Lyme Bay Winery

Lyme Bay Winery: Award-Winning English Wines, Mead & Spirits in East Devon

Lyme Bay Winery: Award-Winning English Wines, Mead & Spirits in the Heart of East Devon

Tucked into the rolling green hills of the Axe Valley, just a few miles from the East Devon Way and the Jurassic Coast, Lyme Bay Winery has spent more than three decades quietly becoming one of Britain's most decorated drinks producers. Founded over 30 years ago on the edge of the medieval Shute Estate near Axminster, the winery now holds more than 113 awards across ten national and international competitions and is widely recognised as the UK's most awarded English still wine producer and the country's single biggest maker of mead and country fruit wine.

Run by LBW Drinks Limited (company number 02848445, VAT 634351259), the winery combines a modern production facility with a much-loved Cellar Door shop and tasting room in the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Whether you arrive clutching a tote bag for a guided tasting, browse online for a case of still English wines, or are searching for a bottle of Black Cherry Mead to match with cheese, this is a producer whose depth and consistency across still wine, sparkling wine, mead, country fruit wine, liqueurs, gin and rum is genuinely hard to beat.

Where to Find Lyme Bay Winery

The winery sits at Shute, Seaton Junction, Axminster, Devon EX13 7PW - just five miles from the coast, close to the historic town of Axminster, and within easy reach of the East Devon Way. The Cellar Door shop is open from Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 16:30, with a staff lunch closure from 12:30 to 13:15. The cellar door is closed on Sundays.

Address: The Lyme Bay Winery, Shute, Seaton Junction, Axminster, Devon EX13 7PW
Phone: 01297 551 355
Email: info@lbwdrinks.co.uk
Hours: Mon - Sat 10:00 - 16:30 (closed 12:30 - 13:15); Sun closed

For directions, use the Google Maps link. The winery can also be reached by phone on 01297 551 355 or by emailing info@lbwdrinks.co.uk, where the customer services team handles distance-selling enquiries, tastings bookings and wedding consultations.

A Family of Drinks Under One Devon Roof

Lyme Bay's portfolio covers five distinct categories: English still and sparkling wines, traditional and sparkling mead, country fruit wines, fruit liqueurs, and a small but excellent range of Devon gins and Jack Ratt Lugger rums. Everything is bottled, labelled and shipped from the same Axminster address, and every bottle benefits from a network of carefully selected growers across southern England who supply the winery with the best fruit each season.

Since 2015 the team has been working with some of the best English wine growers to bring a selection of delicious and award-winning still and sparkling wines to bottle. That grower-led approach is the reason Lyme Bay was the first English producer to win IWC trophies for both red and white wine in the same year.

English Still Wines

Lyme Bay is officially the UK's most awarded English still wine producer, with medals racked up since 2021 across the International Wine Challenge (IWC), International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), Decanter World Wine Awards and Wine GB Awards. The current still wine range is split into red, white and rosé, with a strong line-up of single-vineyard and signature blends.

White Wines

Bacchus 2024 - £15.99. Lean and precise with lime leaf, green apple and elderflower, balanced by crisp grapefruit acidity and a saline finish. 90% Bacchus, 10% Sauvignon Blanc from Essex's Crouch Valley.
Bacchus Block 2025 - £21.99. Hand-harvested from Martin's Lane in Essex. Vibrant, layered and aromatic, with gooseberry, pineapple and lime. IWC Silver, Decanter Silver, IWSC Bronze and Wine GB Bronze in 2026.
Sauvignon Blanc 2025 - £21.99. A rare English Sauvignon Blanc showing white currant, gooseberry and elderflower with vibrant, lime-driven acidity. IWSC Silver 2026.
Shoreline 2024 - £18.99. Lyme Bay's signature white blend, made from Reichensteiner, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Ortega, Pinot Noir, Solaris and Sauvignon Blanc. Wine GB Silver 2025.
Chardonnay 2019 - £24.99. Pale gold, with custard apple, clementine and honeysuckle on the nose and a creamy orchard-fruit palate with subtle spice. IWC Highly Commended 2026.
Chardonnay 2022 - £24.99. Hot, dry vintage Chardonnay with orchard fruits and a creamy texture, drinking well through to 2030. Essex Wine Awards Silver 2025.
Covepoint Chardonnay - £14.49. Pale straw, melon and tangerine aromas with creamy citrus and a gentle vanilla kiss from oak ageing.
Martin's Lane Vineyard Chardonnay 2020 - £35.00. Awarded 98 points by Wine GB 2025 and IWC Gold 2025, plus four IWC trophies including Best English White.

