

Weddings, corporate gifts and celebrations

For couples looking for a local point of difference on the wedding breakfast table, Huxbear offers both still and sparkling wines to suit most tastes, with discounts available on larger orders and a free tasting arranged on request. There is no minimum spend, just a conversation about what you would like to pour and how much of it you need.

For businesses, award-winning English sparkling wines, beautifully presented, make a thoughtful client gift or a memorable staff thank-you, and the team is happy to handle multi-address dispatches and bespoke orders. The quickest way to discuss a corporate order is to call 07846 643949.

Stockists across Devon and the South West

If you would rather pick up a bottle in person, Huxbear wines are stocked at a carefully picked list of independent farm shops, delis, restaurants and off-licences across the West Country. Stockists include Ben's Farm Shop (Exeter, Staverton, Totnes and Yealmpton), The Heavi Deli in Exeter, Darts Farm at Clyst St George, Fermoys Garden Centre in Newton Abbot, Home Farm Café at Parke, Smith's Wines in Exeter, Orlando's in Plymouth, Maudsley's of Teignmouth, 22 Clifton in Bristol, Wray Valley at Lustleigh, Regency Wines in Exeter, Salcombe Meat Company, Bantham Stores, Powderham Farm Shop, The Cheese Shed and Bovey Larder in Bovey Tracey, and The Pig-at-Combe at Gittisham, among others.

Harvest volunteers and the annual rhythm of the year

Although visitors are welcomed on tours, the real hands-on work at Huxbear happens during harvest, which can begin as early as the last week of August and run well into the second half of October. As a small family-run vineyard, the team is always grateful for volunteers to help bring the grapes in. No experience is necessary - full training is provided, as are gloves and picking snips - and the only thing you need to bring is yourself and waterproofs, just in case. Lunch is laid on as a thank-you, and the days are typically sociable affairs with a rota of helpful locals. Anyone interested in joining the harvest team can sign up via the harvest page.

Fear and Loathing in the West Country

For a candid window into what it actually feels like to make wine in Devon, Ben publishes a regular column called Fear and Loathing in the West Country, covering everything from the eternal fight between man and the triffid-like growth of the vines, to the challenges of spraying in a wet spring with a knapsack on your back, to the chaos of bottling Bacchus and the joy of a tiny but perfectly ripe English harvest. Recent pieces include Huxbear Blanc de Blancs 2021 crowned Wine of the Year 2025 at the Food Drink Devon Awards, The Evolution of English Wine (a thoughtful piece on the rise of still Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and orange wine, and what climate change is doing to the industry's ambitions), An Eternal Fight between Man and Plant, Oh Bacchus, Where Art Thou? and Tasting the Competition, in which Ben writes about his day as a chair of judges at the Independent English Wine Awards. Selected columns have also been republished in Devon Life magazine, with an archive kept online.

Out and about: where to find Huxbear next

The team attends farmers' markets, food festivals, country shows and in-store tastings throughout the year. Confirmed 2026 dates include:

• Greendale Love Local Food Festival 2026 - Saturday 15 August, Exeter Castle, 10am - 7pm. Free entry.
• Chagford Show 2026 - Thursday 20 August, Chagford, 9am - 5.30pm. Find Huxbear in the Food Hall.
• Moretonhampstead Food Festival 2026 - Saturday 22 August, 10am - 4pm. Free entry and free parking.
• Chagford Farmers Fayre - Saturday 29 August, Endecott House, 9am - 1pm. Artisan food and local produce.
• Lustleigh Village Show 2026 - Bank Holiday Monday 31 August, 10am - 5.30pm. A classic Dartmoor village show with over 70 exhibitors.
• Bovey Tracey Love Local Market October 2026 - Saturday 3 October, Fore Street, 10am - 3pm. Over 50 artisan traders.
• Royal William Yard Good Food and Craft Market - Sunday 4 October, Stonehouse, Plymouth, 10am - 3pm.

Attending events is also a reliable way to taste before you buy, and is often the best way to catch small parcels of wines that are not always available online.

Recognition and awards

Huxbear has collected an increasingly long list of accolades in recent years. The standout moment so far has been the Blanc de Blancs 2021 picking up the Wine of the Year trophy at the 2025 Food Drink Devon Awards, having already won gold at the same competition. The Rosé Sparkling Brut 2022 is a Taste of the West Gold Medal winner, and the Huxbear Artio Bacchus 2023 has also taken a Taste of the West Gold Medal. The vineyard is a member of IEWA (the Independent English Wine Awards), which Ben chairs, and the wines are listed with Food Drink Devon and Taste of the West. An archive of Devon Life magazine columns is available online.

How to get in touch

For tour bookings, wine orders, weddings, corporate gifts or any other enquiry, the quickest contact details are:

• Email (Lucy): lucy@huxbear.co.uk
• Email (general): web@huxbear.co.uk
• Phone: 07846 643949
• Address: Huxbear Vineyard, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot TQ13 0EH

The vineyard is active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, where tour dates, new releases and harvest updates are shared.

The Huxbear experience

A tour of Huxbear is one of the more rewarding ways to spend an afternoon in Devon. Bring a sensible pair of shoes - the vineyard sits on a slope, and a stone here is doing an important job - and a willingness to ask questions. Lucy and Ben are generous hosts, the wines are excellent, and the setting is the sort of quiet, green valley that makes a sunny August afternoon feel like a small private luxury. Whether you arrive for a tour, a tasting at a food festival, or simply to pick up a bottle of the current vintage from a local stockist, you are tasting a little bit of the Teign Valley alongside the wine in your glass.