Knightor Winery & Seaton Vineyard: A Boutique Cornish Winemaker Above St Austell Bay
Tucked into a quiet fold of the South Cornish coast above St Austell Bay, Knightor Winery has quietly become one of the most talked-about boutique producers of English wine in the West Country. Its name sits on award-winning sparkling bottles, on cocktail menus in London and Devon, and on a four-acre farmstead that doubles as one of Cornwall's most sought-after exclusive-use wedding venues.
Two sites make up Knightor's footprint. The main winery and cellar door sit at Trethurgy near St Austell (postcode PL26 8YQ), where an old granite farmstead has been converted into a working winery, tasting room and event barn. A second tasting outpost, The Vine by Knightor, sits among the vines of the Portscatho vineyard on the Roseland Peninsula (TR2 5EH). Together they handle everything from grape to glass under one family of brands.
The story so far
Knightor traces its roots back to the original Knightor farmstead, with the two vineyards planted in 2006 and 2007. The Seaton vineyard, near Looe, hosts around 7,000 vines; the larger Portscatho vineyard a few miles down the coast near the Fal estuary adds another 10,000.
From the outset the aim has been to express the cool maritime climate of this stretch of Cornwall in elegant, lower-alcohol, fruit-led wines. Knightor puts its winemaking philosophy this way: "We allow the grapes to express themselves in short run, exclusive wines. Cool ferments with careful blending or ageing to achieve depth and balance. Minimal intervention with light touches of oak where it adds value." Every wine is vegan friendly, low in sulphites, and any residual sweetness comes from fruit rather than added sugar.
The winemaker, David Brocklehurst, marked ten years at Knightor in 2022 and has been the through-line of the winery's growth. Under him, Knightor has progressed from an emerging producer to a recognised name on the English wine scene, capped in 2024 when the Blanc de Blancs 2015 was named World's Finest Sparkling Wine at the Glass of Bubbly Awards.
Awards and milestones
- 2023 - England's best-ever harvest; Knightor processed a record 94 tonnes of grapes and won its first Simply Weddings Award as Best Wedding Venue in Cornwall.
- 2024 - Blanc de Blancs 2015 named World's Finest Sparkling Wine at the Glass of Bubbly Awards, alongside two golds and a silver for other sparkling wines. Knightor exhibited at the British Embassy in Copenhagen and the Ambassador's Residence in Stockholm, opening up the Danish export market.
- 2025 - Knightor Brandy released after a decade in development, named Simply Weddings Best Wedding Venue in Cornwall for the second time in three years, and began exporting to Norway.
- 2026 - A new release season, a refreshed Manor House, upgraded barn seating, and Wedding & Events Manager Elena preparing to coordinate her 150th wedding, with wedding coordinator Isla closing in on her 50th.
The vineyards
Knightor's two sites give the winery a remarkable palette of fruit. The Seaton vineyard near Looe (planted 2006, around 7,000 vines) is home to Seyval Blanc, Rondo, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Portscatho vineyard in the Roseland (planted 2007, around 10,000 vines) extends the range with Pinot Noir Précoce, Bacchus, Seyval Blanc, Rondo, Dornfelder, Dunkelfelder, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Madeleine Angevine.
The mild, wet Cornish climate and low yields push the style of the wines towards lighter, fruitier, lower-ABV whites and rosés with bright natural acidity - an English twist on a Mosel-Riesling sensibility that has clearly paid off in the glass and in the medals cabinet.
The wines
The still and sparkling wines are all produced in short runs from estate-grown fruit, which is why individual vintages come and go quickly. The current range covers three broad families.
Sparkling wines
Knightor's sparkling programme is the headline act. The flagship Blanc de Blancs 2015 - 100% Chardonnay aged on lees - is the bottle that took the World's Finest Sparkling Wine title at the 2024 Glass of Bubbly Awards. The Brut Classic Cuvée White blends the finest parcels of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, also aged for over five years on the lees, and shows delicate notes of apple and lemon shortbread with a palate of green apple, citrus and freshly baked bread.
Still wines and the Carpe Diem range
The still range is built around the Carpe Diem collection - a white, a rosé and a red designed to be light, fruit-forward and easy-drinking across the table. These are the wines most couples reach for at weddings, and they double as Knightor's everyday house style.
Cornish vermouth
Knightor's vermouth line has arguably done more than anything else to put the winery on the cocktail map. Using its own English wines as the base, the team blends White, Dry, Rosé and Rosso vermouths with a careful recipe of botanicals, including many herbs grown in the garden at the winery. Featured cocktails include the Cornish Negroni (with the Rosso), the Cornish Spritz (Rosé and soda - a wedding favourite) and the Knightor Dry Martini, with full recipes in the cocktail collection. Vermouth cocktails made with Knightor have appeared on menus at the Star & Garter in Falmouth, Doctor Ink's Curiosities in Exeter, Salcombe Distillery, Abbotshill Wine Shop in Ealing, Colwith Farm Distillery and The Longstore in Charlestown.