Rosé Wines

Pinot Noir Rosé 2025 - £21.99. A bright, fresh and fruity rosé with strawberry, raspberry and red cherry from a single Essex vineyard.
Shoreline Rosé 2025 - £18.99. An industry-first Bacchus and Pinot Noir blend, pale salmon pink with summer berry and floral notes. IWSC Bronze, Decanter Bronze and Wine GB Bronze 2026.

Red Wines

Pinot Noir 2021 - £29.99 (out of stock). The flagship English red: 100% Pinot Noir from Essex vineyards, aged in 32% new oak. IWSC Gold, IWC Gold and Trophy, Wine GB Gold 2024.
Pinot Noir 2024 - £27.50. Bright cherry red with raspberry, mulberry, vanilla oak and earthy complexity. IWSC Silver (91 points), IWC Bronze, Decanter Silver (90 points) and Wine GB Silver 2026.
Covepoint Pinot Noir - £14.49 (out of stock). Wild raspberry, savoury complexity and a hint of black pepper, with soft tannins and persistent ripe cherry fruit.

English Sparkling Wines

All of Lyme Bay's English sparkling wines are bottle-fermented following the traditional method and have won international recognition since the range was launched. The winery produces across a trio of styles: vintage white, vintage rosé and non-vintage blends.

Brut Reserve Sparkling NV - £26.99. A vibrant, fruit-driven blend of Chardonnay, Bacchus, Reichensteiner, Solaris, Seyval Blanc and Pinot Gris, with brioche and citrus notes. Food & Drink Devon Gold 2023.
Sparkling Rosé NV - £31.99. A traditional-method Pinot Noir-led blend with wild strawberry, redcurrant and brioche. IWC Silver 2024 and multiple Decanter Silvers.
Classic Cuvée 2019 - £31.99. A 47% Pinot Noir, 48% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Blanc blend aged on lees for at least 60 months, delivering depth, brioche and quince complexity.
Blanc de Blancs 2017 - £37.49. 100% Chardonnay aged 45 months on lees, with citrus, tropical fruit, honey, almond and toasted brioche. Wine GB Silver 2024.

Sparkling wines are perfect for English Wine Week, weddings and Christmas pairing - the Brut Reserve and Blanc de Blancs both carry a "Christmas Drinks" classification.

Mead: Nectar of the Gods

Lyme Bay is the UK's largest producer of mead - the world's oldest alcoholic drink. The winery has been making mead for more than 25 years and now offers one of the broadest ranges of traditional, fruit and sparkling meads in the country. Traditional Mead is 14.5% ABV, while flavoured meads are typically 10 - 11% ABV.

Traditional Mead Range

Traditional Mead - £13.49. Sweet, full-flavoured honey wine with a honeycomb finish. IWSC Bronze 2024 and Taste of the West Gold 2022.
Black Cherry Mead - £13.49. Sweet cherry-honey blend. Taste of the West Gold 2022.
Rhubarb Mead - £13.49. Tart rhubarb meets honey. Taste of the West Gold 2023.
Apple Mead - £13.49. Toffee-apple sweetness; great with cheese. Taste of the West Gold 2024.
Ginger Mead - £13.49. Warming ginger and honey.
Chilli Mead - £13.49. Sweet honey with a chilli kick. Taste of the West Gold 2025.
Elderflower Mead - £13.49. Floral and aromatic. IWSC Bronze 2024, Food & Drink Devon Gold 2024/25.
Westcountry Mead - £14.59. A regional take on traditional mead.
Spiced Mead - £12.99. Honey wine with warming spices. Food & Drink Devon Gold 2024/25.
Strawberry Mead - £13.49. Strawberry and honey.
Garden Mead - £13.49. A garden-inspired, herb-led mead.
Christmas Mead - £12.99. Festive, rich honey wine. IWSC Gold 2025 (95 points).

