Oatley Vineyard

Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Quantock Hills - England's first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Oatley Vineyard is a small, family-run, eco-friendly English vineyard that has been quietly producing some of the country's most consistently awarded dry white and traditional-method sparkling wines for nearly four decades. Located near Cannington in Somerset, Oatley is one of only a handful of genuinely second-generation vineyards in England, and its story is as much about family, place and wildlife as it is about wine.

A Family Vineyard in the Quantock Foothills

Oatley Vineyard sits on a small lane north of the A39, a mile west of Cannington, at the very end of a winding, potholed country road. The postcode for sat-navs is TA5 2NL. Free parking is available on site. Despite its tucked-away location, the vineyard is within easy reach of the M5 motorway and just twenty minutes by taxi from Bridgwater railway station, which itself enjoys direct links to Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.

The setting is one of the most tranquil in English wine country. The Quantocks rise gently to the north, the soil is the red, free-draining west country earth that suits cool-climate viticulture, and the vineyard itself is a recognised haven for birds, mammals and insects. From the farmhouse - a 300-year-old building that now houses the loos, the kitchen and the family home - the view sweeps out across the vines towards Cannington and the levels beyond.

The Long Version: A Family Story Since 1986

Oatley was planted by Iain and Jane Awty between 1986 and 1989, after the couple walked away from corporate London to follow a dream. As the family remembers it: “We moved from NW6 to Oatley on Michaelmas Day 1985, in a car filled to the gunwhales by 3 small children, a collie dog, 2 cats, 2 rabbits and a tortoise.” Iain had given up a job in international computing; Jane had been a West Hampstead mum. Most of what they knew about wine came from drinking it - and, in many ways, still does.

The early years were hand-to-mouth in the best possible sense. The Awtys bought two pigs to clear the garden, six chickens and three geese, enrolled the children at the village primary school, and invested £350 in a 1951 Ferguson T20 tractor, which they used to help lay the black plastic mulch before planting the vines by hand. Jane's journal for 10th June 1986 records: “Iain and Mike finished the canes and rabbit nets today. The planting has taken 2 days short of 2 months, occupying every daylight moment that could be spared from children and work and with lots of help from friends. The vine shoots are 2-3 inches long and the mayweed that sprang up from the bare earth is up to the childrens' waists. We're exhausted.” And that was before the trellising had even gone in.

The first harvest, on 5th November 1988, was a casual affair. Friends, family and neighbours helped pick the grapes and everyone sat on straw bales in the barn eating bread and cheese. The tradition of harvest lunches survives to this day - though these days the reward for pickers is a four-course feast washed down with the previous year's wines.

Remarkably, that very first wine - the 1990 vintage - won an international award, in the days before English wine had its own competition categories. Since then, Oatley has been winning awards almost every year, and the vineyard remains one of the most consistent medal-winners in the country.

Oatley Today: The Second Generation Takes Over

More than thirty years on, history is gently repeating itself. Iain and Jane's son Ned and his wife Paula have stepped away from successful careers of their own to take over the vineyard and raise their young twins in the idyllic surroundings of Oatley. As well as continuing to hand-tend the original old vines - now over 35 years old and still producing - Ned and Paula have planted new blocks of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Noir. The Pinot Noir is intended for rosé in cooler years and red in warmer ones, while Cabernet Noir is a modern, low-intervention variety that makes a fruity red. Wines from these young vines are expected to start flowing from the 2025 vintage onwards.

The Vines and the Wines

Every bottle that leaves Oatley is made from grapes grown only at Oatley, by the Awty family. That single-site provenance - rare in a country where many producers buy in fruit or juice - is at the heart of the vineyard's identity. The winemaker, Steve, has been making the wines for over 25 years. His approach is deliberately minimalistic and transparent, producing very clean wines with a strong personality. The philosophy is summed up by Iain's old adage: “great wines are made in the field.”

Three grape varieties dominate the current range.

Madeleine Angevine

Planted in 1987, Madeleine Angevine - affectionately known as “Mad Ange” - is an early-ripening variety that produces clean, crisp, easy-drinking wines not unlike Sauvignon Blanc in character. It is the grape behind Oatley's Jane's and Fraîcheur Barrel Matured wines. Notably, it now ripens more than a month earlier than it did when first planted - a visible fingerprint of the changing English climate.

