Malton Vineyard: A Boutique Yorkshire Vineyard in the Howardian Hills
Malton Vineyard: A Boutique Yorkshire Vineyard in the Howardian Hills
Nestled on the picturesque hillside of Musley Bank, on the southern outskirts of the historic market town of Malton, sits Malton Vineyard - a small but ambitious three-acre vineyard in the heart of the Howardian Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Yorkshire. Run by husband-and-wife team Viv and Phill Clarkson, this boutique Yorkshire vineyard has been quietly establishing itself as one of the region's most distinctive boutique wine producers since its first plantings in 2020.
With a south-facing slope chosen specifically to capture the long Yorkshire summer sun, the vineyard enjoys panoramic views across the rolling Yorkshire countryside, and a terroir that, in Phill's words, gives the wine its own unique character. Malton Vineyard is a hands-on, single-estate operation where every vine is tended and every bottle is produced under the watchful eye of the Clarksons themselves.
The Story Behind Malton Vineyard
The Malton Vineyard story begins in 2020, when Viv and Phill Clarkson decided to transform a stretch of south-facing hillside above Malton into a working vineyard. They laid out the trellis system themselves and then, by hand, planted the entire vineyard's 2,200 vines - a remarkable feat of dedication that set the tone for the labour of love that would follow.
From the outset, the Clarksons adopted a simple but uncompromising ethos: to be passionate about every stage of the process and to produce a quality wine that reflects the time, energy and care they invest in the land. As Phill explains: "The terroir of the vineyard is the mysterious ingredient that makes our wine different to that produced by others. It can be measured by the makeup of the soil in which it grows, the amount of sunlight available and equally, the amount of care devoted to the vine."
That ethos - a deep respect for place, vine and process - runs through everything the couple do, from pruning and canopy management through to harvesting, pressing and bottling in their own on-site winery.
Location and Terroir
Malton Vineyard sits on Musley Bank, on the outskirts of Malton in the Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire. The Howardian Hills is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that straddles the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Wolds, renowned for its mixed woodland, drystone walls and historic estates. The vineyard's south-facing aspect means the rows catch maximum sunlight throughout the day - a critical factor when growing grapes at this northerly latitude.
The combination of free-draining hillside soils, the microclimate of the valley and the long summer days gives the vineyard its distinctive terroir, a setting that Phill credits as the "mysterious ingredient" that makes their wine uniquely theirs.
The Grape Variety: Solaris
Malton Vineyard is planted predominantly with Solaris, a German-bred white grape variety that has become a favourite of cool-climate viticulturists across northern Europe. Solaris is well known for two qualities that make it ideally suited to a Yorkshire hillside: its tolerance of cooler climates and its early-ripening characteristics.
Because Yorkshire's growing season is shorter and cooler than that of traditional wine regions such as Bordeaux or the Rhine, the choice of a hardy, early-ripening variety is essential. Solaris allows the Clarksons to bring the grapes to full phenolic ripeness before the autumn weather turns - a critical window in this part of the world.
The Wines: Musley Bank 2024
The vineyard's signature wine is the 'Musley Bank', a name taken directly from the hillside site where the grapes are grown and a deliberate reference to provenance and place.
Tasting Notes - Musley Bank 2024 Harvest
- Style: Dry white wine
- Nose: A bright, crisp nose of lemony citrus aromas
- Palate: Citrus aromas follow through on the palate, layered with an abundance of green apple flavour
- Structure: Lovely fresh acidity balances the fruit, leading to a long, clean finish
The 2024 harvest is the latest vintage available to buy direct from the vineyard. Each bottle is priced at £18 plus postage and packing. It is a refreshing, food-friendly white that pairs naturally with the kind of seasonal Yorkshire produce for which Malton - the historic "Food Capital of Yorkshire" - is rightly famous: local cheeses, seafood, roast chicken and salads.
The Ciders: Old Grumpy & Still Grumpy
In addition to wine, Malton Vineyard produces a small range of traditional bottle-conditioned ciders, made from locally sourced Yorkshire apples and crafted using time-honoured techniques. The cider arm of the business began as a natural extension of the couple's love of fermentation and orchard produce.
Two styles are produced, both priced at £3 per bottle plus postage and packing:
Old Grumpy - Sparkling Cider
Old Grumpy is the sparkling version of the cider. Naturally conditioned in the bottle in the traditional méthode champenoise style, it offers a fine, persistent fizz. It is a dry, characterful cider with the depth and complexity that bottle-conditioning brings.