Sparkling Mead

Sparkling Mead is Lyme Bay's modern take on the ancient drink: just 3.5% ABV, gently sparkling and packaged in cans for picnics, hikes and outdoor evenings. Made with real fruit juices, delicate floral notes and a touch of honey, the range currently comprises:

Raspberry Lemonade Sparkling Mead - £2.75 (out of stock). Vibrant and zesty.
Strawberry Elderflower Sparkling Mead - £2.75 (out of stock). Soft, floral and refreshing.

The winery suggests enjoying them straight from the can, over ice with fresh fruit, or as a creative cocktail base.

Country Fruit Wines

Lyme Bay is the largest producer of country fruit wines in the UK, with a portfolio that captures the seasons of the British hedgerow, orchard and woodland. Each wine is fermented from a grape base with the addition of fruits, spices or florals.

Cherry Wine - £12.79. Smooth, full-flavoured sweet wine. Taste of the West Gold 2022.
Ginger Wine - £13.99. Sweet and heartwarming. Taste of the West Gold 2022; IWSC Silver 2025 (91 points).
Elderflower Wine - £12.79. Light, crisp and refreshing. Taste of the West Gold 2023.
Strawberry Wine - £12.79. Medium, well-balanced fruit wine. Taste of the West Silver 2023.
Blackberry Wine - £12.79. Medium, tangy, full-flavour.
Apricot Wine - £12.79. Smooth and richly scented. Taste of the West Silver 2025.
Damson Wine - £12.79. Mellow, off-dry wine.
Elderberry Wine - £12.79. Robust, off-dry red wine.
Blackbeer and Raisin Wine - £13.99. Sweet, rich and malty. Taste of the West Gold 2023.
Summer Berry Wine - £12.79. Tangy, full-flavoured berry wine.
Gooseberry & Elderflower Wine - £12.79. Refreshing, aromatic, off-dry.
Nettle Wine - £12.79 (out of stock). Dry, light and crisp.
Mulled Wine - £7.59. A winter warmer. IWSC Bronze 2024.
Christmas Pudding Wine - £12.49. A festive, rich dessert wine.

Smaller 375ml formats are also available for Cherry, Elderflower, Strawberry and Ginger wines, priced from £6.99, ideal for hampers and gifts. Country fruit wines are grape-based and typically between 10 - 15% ABV, with a longer post-opening shelf life than standard wine (around 3 - 4 weeks if resealed).

Liqueurs

The liqueur line complements the wines and meads, with rich, smooth aperitifs and after-dinner treats inspired by the English countryside.

Mead Liqueur - £14.99. Honey liqueur, perfect neat or in cocktails.
Fruit Cake Liqueur - £14.99. Christmas cake in a glass.
Elderberry & Port Liqueur - £14.99. Sweet, brooding and complex. Taste of the West Gold 2025.
Ginger Liqueur - £14.99. Whisky-based ginger warmth. Taste of the West 2024.
Cherry Brandy Liqueur - £14.99. Classic, fruit-forward.
Sloe Liqueur - £14.99. A traditional sloe gin-style aperitif.
Honey Liqueur - £9.99 (promotion, was £14.99). Whisky-based honey liqueur.
Lyme Bay Damson Gin Liqueur - £25.99. A richer reserve damson gin. Taste of the West Gold 2025.
Lyme Bay Sloe Gin Liqueur - £25.99 (out of stock). Food & Drink Devon Gold 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Elderflower & Lemon Reserve Liqueur - £14.99. Floral, citrus-led aperitif.
Raspberry Reserve Liqueur - £14.99. Vibrant, fruit-driven reserve.

Devon Gins

Lyme Bay's gin range is built around five delicate, countryside-inspired expressions, each stamped with the Lyme Bay seal of excellence. Each bottle carries a £30 price tag and reflects a different facet of English botanicals.

Lyme Bay Dry Gin - £30. Classic juniper-led profile. Taste of the West Gold 2024.
Lyme Bay Pink Grapefruit Gin - £30. Bright citrus, ideal with a Mediterranean tonic.
Lyme Bay Elderflower & Cucumber Gin - £30. Floral and refreshing.
Lyme Bay Orange & Thyme Gin - £30. Warming citrus with herbal depth.
Lyme Bay Winter Gin - £30. An unusual rich, earthy gin layering black pepper and nutmeg over elderberries, blackberries and burnt orange.