Kernling

Kernling was planted in 1986, and is a very pretty pink grape with strong Riesling parentage. It produces wines that recall pink grapefruit when young, and develop a classic honeyed, “petrol” Riesling character with age - widely regarded as a sign of quality. Kernling is the variety behind Leonora's and Oatley's traditional-method Brut Nature Fizz.

Pinot Noir

Newly planted in 2021, the young Pinot Noir vines gave their first small harvest in 2024, yielding just 140 bottles of rosé. Pinot Noir's versatility - capable of producing anything from sparkling rosé to the very finest reds depending on ripeness - makes it a particularly astute choice for an increasingly variable English climate.

Cabernet Noir

Cabernet Noir is a modern, low-intervention variety chosen for its ability to make a fruity red. Its wines should begin to flow from the 2025 vintage onwards.

The Current Range of Oatley Wines

All Oatley wines are vegan friendly and made in a crisp, dry, fruity house style with minimal sulphites. Free delivery is offered on online orders of £78 or more.

Jane's 2024 - £15.00

An easy-drinking, sunshine-bright white from Madeleine Angevine, crisp and dry with balanced floral and fruit aromas. The silver-medal-winning everyday bottle.

Brut Nature Fizz 2023 Batch 2 - £26.00

Fresh, fruity and dry, with wonderfully fine bubbles. Made from Kernling grapes using the traditional method, with no sugar added after secondary fermentation (zero dosage). The second batch of this increasingly popular sparkler.

Fraîcheur Barrel Matured 2023 - £19.00

Floral aromas with ripe peach, mango and a touch of oak on the palate. Only 585 bottles were produced of this small-lot, barrel-fermented Madeleine Angevine.

Leonora's 2021 - £15.00

Pink grapefruit and a hint of pear - a youthful, vivid expression of Kernling.

Leonora's 2018 - £19.00

An aged Kernling showing lemons, limes and grapefruit layered with a minerally, dry, complex palate.

Case of Jane's 2024 - £165.00

A full case of the new, silver-medal-winning Jane's 2024 at a special offer price.

Tasting Six - Something of Everything - £103.00 (save £6)

A six-bottle mixed case containing one bottle each of the current range: Fizz 2023 Batch 2, Fraîcheur Barrel Matured 2023, Leonora's 2018, Leonora's 2021 and two bottles of Jane's 2024.

Tasting Dozen - Something of Everything - £198.00 (save £18)

The full twelve-bottle tour of the cellar: two bottles each of Fizz 2023 Batch 2, Fraîcheur Barrel Matured 2022, Leonora's 2018 and Leonora's 2021, plus four bottles of Jane's 2024.

Wines can be ordered directly from the Oatley Vineyard shop.

Winemaking and Awards

Steve's winemaking is minimalistic in the extreme: clean fruit, careful pressing, native ferments and very little intervention once the wine is in tank or barrel. The result is a house style that is immediately recognisable - crisp, dry, gently fruity and quietly confident.

Awards have followed almost every year since that very first 1990 vintage. Oatley was crowned Supreme Champions of the Bath & West Show in 1994, and more recently both the Barrel Matured and Elizabeth's 2015 scooped gold medals at the Independent English Wine Awards.

Sustainability: Working with Nature for Over Thirty Years

Long before “regenerative” became a buzzword, Oatley was quietly practising it. The vineyard has been managed to promote biodiversity for more than thirty years, and the results are visible the moment you step through the gate. As the family puts it: “Working with Nature means the vines have the natural resources to keep going.”

Soil and Ground Cover

No herbicide is used, and the soil is never tilled. Instead, a permanent sward of natural grasses, wildflowers and - crucially - clover is allowed to grow between the rows. Clover fixes nitrogen naturally; the wildflowers attract pollinators; and the undisturbed soil teems with worms and insects that maintain fertility. The cover is allowed to come up to seed before being cut back to minimise disease pressure.

Wildlife

The natural sward supports a huge population of shrews, voles and moles, which in turn feed the buzzards, kestrels and owls that patrol the vineyard. A diverse mix of native hedging provides year-round food and shelter, helping to keep birds off the ripening grapes - and supporting an abundance of butterfly species in summer.

