Rutland Vineyard

The Rutland Vineyard: Award-Winning English Wines on Jurassic Soil Near Ketton

A new-era English vineyard rooted in 160-million-year-old soils

If you were to walk into a vineyard in Rutland 2,000 years ago you would not have been alone. Vineyards have appeared and disappeared across the limestone belt of eastern England over the centuries, and at The Rutland Vineyard near Ketton, the team is proudly bringing vines back to land that was last cultivated for wine in the Roman era. Planted in 2021 as a single, south-facing site between the rivers Welland and Chater, around 70 metres above sea level, it is one of the most talked-about young estates in the East Midlands and a textbook case of how geology, climate and passion can be combined to make modern English still and sparkling wine.

What makes the site remarkable is its bedrock. The vineyard sits on Jurassic limestone - specifically Blisworth limestone - the same family of soils that underpins the famous wine regions of Burgundy and the Jura in France. These are ancient seabed and reef limestones, formed from the compressed remains of molluscs, fish and, fittingly, dinosaurs that once lived on what was then England's southern coast. The limestone drains freely yet retains just enough water for vines to draw on during dry spells, and it imparts the linear acidity and longevity for which Burgundian whites are prized. Two miles up the Welland Valley in 1970, the largest dinosaur ever found in these isles - a Cetiosaurus nicknamed "The Rutland Dinosaur" - was unearthed from the same geology, and a subsequent discovery in 2022 cemented the valley's reputation as a Jurassic hotspot. Look closely while you walk the rows and you too may spot the fossils peeking out of the soil.

From planting to first harvest: a fast-moving story

The Rutland Vineyard is a young estate that has moved at extraordinary speed. The site was planted in 2021 and the first tasting barn - a converted farm building crowning the ridge above the valley - opened in December of the same year, initially selling a small range of English wines while the team finished off the patio, planted more trees and laid out the now-signature 1km Six Pack Track nature trail. By March 2022, coffees, cakes and proper vineyard hospitality were on offer, and the first birthday party - a celebration that has become an annual tradition - was held on 28 May that year.

The first summer of guided tours, led by resident Master of Wine John Atkinson, ran in 2022, and the following winter the team pruned the vines back to four buds in preparation for a much-anticipated first harvest. That harvest - the First Crush of 2023 - was hand-picked by local volunteers, supervised by the team and fuelled by cake and wine. Berries were taken to Defined Wine in Kent for vinification, allowing the vineyard to focus on what it does best - growing excellent grapes on limestone. Both the First Crush white and First Crush red went on to win WineGB Silver medals, jointly topping their classes.

The Second Nature vintage followed in autumn 2024, harvested in less forgiving weather - the dullest summer for fourteen years, according to the team. Despite disease pressure and high winds, the vines responded to a combination of bio-stimulant boosters and targeted fungicides, and the wines that emerged became the Second Nature range. May 2025 saw an expansion to 20,000 vines with the planting of an additional 3,600, and in December 2025 the vineyard released what is arguably its most significant wine to date: First Fizz, Rutland's first-ever traditional-method sparkling wine and the first commercial sparkling wine from this part of England.

The wines: still and sparkling, hand-picked and small-batch

Rutland Vineyard's philosophy is hand-picked fruit, small-batch winemaking and a tight focus on what the Jurassic limestone and cool climate do best. Three expressions anchor the current range, all available to buy online 24/7 and tasted by the glass overlooking the valley.

Second Nature White 2024

A vibrant 2024 vintage crafted from 60% Bacchus and 40% Ortega, hand-picked on a single day to lock in ripeness and consistency. Elderflower and fresh pear on the nose lead into a zesty, lively palate with the hallmark freshness of Bacchus, while the Ortega adds a gentle roundness and a smooth, clean finish. The wine has been recognised with Silver medals at both the Independent English Wine Awards and WineGB - a confident, Bacchus-led expression of modern English winemaking.

Grapes: 60% Bacchus, 40% Ortega
Vintage: 2024
Style: Still white
Tasting notes: Elderflower, fresh pear, zesty acidity, smooth finish
Awards: Silver - Independent English Wine Awards; Silver - WineGB
Price: £19.00 per bottle

Second Nature Red

A beautifully balanced blend of Pinot Noir Précoce and Cabernet grapes, hand-picked on a single day for optimal ripeness. The nose is rich and expressive, offering dark fruit aromas that flow seamlessly into black cherry flavours on the palate. Supple tannins and a silky, elegant finish give the wine a poised, refined character. Rooted in Jurassic soils closely related to those of Burgundy and the Jura, this is a landmark bottling for English red wine.

Grapes: Pinot Noir Précoce, Cabernet
Style: Still red
Tasting notes: Dark fruit, black cherry, supple tannins, silky finish
Price: £24.50 per bottle

First Fizz - Blanc de Noirs 2023

A landmark release and the first traditional-method sparkling wine ever made in Rutland. Crafted from a refined blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from the warm 2023 vintage, the grapes' skins were removed straight after pressing to make a white wine from red grapes - the literal meaning of "Blanc de Noirs". In the glass it shows a beautiful golden hue with delicate, pearl-like streams of bubbles. The palate is vibrant and expressive, zesty yet rich, finishing crisp, clean and refreshing, with finesse that belies its debut status. A limited release marking the start of a new sparkling chapter for the estate.

Grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Vintage: 2023
Style: Traditional-method sparkling ("Blanc de Noirs")
Tasting notes: Golden hue, fine bubbles, zesty yet rich, crisp finish
Price: £34.90 per bottle

From 2026, the tasting barn will serve only English wine: the estate's own white, red, rosé and sparkling, with locally produced food to match.

Choosing the grapes: what grows in the vineyard

Because vines can live for thirty years or more, the choice of variety and clone is the most important long-term decision a vineyard makes. The Rutland Vineyard's line-up was guided by their resident Master of Wine, drawing on decades of experience working with similar limestone soils in France. The whites are built around Bacchus - a variety that has found a true home in England (a Bacchus won the best single white wine in the world in 2015) - supported by Ortega for body, creaminess and a wonderful vanilla aroma. The reds feature Pinot Noir Précoce, an early-maturing clone suited to the British climate that produces a light-bodied wine with complex cherry and raspberry flavours, alongside Cabaret Noir, a newer variety widely tipped as a potential game-changer for the English red wine industry, offering more body, more tannin and a spicy finish. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier complete the range, destined for sparkling wines.

The Ground to Glass tour: a Friday-evening ritual

The Rutland Vineyard's flagship experience is the Ground to Glass Vineyard Tour, which runs every Friday evening from 6pm to 8pm between 1 May and 25 September. Limited to twenty guests per tour, the evening closes the vineyard to the wider public to give an intimate, exclusive experience and to encourage the resident wildlife to come out as the day cools.

Tickets cost £37.00 per person and the format is built around five wines, three prizes, a walk among the vines and a generous helping of light bites. Guests arrive to welcome English Prosecco bubbles, then settle in for an informal chat about why English viticulture is on the rise and how the Jurassic limestone of the Welland Valley is shaping the wines. The first vineyard wine poured is the 2023 First Fizz Blanc de Noirs, before the group heads out for an easy walk through the rows to see how the current vintage is progressing, looking out over the stunning Welland Valley. Back in the tasting barn, a WSET-qualified host walks through the three still wines from the 2025 harvest - white, red and rosé - alongside light bites. A fun quiz follows, with three guests leaving with prizes each evening, and those who don't win have their glass topped up with their favourite wine from the vineyard.

Practicalities for tour guests

Price: £37.00 per ticket (£37.00 + a small £0.93 ticket service fee when booking online)
Duration: Two hours, 18:00 - 20:00
Frequency: Every Friday from 1 May to 25 September (22 tour dates in 2026)
Group size: Limited to 20 guests per evening
Age restriction: Over 18s only
Booking: www.therutlandvineyard.com/tours - note that tours have sold out in previous years, so early booking is recommended
Private tours: Available for groups of ten or more by email request to info@therutlandvineyard.com

The Six Pack Track and the wider estate

The vineyard is more than a place to drink wine. The free-to-enter estate offers a relaxed, dog-friendly day out with no booking required and no entry fee. At its heart is the Six Pack Track, a kilometre-long nature trail that loops around the vines and is designed for family strolls, dog walks, or simply a moment to clear your head. Six information boards line the route, each themed around a creature or feature you might spot: the Jurassic fossils and dinosaurs of the underlying soils (with the Cetiosaurus discovered just up the valley as a reference point), the hedgehogs in the quiet corners of the site, the butterflies among the wildflowers on the southern edge, the hardworking honey bees, the hares in the open cropped area - whose leverets are notoriously hard to spot in early summer - and the barn owl, the vineyard's resident night watch officer.

Just outside the tasting barn you'll find a terrace with water bowls and dog snacks, plus a covered area for rainy days. Dogs are welcome on the lead across the trail and terrace (kept on due to the resident wildlife) but are not allowed inside the barn. A separate dog park, www.rutlanddogpark.co.uk, now operates on the wider site.

Eating and drinking at the tasting barn

The tasting barn itself is the social centre of the vineyard. Wines are poured by the glass overlooking the vines, with bottles available to take away, and the team is happy to pour a small taster if you'd like to try before you buy. The drinks offering extends well beyond wine:

Cheese boards sourced from local cheesemongers Rennet & Rind, featuring three English cheeses and accompaniments - ideal as a sharing platter for two.
Home-baked cakes and tray bakes from The Rutland Chef. A gluten-free choice is usually available (a vegan option is not currently on the menu).
Coffee roasted by the Stamford Coffee Company and supplied via Select Coffee Services - the same partnership behind the estate's award-winning coffee.

Visiting The Rutland Vineyard

The Rutland Vineyard is situated just outside the village of Ketton on Barrowden Road (postcode PE9 3RJ), around a ten-minute drive from the A1, A47 and A43 and within easy reach of the market town of Stamford. Opening hours vary by season and are posted at the start of each week to Instagram and Facebook; the barn is generally open Wednesday to Saturday, with Friday and Saturday the longest days.