Visiting the cellar door at Trethurgy
The cellar door at the main winery is the easiest way to taste the full range. Set inside a converted barn with a wood burner for cooler days and a courtyard for sunny ones, it functions as a relaxed wine bar and tasting room. Children are welcome, dogs are welcome (the clay trails run right by the site), and there is a good range of local beers, ciders and soft drinks for non-wine drinkers.
Opening hours
- Tuesday - Thursday: 11am - 4pm
- Friday: 11am - 6pm
- Saturday - Sunday: 11am - 4pm
- Monday: closed
On selected summer Fridays the cellar door bar stays open from 4pm into the evening for the Street Food Pop-Ups; exact dates vary from year to year.
Cellar door tastings
- Guided Wine Tasting - £16 per person, around 45 minutes. A flight of four wines with production and tasting notes, led by a Knightor host.
- Self-Guided Wine Tasting - £11 per person. A flight of four wines or vermouths with tasting notes to take at your own pace, ideal as an aperitif.
- Cheese plates - £8.50 per plate (serves one). Local Cornish cheeses designed to complement the wines, available 11am - 3pm.
Private tastings and groups can be arranged by emailing info@knightor.com.
The Vine by Knightor, Portscatho
If you're spending time on the Roseland Peninsula, the second tasting room sits directly on the Portscatho vineyard. The Vine by Knightor is dog-friendly, no-reservations-needed, and runs a small but well-chosen food menu featuring classic Margherita and Pepperoni pizzas on Fridays and Saturdays, plus Cornish cheese plates Tuesday to Saturday. Wines are available by the glass and there are exclusive case discounts when you buy six or more bottles to take home.
The Vine opening hours
- Tuesday - Thursday: 12pm - 5pm
- Friday - Saturday: 12pm - 7pm
- Sunday - Monday: closed
Tours and experiences
For visitors who want to go deeper, Knightor runs a small programme of paid experiences at the Trethurgy winery.
Guided Winery Tour - £22 per person
A 90-minute grape-to-glass tour led by one of the winemakers. You'll discover how different grape varieties and winemaking techniques produce the styles you like to drink, follow the grapes from vine to bottle and finish with a tutored tasting. The tour is dog-friendly and runs every Sunday at 11am from March to September. Cornish cheese plates can be added for £8.50 each. Tickets are available online.
The Cornish Cocktail Experience - £30 per person
A 90-minute, group-only experience (minimum 10 - 12 people, pre-booked) built around vermouth and spritzes. After a welcome cocktail or mocktail and a tutored tasting of the four core vermouths, guests touch, smell and select their own botanicals to create a bespoke spritz blend, then finish by wax-sealing a 37.5cl bottle of their chosen vermouth to take home. Driver mocktails are available. Contact info@knightor.com to arrange.
Weddings at Knightor
What started as a side line is now arguably the bigger brand of the two. The Threshing Barn, courtyard, arbour by the wildflower pond and orchard form the wedding side of the estate, with capacity ranging from intimate elopements for two to full celebrations for 90 daytime and 150 evening guests. Knightor has won the Simply Weddings Award for Best Wedding Venue in Cornwall in both 2023 and 2025, and Elena and Isla were Wedding Planner of the Year finalists in 2025.
The spaces
The four-acre site is a courtyard of granite and oak barns softened by wildflowers, orchards and the goat paddock. Couples can hold ceremonies in the upstairs Threshing Barn, outdoors in the arbour beside the wildflower pond, or in the courtyard, before moving inside or out for the wedding breakfast and evening party.
On-site accommodation
Sleeping up to 20 guests across the Manor House (12), Orchard Barn Honeymoon Suite and three Shepherd's Huts (2 each), the on-site accommodation turns the day into a relaxed weekend. Check-in is from 4pm and check-out at 11am, with the option to book for two nights. Campervans and camping are also permitted.
Wedding packages and pricing
Three headline wedding formats are offered, with prices published on the Venue Hire details:
- Full Wedding - 36 to 90 daytime guests, up to 150 evening guests. 2027 low season from £4,700 Mon - Thu or £5,500 Saturday; 2027 high season from £6,500 Mon - Thu or £8,000 Saturday. 2028 from £5,000 Mon - Thu or £5,800 Saturday in low season, and £6,850 Mon - Thu or £8,400 Saturday in high season.
- Intimate Wedding - 2 to 35 daytime guests with the option to add evening guests. Six-hour exclusive hire from £2,500 in 2027 and £3,500 in 2028.
- Elopement / Ceremony Only - 2 to 90 guests. From £750 in 2027 (Mon - Thu only).