Beyond the Vines

Sustainability at Oatley extends well beyond the vineyard rows:

• Lightweight bottles to reduce carbon footprint.
• No capsules over the corks to cut single-use plastic.
• No foils on the fizz - fewer materials and a quicker pop.
• No shiny metal finishes on the labels - pretty, but less sustainable.
• Electric power tools, charged by solar panels on the farmhouse roof.
• Plant protection products only when necessary, rather than on a weekly routine.
• Bird cherry and pyracantha planted to divert the invasive SWD fly away from the grapes - and to feed the Redwings and Fieldfares that arrive in autumn.

As South African Wine News once wrote: “If wine was about place, then Oatley offers a glimpse of England as it was 200 years ago.”

Vineyard Experiences at Oatley

Oatley welcomes visitors throughout the year and offers a small but well-loved selection of tastings and experiences, all designed to be enjoyed in the relaxed, informal atmosphere of the Quantock countryside.

Private Tasting

The headline experience at Oatley is the Private Tasting, hosted in the new “wine barn” with its stunning view across the vineyard. A family member walks guests through the Oatley story, leads a tutored tasting of the current five wines, and takes them on a walk through the vines. There is plenty of time to ask questions and, afterwards, visitors are welcome to bring a picnic and stay on. Extra bottles are available to buy on the day.

• Normally takes around two hours.
• Pricing: £120 for up to 4 people.
• Additional guests, up to a maximum group size of around 20, are charged at £25 per head, payable on the day (card accepted).

Private tastings can be booked directly through the online calendar.

DIY Tasting

The DIY Tasting is a more flexible option, designed for those who would like to explore Oatley at their own pace over a two-hour slot.

Gift Vouchers

An Oatley Experience gift voucher makes an ideal present for wine lovers. Vouchers can be purchased for either the Private Tasting or the DIY Tasting and redeemed through the calendar booking system for any time that suits the recipient.

Summer Open Weekends and Cellar Door

Throughout the summer, the vineyard opens at the weekends from 11:00 to 15:00 (ish) for try-before-you-buy wine sales and wines by the glass or bottle in the vineyard itself. Dogs and children are most welcome, and there is a beautiful cross-country walking route from the Rose and Crown pub in Cannington - about 1.6 miles, with views of Cannington Fort and the surrounding countryside. Sensible shoes are recommended, particularly after rain.

Local Discount

As a thank-you to nearby residents, Oatley offers a 10% discount on standard bottle prices for online orders over £78 delivered to TA5, TA6 and TA2 postcodes (use the code Local10). Local orders are often delivered same-day or next-day by the family.

Accessibility and Safety

Oatley does not have a purpose-built visitor centre - the main facilities are outside under marquees, and the toilets are in the 300-year-old farmhouse. There is a small step in the corridor that can usually be navigated in a wheelchair, though some assistance may be required. Cars can be taken on to the main picnic sites in the vineyard if access is needed.

Because it is a working vineyard, weekend visitors should be aware of tools and implements, the usual countryside hazards (nettles, insects) and the resident collies and spaniel, who enjoy digging for voles and can leave sizeable holes in the ground. Sensible footwear is essential if you are wandering off the main tracks.

Getting to Oatley

By car: Sat-nav postcode TA5 2NL. From the A39, turn north onto Oatley Lane, a mile west of Cannington, and follow the small, winding road to the very end. Free parking on site. Minibuses and campervans are welcome; caravans and coaches are not.

On foot: A scenic cross-country walk of about 1.6 miles from the Rose and Crown pub in the centre of Cannington, with views of Cannington Fort.

By train: Bridgwater station is a 20-minute taxi ride away (book in advance) and has direct links to Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.

Why Oatley Matters

In an industry that has grown rapidly and sometimes chaotically over the past decade, Oatley stands out as a quiet, consistent, family-led benchmark. Its grapes are grown only at Oatley. Its wines are made with minimum fuss. Its old vines are still in the ground. Its sustainability practices have been refined over more than thirty years rather than drafted in a single season. And its wines - dry, crisp, low-sulphite, vegan-friendly and unfailingly food-friendly - continue to win medals year after year.

For visitors, Oatley offers something increasingly rare: the chance to walk the actual vines that made the wines in the glass, in the company of the family who planted them and the winemaker who turned them into wine. Whether you come for a summer afternoon of try-before-you-buy, a private tutored tasting for a group of friends, or simply a long, dog-friendly walk from Cannington, the welcome is the same - warm, informal and rooted in the place.