Kenton Park Estate

Kenton Park Estate - A Devon Vineyard with a Difference

Kenton Park Estate - Devon's South-Facing Sparkling Wine Estate

Nestled in the rolling Devon countryside just a stone's throw from Exeter Racecourse, Kenton Park Estate is one of the South West's most distinctive boutique vineyards. Once part of the historic Powderham Castle Estate, today it is a 50-acre haven of vines, lavender-lined avenues, herb gardens, and an ever-expanding kitchen garden run by a passionate horticultural team. The estate's south-facing slopes and sandy soil, set against the backdrop of Haldon Forest and the Exe Estuary, create ideal conditions for producing world-class English sparkling wine, and the team have been quietly doing so since the very first vines were planted back in 2003.

What sets Kenton Park apart is that it is far more than a vineyard. At the heart of the estate sits the Motley Cru Bar & Grill, a Mediterranean-inspired kitchen and social dining space built around seasonal produce harvested a few metres from the kitchen door. Walk a little further and you'll discover The Cooperage, the Estate's striking new wine-tasting barn where chef-led sharing platters are paired with flights of estate-grown wines, alongside the iconic Safari Huts in the Olive Tree Courtyard and the relaxed Sundowners Orchard, home of the now-legendary Sundowners Sparkling Cider and Picnic space.

The Story Behind the Estate

Kenton Park Estate was first established as a wine estate in 2003 and has since gone from strength to strength. The original vineyard has now expanded significantly with the planting of 15,000 new vines, alongside 12 and a half thousand pre-existing vines of varieties including Solaris, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Reichensteiner and the relatively rare Pinotin. The vineyard manager, Ben (whose family own and run the Estate), is unflinching in his drive to farm as regeneratively as possible, cover cropping every other row with mustard, phacelia, daikon radish, tillage radish and linseed, building up the soil biome, working with botanicals, herbal tisanes and even an army of Indian Runner Ducks, guinea fowl and (yes, really) Ne Ne Geese to manage pests in the most natural way possible.

The team describe themselves affectionately as the "Motley Cru", a nod to the organised chaos, sense of fun and occasional improvisation that defines life on the estate. "The Motley Cru is more than just a nickname," the team say, "it's a lifestyle, one with a passion for producing World class Wine & Wine Experiences."

The Motley Cru Bar & Grill

Walk through the wine-pressing doors of the Winery building and you arrive at the Motley Cru Bar & Grill, the Estate's restaurant and coffee house. Booking is strongly advised, with card details taken to secure your booking (no charge) and a £10 per-head no-show fee. The Mediterranean-inspired menu is built around seasonal specials using produce grown metres away on the Estate: think tomatoes, peppers, chillis, cucumbers and edible flowers nurtured in the kitchen garden, fresh herbs from the herb garden and honey harvested from the vineyard bee hives.

Service times shift with the seasons. In the Autumn/Winter (October to March) the restaurant is open Thursday to Saturday, serving from 10:00am for coffee, with lunch 12:00pm to 3:00pm and dinner 5:30pm to 8:00pm. In Summer (April to September) the doors open wider, Tuesday to Saturday, with breakfast 9:00am to 12:00pm and lunch 12:00pm to 3:00pm, before closing at 5:30pm. Children and dogs (on leads) are warmly welcomed, high chairs are not provided, and dietary requirements from vegetarian and vegan to gluten-free and beyond can be catered for with advance notice.

Throughout the year there are themed evenings to look out for: Pizza & Cocktail Nights on Fridays during the summer, the much-loved Fish & Fizz Evenings showcasing the best of Devon seafood alongside estate fizz, and the indulgent Tipsy Afternoon Tea served every day the restaurant is open at 3:30pm.