The Manor House, Orchard Barn and three Shepherd's Huts (sleeping 20) are included for the wedding night on the full package. An extra night across all accommodation can be added for £1,150. Late-date offers are advertised periodically through the Packages and Late Dates listing - for example, weekday dates at £2,990 and weekend dates at £4,000 venue hire for select 2026 dates.
Weddings team
The weddings team is led by Elena, Wedding & Events Manager (joined Knightor in 2019, ran her first wedding in 2021 and stepped into the manager's role in 2024), with Isla (Wedding & Events Coordinator, joined 2021) and Nay (Wedding & Events Coordinator, joined 2025). Couples can book a viewing online, chat to Elena or Isla via the weddings WhatsApp on 07704 983137, or email weddings@knightor.com.
Events calendar 2026
Beyond private weddings, the winery runs a packed calendar of public events through the year.
Summer Street Food Pop-Ups
Every Friday in August, the courtyard plays host to a free-to-attend pop-up from 4pm until late. Food is served 5 - 8pm and live music runs 7 - 9pm. The cellar door bar opens from 4pm with wines by the glass, beers, ciders and soft drinks. Confirmed 2026 dates are 7 August (Nauti Buoys + Tori Chilcott), 14 August (Molinos Street Food + One for the Road), 21 August (Nauti Buoys + Tillie Rose) and 28 August (Dank Franks + Taylor Latham). Undercover seating and free on-site parking are available.
Asian Street Food Feast Night - Friday 25 September 2026
A flavour-packed sharing-platter feast for two, served at 7:30pm with the bar open from 6:30pm. £21 per person, paid on the evening. Reserve a table by emailing info@knightor.com.
Wedding Open Day - Saturday 3 October 2026
A free ticketed open day running 12 - 3pm. Tour the venue, meet the weddings team and gather inspiration for your own day. Free tickets can be reserved via the shop.
Knightor Winter Wedding Fair - Sunday 15 November 2026
Another free ticketed event, 12 - 3pm, with local wedding suppliers, a welcome drink and wine tastings. Free tickets available online.
Shared Christmas Party Nights - December 2026
Four festive party nights in the barn: Friday 4, 11 and 18 December, and Saturday 19 December. £50 per person with a £7 non-refundable deposit, including a three-course meal, a disco and a fully stocked bar open until midnight. Dates fill quickly each year. Bookings can be arranged through the Christmas at Knightor programme.
Private hire
Beyond weddings, Knightor is a flexible venue for corporate meetings, away days, birthday parties and networking events. The barn stands up to 160 guests or seats 120 (first floor 90, ground floor 30), with a fully stocked bar, late licence option, internal catering, on-site accommodation for 20 and outdoor space for marquees, activities such as archery, duck herding and clay pigeon shooting. Previous clients include the Eden Project, Stephens Scown LLP and Truro & Penwith College Business Centre. Venue hire rates, accommodation details and the 2026 private events menus are available on request from the Private Hire team.
Trade enquiries and stocking Knightor
Restaurants, bars and retailers can apply to stock Knightor via the trade programme. The minimum order for free delivery is 24 bottles; orders are dispatched via DHL Next Day Service if received by 11am. The trade team also offers staff training and in-store tasting events. Contact Liam on 01726 851101 or email trade@knightor.com.
How to find Knightor
The main winery and cellar door are at Trethurgy, Cornwall, PL26 8YQ, a few miles from St Austell. What3Words for the winery entrance is ///Grove.Trial.Boosted. The Vine by Knightor is at the Portscatho vineyard, Knightor Vineyard, Portscatho, Trewithian, TR2 5EH.
The team can be reached on 01726 851101, or by emailing info@knightor.com for general enquiries, trade@knightor.com for trade, and weddings@knightor.com for weddings. Weddings enquiries can also be sent via WhatsApp to 07704 983137.
Keep up with new releases, event announcements and seasonal photography on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Wines, gift packs and event tickets can be bought 24/7 from the online shop.
Accessibility and practical notes
Knightor is a working winery and an old farmstead, with areas of rough ground, uneven levels and steps. Visitors are asked to wear appropriate footwear and take extra care, particularly around the barn and cellar door. A formal Accessibility Guide is available to download.
Final thoughts
For a winery that began with two small Cornish vineyards and a converted farmstead, Knightor now occupies a unique spot in the English wine world. It produces award-winning cool-climate wines and a vermouth range that has earned a place behind some of the best bars in the South West and London, while running one of the most consistently reviewed wedding venues in the county. Whether you arrive for a Sunday morning tour, a Friday night pop-up, a Saturday wedding or a quiet glass of Carpe Diem in the Portscatho sunshine, the through-line is the same: a small team making expressive, low-intervention wines in a place that genuinely feels like Cornwall.