Still Grumpy - Still Cider
Still Grumpy is the same traditional cider, but bottled without the secondary fermentation fizz, producing a smooth, rounded still cider. Both ciders pair perfectly with the kind of hearty Yorkshire fare that the region is famous for - pork pies, terrines, ploughman's lunches and rich cheeses.
The names themselves, Old Grumpy and Still Grumpy, are a knowing nod to the brewer himself, Phill, who is, by his own admission, occasionally inclined to see the less favourable side of life. The ciders are bottled in 500ml format and, like the wine, are produced in small batches.
How to Buy
Malton Vineyard is a small, independent producer, and purchases are handled directly with Viv and Phill by email. Orders can be paid for by BACS (bank transfer) or by cash on collection.
There are three ways to receive wine or cider:
- Free local delivery - the Clarksons are happy to deliver locally free of charge.
- Collect from the vineyard - visitors are warmly welcomed to collect in person and experience the site where the wine is grown.
- UK-wide postage - bottles can be sent by post for an additional postage and packing charge.
Visiting Malton Vineyard
Because Malton Vineyard is a working, family-run farm, visits are arranged informally rather than through a formal ticketed tour system. Anyone collecting wine or cider in person is welcome to spend a little time on the hillside and enjoy the views across the Howardian Hills. It is a quiet, intimate experience, quite unlike the busier commercial vineyards of the south of England, and one that allows visitors to see the vines, talk to Viv and Phill, and understand the small-scale craft behind every bottle.
Group visits and special-occasion tours are arranged informally by emailing info@maltonvineyard.co.uk.
Keep Up to Date
As a small producer with limited bottlings each year, news from Malton Vineyard is best followed directly. The vineyard is active on social media, with Viv and Phill sharing the seasons, the harvests and new releases on Facebook and Instagram under the name Malton Vineyard. A mailing list is also available; anyone interested can request to be added by emailing info@maltonvineyard.co.uk.
Subscribers are typically the first to hear about:
- New vintage releases and limited bottlings
- Harvest updates from the hillside
- Local delivery slots and collection days
- Special events or pop-up tastings (when scheduled)
About the Howardian Hills Wine Region
Malton Vineyard is part of a small but growing cluster of vineyards across Yorkshire and the north of England that are redefining what English wine can be. The Howardian Hills, the same landscape that surrounds Castle Howard and the market towns of Malton, Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside, provides free-draining limestone soils, sheltered valleys and just enough summer warmth to ripen varieties such as Solaris, Ortega and Rondo.
Yorkshire vineyards remain a relatively young part of the English wine scene, but their wines are increasingly recognised at national competitions and the sector has been championed by organisations such as Yorkshire Wine, which promotes the county's producers to local restaurants and independent retailers.
A trip to Malton pairs naturally with a visit to the town's renowned food market. Malton is regularly billed as the "Food Capital of Yorkshire" and is surrounded by artisan producers, delis and farm shops that line its historic streets.
Practical Information
Address: Musley Bank, on the outskirts of Malton, in the Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire.
Email: info@maltonvineyard.co.uk
Website: https://www.maltonvineyard.co.uk/
Products: Musley Bank White Wine (2024) - £18 per bottle plus p&p; Old Grumpy Sparkling Cider - £3 per bottle plus p&p; Still Grumpy Still Cider - £3 per bottle plus p&p. Free local delivery available; UK-wide postage charged at cost. BACS or cash accepted.
Owners: Viv & Phill Clarkson
Founded: 2020
Vineyard size: Three acres / 2,200 vines
Variety planted: Solaris (predominantly)
Final Thoughts
Malton Vineyard is a small, characterful producer that contributes meaningfully to the English wine scene. From a bare Yorkshire hillside in 2020 to a thriving three-acre vineyard producing Solaris and traditional ciders, Viv and Phill Clarkson's story is one of patience, craft and an unshakeable belief in the quality of what their patch of Yorkshire soil can deliver. Whether reaching for a bottle of crisp, terroir-driven English white wine to accompany a summer lunch, or a quirky traditional cider with a story behind it, Malton Vineyard stands as a quiet but compelling example of what determined hands and a thoughtful hillside can achieve.