Wine Experiences and Tours

The Estate is best known for its range of hands-on wine experiences, all of which can be booked online. There are five core experiences to choose from, all led by the Estate's knowledgeable wine hosts:

Wine Tasting & Canapés - £45 per person. A one-hour introduction to the Estate's wines with paired canapés. Perfect for first-timers.
Tipsy Afternoon Tea - £49 per person. A delicious afternoon tea served with a glass of the Estate's Cheeky Fizz, lasting around two hours. A non-tipsy version is also available.
Wine & Cheese Experience - £65 per person. A three-hour tour of the Estate's grape plantations with a tasting of at least four wines and the famous Motley Cru Deli Feast Platters. Described by the Estate as "our most popular wine tour", with a maximum group size of 12 for an intimate experience.
Wine & Cheese Experience - Vine Walks Garden Tours - £65 per person. A unique three-hour tour that takes guests around the Herb Garden, Vegetable Garden and the visually striking Avenue plantings, all led by the Estate's Horticulture Team, before finishing with a plant-based feast platter in the Kitchen Garden's newest Safari Hut and a tasting of the new-season wines.
Wine Safari Experience - £125 per person. The "Ultimate Wine Tour". Hear the unorthodox story of the Estate's birth, taste at least four wines, enjoy a two-course lunch from the vineyard kitchen, then head to the herb garden for a Cheeky Ginny Gin tasting with freshly made G&T's, before finishing with dessert in the Barrel Room and a taste of the unique "Smokin Ginny" Gin.

All tours and tastings require arrival 15 minutes before the start time, suitable clothing and footwear for walking on uneven terrain, and the Estate's tour policy is to reschedule (or refund deposits) if the British weather really does turn nasty. Dogs on leads are welcome on tours.

The Motley Cru Wine Club

For those who fall hard for the Estate, the Motley Cru Wine Club is the next logical step. It's described as "Passion, People & Wine", and members enjoy annual allocations of hand-selected Estate wines (drawn from the cellar and library), first access to new releases, Estate Manager notes with every shipment, and the chance to share in the development of new wines through tasting blends and dosage trials. Estate privileges include a complimentary glass of wine on every visit, priority restaurant and experience bookings for the best areas, member-only booking windows for key events, and behind-the-scenes updates from the Estate Manager each month. There is also an annual members-only tasting event.

There are four entry points to suit different wine drinkers:

Explorer - £175 per year. Three hand-selected bottles, ideal for first-timers "valid until canceled".
Cru Mate - £250 per year (MOST POPULAR). Six hand-selected bottles per year for the enthusiast.
Cru Collector Monthly - £35 per month (BEST VALUE). Twelve bottles plus a hand-selected bottle from the cellars sent every month.
Cru Collector - £400 per year (BEST VALUE). Twelve bottles a year plus one monthly bottle from the cellars, for the wine lover.

Complimentary delivery is included on every Wine Club shipment, members enjoy 10% off additional wine purchases, and a complimentary tasting experience for two is sent out as a welcome gift along with the first bottle. As one current Cru Collector put it: "Just received my latest batch of wonderful Motley Cru wines from your Wine Club - a very BIG thank you, always such a treat to unpack the box! Even more exciting because I was able to be part of last year's harvest and help pick some of the grapes."

The Wines and Spirits on Sale

The Estate's wines are vinified and bottled on site, and a selection is always available to buy online. The flagship sparkling is the "Sundowners" Ruby Rosé Fizz (£29.99 per 75cl bottle), a deliciously crisp and dry sparkling rosé bursting with summer-fruit, citrus and strawberry flavours. It is made in the traditional method from a blend of estate-grown Solaris and Pinotin grapes, and is bottled at 13% vol. The label artwork is an original painting by Sienna Oliphant-Thompson, featuring a circular stone fire-pit built from stone recycled from the Estate's old entrance walls.

Other bottles and gift sets available through the Cellar Door and online shop include:

Cheeky Ginny Gin - £55 per 70cl bottle (44% vol). An artisan gin made from aromatic grapes grown on the wine estate, blended with several botanicals plus rich golden honey from the vineyard bee hives and the wild lavender, rosemary and fennel of the Estate. Best served with Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water.
Limongino Spritz Gift Set - £120. A zesty lemon gin liqueur made with freshly zested lemons, a sprinkle of sugar and gin, presented in a wooden box with two bottles of Motley Cru Fizz and two glasses. Designed to be served super chilled over ice with a sprig of fresh rosemary, "a Taste of the Mediterranean in every Glass".
Gift Voucher - £50. Spendable in the restaurant, online store, and on any of the vineyard experiences including Wine Tastings, Wine Safari, Mixology Events and more. Both a digital copy and a physical copy are sent to the recipient.
Wine Tasting Voucher for 4 - £180. You and three friends will taste six of the Estate's wines, each individually paired with a bite-sized treat, guided by one of the Wine hosts.