Frequently asked questions

Do we have to book? No. Walk-ins are always welcome, and there's usually a seat somewhere on the site.
Are dogs welcome? Yes, on the terrace, the covered area and the Six Pack Track on a lead. They are not allowed inside the tasting barn.
Can I hire the tasting barn? Yes - the barn (with a 65-inch TV and whiteboard) is available for meetings, presentations, birthdays and celebrations on Mondays and Tuesdays, with exclusive use of the vineyard and freshly ground coffee available.
Do you sell gift vouchers? Yes - £25, £50 and £100 vouchers are available, redeemable on anything in the barn and with no expiry date. Email info@therutlandvineyard.com to request one free of charge.

Row post sponsorship: a year in the life of the vineyard

For visitors looking for a deeper connection, The Rutland Vineyard runs an annual row post sponsorship, running from January to December each year. The 2026 package costs £99 (including VAT) and includes:

A bottle of First Fizz, the 2023 Blanc de Noirs traditional-method sparkling
A bottle of Second Nature White 2024, the double-Silver-medal-winning still Bacchus/Ortega
A Rutland Vineyard branded golf umbrella
A Rutland Vineyard branded wine stopper
Invites to the launch evenings of the 2025 Triple Tipple red and white wines (with glasses waiting if you can't attend)
A certificate of sponsorship
Membership of the Rutland Vineyard WhatsApp group for picture updates, vine development news and wine launch invites
A personalised plaque on a row post in the vineyard for the 2026 growing season
Exclusive VIP booking area access for visits

Sponsorships are purchased by emailing info@therutlandvineyard.com or popping into the tasting barn when it's open. Only a handful of 2026 row posts remain.

Community, charities and local partnerships

The Rutland Vineyard has been a community project from the start. More than £26,000 has been raised for local charities since 2021, topped up by an annual pick-your-own sunflower weekend at the end of summer (a £10 donation for as many sunflowers as you can carry). The beneficiary changes each year - recent recipients include:

2021: Rutland Sailability - £5,124
2022: Ketton Scouts - £3,023
2023: Don't Lose Hope - £4,210
2024: Tom's Trust - £6,879
2025: Anna's Hope - £6,945
2026: The Benedict Blythe Foundation

Ten local businesses pay £250 a year to sponsor a row post in their own right, supporting both the vineyard and the same charitable cause. Partners include Omex Horticulture (sustainability and vine health), Hardy Construction (the team that transformed the old barn into the tasting barn), Keystone Comms (B2B PR consultancy), Rennet & Rind (artisan cheesemonger), Wills Inns (the Falcon, Don Paddy's and The Vaults in Uppingham), Agrovista (agronomy advice that keeps the vines healthy with reduced synthetic inputs), Stamford Coffee Company, and The Cutting Company in Stamford. Outside of the sponsorship scheme, the vineyard has also supported Kings Cliffe Netball, Barrowden & Wakerley Cricket, Melton Mowbray Swimming Club, Easton on the Hill Gala, the Grenadier Guards (Northants), St Gilbert's PTA, Collyweston community shop, Laxton Junior School and Cottesmore AFC.

Sustainability and ethos

Sustainability at Rutland Vineyard is presented with uncommon clarity. The team has committed to showing customers that drinking their wines actively helps take carbon out of the atmosphere - an unusual promise that reflects their broader approach to soil health, reduced synthetic inputs and longevity. Strong phytochemical levels in the vines, supported by bio-stimulants and agronomy partners such as Agrovista, mean the plants stay healthy and require fewer interventions, while Omex's horticulture expertise supports a nature-first vineyard model. Long-lived vines, a working nature trail, a wildlife corridor and traditional-method winemaking all sit comfortably alongside the modern reality of running a small, ambitious English wine estate.

The team

The Rutland Vineyard is a small, family-led team that comes alive in the tasting barn and the rows.

John - Master of Wine, the guiding hand behind grape selection and blending.
Tim - Soil-enthusiast co-founder with a focus on the land and learning.
Matt - "Eye in the vineyard" and guardian of the Six Pack Track.
Lizzie, Jennie and Zoe - Chief wine tasters and the welcoming faces of the tasting barn.

Plan your visit

Address: Tasting Barn, Barrowden Road, Ketton, Stamford PE9 3RJ, UK
Email: info@therutlandvineyard.com
Website: www.therutlandvineyard.com
Shop: the-rutland-vineyard.square.site
Tour tickets: www.therutlandvineyard.com/tours
Social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Whether you're coming for the Friday-evening Ground to Glass tour, a lazy Saturday with a glass of Second Nature overlooking the Welland Valley, a walk around the Six Pack Track with the dog, or a hand-picked bottle to take home, The Rutland Vineyard offers one of the most complete young-wine experiences in England - and a reminder that vines belong on these Jurassic soils just as much today as they did two thousand years ago.