Jack Ratt Lugger Rum

Named after Jack Rattenbury, the "Rob Roy of the West", a notorious smuggler born in Beer, the Jack Ratt Lugger Rum range is aged in ex-Bourbon, charred oak barrels to produce Devon sipping rums with real character.

Jack Ratt Lugger Spiced Rum - £37.99. Nutmeg, cloves, orange peel and vanilla. Taste of the West Gold 2024.
Jack Ratt Lugger Spiced Rum 35cl - £21.99. A smaller format of the same spiced expression.
Golden Rum - 8 Year Old - £43.49. Carefully blended sipping rum. London Spirits Competition Silver 2023, People's Choice Spirits Gold 2023.

Gift Boxes

The Lyme Bay gift boxes are perfect for birthdays, weddings and Christmas, and are beautifully packaged with tasting notes for each miniature bottle.

Mead Summer Gift Box - £14.60. Five 5cl bottles: Traditional, Apple, Strawberry, Rhubarb and Elderflower Mead.
Miniature Mead Gift Box - £14.60. Five 5cl bottles of the winemaker's choice.
Miniature Fruit Wine Gift Box - £14.60. Five 5cl bottles: Strawberry, Ginger, Cherry, Elderflower and Elderberry.
Miniature Liqueurs Gift Box - £14.60. Five 5cl bottles: Sloe, Honey, Elderberry & Port, Ginger and Cherry Brandy.
Miniature Gin Gift Box - £11.49. Two 5cl bottles: Dry Gin and Pink Grapefruit Gin.
Miniature Rum Gift Box - £11.49. Two 5cl bottles: Lugger Spiced Rum and Lugger Golden Rum.
Miniature Gin Selection Gift Box - £21.95 (out of stock). A wider tasting flight of Lyme Bay gins.

Tastings, Tours and the Cellar Door Experience

The Cellar Door shop in Shute is the hub of Lyme Bay's visitor experience. Open Monday to Saturday, the team offers free samples of the wines, meads and spirits on the day, and the shop has earned Taste of the West Gold (2022, 2023 and 2024) plus Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice four years running (2023 - 2026).

For something more structured, the winery runs the Gold Guided Tasting Experience, led by Steve and the team. Tastings typically last around two and a half hours and walk guests through each wine, how to taste, where the grapes are grown and how it is made, with tips on selecting wine in shops or restaurants.

Gold Guided Tasting (8 wines): £30 per person. 3 Whites, 2 Sparklings, a Rosé and a Red.
Gold Guided Tasting with spirits + nibbles: £35 per person.

Each guest receives a Lyme Bay Winery tote bag and winemaker notes, plus a 10% guest discount on any purchases made on the day. Tastings are generally held on Friday and Saturday at 1:30pm (season-specific), and pre-booking is essential. Gift vouchers are available - call 01297 551355 or email info@lbwdrinks.co.uk to purchase.

Wedding tastings are also offered. The knowledgeable staff advise couples on wine, mead, country fruit wine and spirit pairings for the big day - email Steve at the Cellar Door to book a consultation.

Events Calendar

The winery runs three strands of activity throughout the year: the Cellar Door experience, guided tasting sessions, and festivals the winery attends around the UK. The Cellar Door itself is open Monday to Saturday (10:00 - 16:30, closed 12:30 - 13:15), and the recurring Gold Guided Tasting runs on Fridays and Saturdays at 1:30pm, with bookings taken by email at info@lbwdrinks.co.uk.

The winery also travels to food and drink festivals nationally - in 2026 the team appeared at the Bristol Film Festival and the Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival, with more dates promised throughout the year. Seasonal highlights on the calendar include National Cheese and Wine Day (25 July) and English Wine Week (20 - 28 June 2026).