Beyond these listed lines, the Estate releases limited runs each year: the 2022 "Cheeky Fizz" white sparkling (Bacchus and Reichensteiner blend), the 2023 "Grape Thief" 100% Pinot Noir and the 2023 "Runner Ducks" tank-fermented Bacchus have all been released to enthusiastic reviews, and the Estate is also maturing its very first English brandy across ex-bourbon, ex-whisky and sherry casks, an ongoing Motley Cru adventure.

Vineyard Picnics in the Sundowners Orchard

One of the most popular additions for summer 2026 is the new Vineyard Picnics, running Wednesdays to Saturdays, 12:30pm to 3:30pm, every week until the end of September. Guests pre-order one of the Estate's Picnic Grazing Platters online, then spend the afternoon in the new picnic space within the Sundowners Orchard, sitting under the shade of pergolas amongst the apple trees with sweeping views across the vineyard and a bottle of their favourite wine from the Motley Cru Collection. Booking is minimum two people and starts at £35.00.

The Cooperage: A New Destination for Wine & Food

Another new arrival for 2026 is The Cooperage, the Estate's stunning new wine-tasting barn and the team's newest destination for wine and food. Three times a week, Thursday to Saturday, 11:30am to 3:30pm, guests are invited to dine at one of seven timed seatings in The Cooperage, enjoy a Sharing Platter created by a Private Chef, and pair it with a Flight of Wines served by the Estate's Wine Hosts. Prices range from £37.50 to £65.00 depending on platter. The Cooperage has already become the venue of choice for Wine Club-only tasting events too, including a private tasting of a brand new wine on 31 July 2026.

Upcoming Calendar of Events

The Estate runs a packed summer calendar of events, all of which can be booked online. Highlights in the coming weeks include:

Jon's hand's on Coffee Tour & Tasting - Friday 7 August 2026, 10:00am to 11:30am (and subsequent dates), with the Estate's in-house barista Jon, including breakfast. £55.
FIRE + FIZZ in the VINES - Friday 21 August 2026, 6:00pm to 10:00pm, with award-winning Chef Luke Vandore-Mackay of High Grange Devon cooking over fire. £75.00 plus ticket service fee.
SUNDOWNERS FESTIVAL 2026 - Saturday 29 August 2026, 12:00pm to 9:00pm, the Estate's annual flagship festival with live music all day, plenty of wine, summer cocktails, live cooking demos and kitchen garden tours. General Admission £45; VIP Safari Huts (for four, with two bottles of Estate wines) £250.

Recent events have included the 2026 ART in the VINES Experience with Sienna Oliphant-Thompson on Saturday 1 August, a Cooperage Tasting Event for Wine Club members on Friday 31 July, and a number of Jon's Coffee Tour & Tasting dates throughout the summer.

Wine in the Wild Adventures

For those looking for something more adventurous, the Estate's Wine in the Wild programme combines the great outdoors with great wine and food. Two signature experiences stand out:

Wine and Paddle - £110 per person (min 4). Teamed up with local adventure company Exe Adventures, guests paddle kayaks, canoes and paddle boards along the Exminster waterway before being transferred to the vineyard for a full Wine & Cheese Experience including a tasting of the Estate's artisan sparkling cider.
Wine and Mud - £295 per person (min 2). An action-packed day with Westcountry Land Rover Experience, including a Defender off-road course, before returning to the Estate for a Wine Safari Experience and 3-course lunch.

Corporate experiences, bespoke private tours and murder mystery evenings are all available by enquiry, and the Estate occasionally hosts weddings and private celebrations on a one-off basis.

Horticulture and the Living Landscape

What truly sets Kenton Park apart from many English vineyards is the sheer amount of effort the horticulture team put into the surroundings. The vineyard has been uniquely landscaped into a series of "Avenues", "Drives" and wide "Alleyways" full of hundreds of different plants, each with a specific purpose. Lavender, African rosemary and lemon balm act as companion plants (natural insect repellents); herbs are picked daily for the kitchen; there are rows of pollinator annuals, an Insectary Bug Hotel, "show stoppers" that won Plant of the Year at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 such as Agapanthus "Black Jack", and a brand-new Dahlia border. Over 5,000 tulips and other bulbs have been planted along Solaris Avenue, Bacchus Avenue, Pinotin Avenue and Chardonnay Avenue, with plans for an amphitheatre chill-out zone on Parkland Drive and an ever-expanding Kitchen Garden supplying the chefs daily.

Getting There and Staying in Touch

Kenton Park Estate is approximately a 20-minute drive from Exeter (use the postcode EX6 8NW in your sat nav). The Estate offers a pickup service from Starcross train station for those booked onto a wine experience on a first-come, first-served basis, at £20 return (up to four guests) or £15 one way. Regular bus services from Exeter, Dawlish and Newton Abbot drop at the Kenton Triangle, around 1.5km walk along a country lane. Ferries from Exmouth arrive at Starcross, where the same pickup service is available. Coaches, cyclists and walkers are all very welcome.

For restaurant and event enquiries, email events@kentonparkestate.com. For general enquiries, email kentonparkestate@gmail.com. Telephone enquiries (answerphone only) are taken on 0345 163 2194. The Estate is also active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Plan Your Visit

Address: Kenton Park Estate, Kenton, Exeter, Devon EX6 8NW
Bookings: restaurant tables can be reserved at the booking page; experiences via the Wine Experiences section; products and gift vouchers via the Online Store; events at the Events section.
Best time to visit: April to September is the fullest season, when the Restaurant serves longer hours and the Vineyard is at its greenest, with picnics, Cooperage tastings, Coffee Tour experiences, FIRE + FIZZ evenings and the Sundowners Festival all taking place.

Whether you're popping in for a flat white, booking a Wine Safari, packing a wedding party in a Safari Hut, joining the Motley Cru Wine Club, or simply wandering the rose-rimmed avenues between the vines, Kenton Park Estate offers one of the warmest welcomes and the most singular wine experiences on England's South Coast.

2026-07-31	Cooperage Tasting Event (WINE CLUB MEMBERS ONLY) Welcome to a new exciting experience space and a tasting of a brand new wine. This event is exclusively for members of the Motley Cru Wine Club.
2026-08-01	2026 ART in the VINES Experience A 'SIP & PAINT' Workshop in the Vineyard guided by in-house Artist Sienna Oliphant-Thompson, helping guests of any ability create their own masterpiece.
2026-08-06 ↻	🏺The Cooperage - Wine Flight + Platter Experience Dine in The Cooperage, the Estate's NEW Wine Tasting Barn, and enjoy a Sharing Platter created by a Private Chef accompanied by a Flight of Wines served by Wine Hosts. Sharing Platters are for a minimum of two people. Prices from £37.50 to £65.00.
2026-08-06 ↻	🍇Vineyard Picnics! Pre-order a Picnic Grazing Platter created by The Motley Cru and spend the afternoon lounging amongst the Apple Trees under the shade of the Pergolas in the new Sundowners Orchard, with views across the vineyard and a bottle of your favourite Wine from The Motley Cru Collection. Picnic Chairs & Tables are already waiting. Minimum 2 people.
2026-08-07 ↻	Jon's hand's on Coffee Tour & Tasting A hands-on coffee experience guiding guests through the steps to making first-class coffee like a barista, covering Flat White, Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, Cortado, Caffè Macchiato and even Latte Art. Takes place in The Barrel Room at the end of The Winery Building and includes breakfast. £55.00.
2026-08-21	FIRE + FIZZ in the VINES An evening showcasing the Estate's Wines and the best local ingredients, cooked over the embers and flames by award-winning Chef Luke Vandore-Mackay of High Grange Devon, a fire feasting business in the Blackdown Hills. £75.00 plus ticket service fee.
2026-08-29	SUNDOWNERS FESTIVAL 2026 The Estate's biggest event of the year, featuring live music all day, plenty of local food, plenty of wine, new wines to taste in wine tastings, summer cocktails, live cooking demos by the chef team and kitchen garden tours. General Admission £45.00; VIP Safari Huts for 4 (includes 2 bottles of Kenton Park Estate wines) £250.00.