Awards and Recognition

Lyme Bay is widely recognised as the UK's most awarded English still wine producer, and its trophy cabinet includes:

2025 IWC Trophies: Martin's Lane Chardonnay 2020 (Best English White, Best in Class, Best in Region, Best Still English Wine); Pinot Noir 2021 (Best English Pinot, Best English Red).
2025 IWSC: Gold for Pinot Noir 2021 and Christmas Mead (95 points).
2025 Wine GB: Gold (98 points) for Martin's Lane Chardonnay 2020.
2025 Taste of the West: Gold for Chilli Mead, Elderberry & Port Liqueur and Damson Gin Reserve Liqueur.
2024 IWC: Silver for Sparkling Rosé NV (92 points).
2024 Wine GB: Silver for Blanc de Blancs 2017.
2024 Taste of the West: Gold for Black Cherry Mead.
2026 medals: IWSC Silvers for Pinot Noir 2024 (91), Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (90); IWC Silvers for Bacchus Block 2025 and Oaked Chardonnay; Decanter Silver for Pinot Noir 2024 (90), Bacchus Block 2025 (90) and Shoreline Rosé 2025 (87).

The Cellar Door itself has earned Taste of the West Gold (2022, 2023 and 2024) and Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. The winery has now won 113 awards across 10 national and international competitions, awarded to 37 different bottles of wines, meads and spirits.

Online Shop, Delivery and Promotions

The full Lyme Bay range can be ordered online at lymebaywinery.co.uk/shop. Free UK mainland delivery is available on orders over £65; below that threshold a flat £8.50 applies. Orders over £150 receive an additional 5% discount and free delivery. Regrettably, the winery cannot ship to Northern Ireland.

Newsletter subscribers receive an exclusive discount code that can be applied at checkout on seasonal offers - typically selected still wines, sparkling wines, meads and gift boxes throughout the year. Current promotions rotate regularly across the range.

Payment is accepted by Visa and Mastercard through a secure online checkout. Customers can also register an account to save addresses, track orders and access exclusive releases. Returns are accepted within 14 days of receipt for unopened bottles, in line with the winery's Distance Selling Policy.

Sustainability and Provenance

Lyme Bay works with a network of handpicked growers across the south of England - primarily in the South East, but also in Devon, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Dorset and Kent. Vineyard sites such as Martin's Lane, Crouch Ridge, Spar Hill, Riverview, Crow's Lane, GW Cooper, Tudwick Hall, Sandhurst, Haygrove, Wodetone, D'Urberville and Great Whitmans are all named on individual bottles, with single-vineyard wines flagged accordingly. By buying the best fruit from the best vineyards each season, the winery is able to make consistently excellent wines regardless of the vagaries of the British weather.

All grapes come from PDO or PGI designated vineyards, and many of the wines are bottled unfined or with only a light filtration to retain the delicate nuances of fruit and oak.

Prior Vintages and Library Wines

The winery's library of celebrated past releases includes detailed tasting notes and winemaking stories for the Lyme Bay Pinot Noir 2021, the Martin's Lane Chardonnay 2020, the Chardonnay 2021 and the Bacchus Block 2022, offering a useful reference for collectors and anyone interested in how the winery's style has evolved from vintage to vintage.

Visiting Lyme Bay Winery

Plan a visit to the Cellar Door and you can combine a tasting with a walk on the Jurassic Coast, a visit to the medieval Shute Estate, or a trip along the East Devon Way. The winery is roughly five miles from the coast and just outside Axminster, with ample parking on site. Wedding parties and corporate groups are warmly welcomed - call ahead so Steve and the team can plan your visit.

For any other enquiries, including distance-selling questions or returns, write to the customer services team at info@lbwdrinks.co.uk or telephone 01297 551355 (Monday to Saturday during opening hours).

Final Thoughts

With more than three decades of winemaking, brewing and blending experience behind it, Lyme Bay Winery offers an unusually complete English drinks portfolio. The still wines are some of the most decorated in the country, the sparkling wines are quietly world-class, the mead and country fruit wine ranges are the largest in the UK, and the gin and rum lines carry genuine Devon character. Add in a friendly, award-winning Cellar Door, an active events calendar and a helpful, well-stocked online shop, and it is easy to see why Lyme Bay has become a destination producer for anyone interested in English wine, mead and spirits.

A tasting at the source, with the coast a stone's throw away, is one of the most rewarding ways to understand exactly what makes Lyme Bay tick.