Three Choirs Vineyard

Three Choirs Vineyard: A Complete Guide to England's Oldest Commercial Vineyard in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds

Three Choirs Vineyard: A Complete Guide to England's Oldest Commercial Vineyard

Tucked into a sheltered fold of countryside between the Malvern Hills, the Cotswold escarpment and the Black Mountains, just south of the market town of Newent in Gloucestershire, sits one of the most respected and longest-established vineyards in England. Three Choirs Vineyard first put vines into the ground in 1973, was among the very first five English commercial vineyards, and is now a destination in its own right: a working 75-acre vineyard, a winery, a much-lauded restaurant known as the Brasserie, a clutch of luxury vineyard-view rooms and tucked-away vineyard lodges, and a year-round programme of wine tasting experiences, tours, minimoon breaks and gift vouchers.

Location and Setting

Three Choirs Vineyard is located at Baldwins Farm, Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1LS. The vineyard's what3words reference is ///rotate.treaties.eyeliner. The team describes the site as benefiting from a very favourable micro-climate: protected by the Malvern Hills to the north, the Cotswold Hills to the east, the Black Mountains to the west and the gentle influence of the Vale of Evesham to the south, the vines receive good sunlight and relatively low rainfall.

Winemaker Martin Fowke has noted that the Three Choirs site enjoys mild weather compared with the rest of England, with protection from the Welsh mountains, the Cotswold hills and the Malvern hills. The estate is around 11 miles from Gloucester, about 30 minutes from the nearest mainline railway station, with Ledbury about ten minutes' drive to the west.

History: From Half an Acre in 1973 to One of England's Oldest Vineyards

Three Choirs was founded by Alan McKechnie, a local wine retailer who had a small fruit farm in Newent. The very first vines were planted at what would become Three Choirs in 1973, on just half an acre. Managing director Thomas Shaw has been quoted as saying: "At the start, with only half an acre, Three Choirs produced hardly any bottles of wine. It was just a bit of fun." The first commercial vintage followed in 1976, and the small fruit farm quickly became a more serious enterprise. Once the vineyard had grown to five acres, the team had to think more seriously about how to sell the wine.

By the early 1990s the estate had expanded to around 75 acres of vines. In 1984 Alan McKechnie sold the farm and the new owner, John Oldacre, renamed it Three Choirs Vineyards, reflecting his connections to England's oldest choral festival, the Three Choirs Festival. John Oldacre died in 2001 and the company has largely remained in the hands of his family since.

Key milestones in the modern history include:

• 1990 - A new, state-of-the-art winery was opened, along with a visitor centre for the increasing number of guests.
• 2000 - Eight Vineyard View bedrooms were added so guests could stay among the vines.
• 2008 - Three self-contained Vineyard Lodges were added, offering privacy and seclusion.
• 2014 - Three Choirs became proud owners of Wickham Vineyard in Hampshire (Three Choirs Hampshire), spanning 40 acres and now a popular wedding location.
• 2017 - A rebrand of the wine labels, designed with specialist wine-trade consultancy Amphora Design and illustrated by local artist Jane Randfield, who sketched and photographed the vineyard and its surrounding countryside.

Today the company is registered as Three Choirs Vineyards Ltd (company number 1844521) and remains in family ownership. It currently produces around 250,000 bottles a year and is led by managing director Thomas Shaw, with winemaker Martin Fowke heading up the cellar after more than 40 years on the estate.

The Vineyard and Winemaking

Three Choirs is a 75-acre vineyard, and the team has been steadily moving away from the German grape varieties that suited the original, colder English climate, towards more traditional French varieties. As Thomas Shaw has explained, when the English wine industry began, vineyards such as Three Choirs planted German varieties because we share a similar climate - varieties such as Schonburger, Reichensteiner and Siegerrebe, all of which have grown successfully in England. The reputation of German wines in the 1970s and 80s, dominated by brands like Liebfraumilch and Black Tower, did English growers no favours.

Over the last decade, Three Choirs has replaced around 50 acres of vines as part of a rolling replacement programme, swapping out older German varieties for traditional grapes. The estate currently grows:

• Seyval Blanc - a cool-climate hybrid, relatively disease resistant.
• Chardonnay.
• Pinot Noir (including Pinot Noir Précoce).
• Older German varieties such as Schonburger and Reichensteiner.
• Siegerrebe, Madeleine Angevine, Phoenix and Solaris used in blends and special releases.

14 different varieties are cultivated in total, all ripen at slightly different times and respond to the various microclimates across the vineyard.

Hand Harvesting and the Vintage Cycle

All grapes at Three Choirs are picked by hand. As Thomas Shaw explains, "we don't pick when it's rainy - if it's raining, we can get a lot of wet fruit into the winery, which dilutes the wine." Each year, on average, around 15 pickers work the harvest, with extra seasonal staff brought in through a local agency. Grapes go into plastic bins holding around 300kg of fruit, are trailered up to the winery and pressed on the same day they are picked.

The estate describes a near-perfect English wine vintage as one with cold, sunny, dry winters to keep the vines dormant, a frost-free flowering in late June and early July, warm (not too hot) summer days and warm days with cool nights in autumn to ripen the fruit. The 2025 vintage delivered just that, with the warmest, driest summer since records began and the earliest harvest on record. The last grapes were picked on 9 October 2025 and winemaker Martin Fowke reported "fantastic sugar levels" and fermentation going very well.

The Four Seasons

The estate's own seasonal guide runs as follows:

• Spring - sap droplets herald an end to winter and the first buds burst to life. Late frost is the biggest risk.
• Summer - leaf canopies soak up the heat, vines flower during Wimbledon fortnight, and the team trims shoots and removes excess leaves.
• Autumn - grapes hang heavy waiting to be picked. Warm days and cool nights trigger ripening.
• Winter - stillness returns, but the vineyard team is at its busiest, hand-pruning 75 acres of vines by hand.

The Wines

Three Choirs makes both single variety wines and blends, including sparkling, still white, rosé and red. Award-winning labels can be bought online, with multi-bottle discounts of 15% on 12+ bottles and 20% on 24+ bottles. The current range includes:

White Wines

• Bacchus 2024 - A fresh and expressive dry white with vibrant aromas of peach, lime and elderflower. £19.00 per bottle.
• Coleridge Hill 2024 - A crisp, refreshing wine with English hedgerow aromas and hints of crisp apple, from Madeleine Angevine and Phoenix. £14.75 per bottle.
• Willow Brook 2024 - Distinctive rose-petal aromas, rich spicy lychee characters. £14.75 per bottle.
• Siegerrebe 2025 - A rich, aromatic wine with powerful aromatic spice on the nose, lychee and grapefruit. £19.00 per bottle.
• May Hill 2025 - A medium-sweet wine with grapefruit on the nose and ripe citrus fruits. £16.75 per bottle.

Rosé and Red

• Rosé 2025 - Summer berry fruit well-balanced with zesty acidity. £15.75 per bottle.
• Pinot Noir Précoce 2024 - A captivating dry red with flavours of red berries, all-spice, black pepper and vanilla. Aged in oak. £19.99 per bottle.
• Ravens Hill 2023 - A deep, ruby red full of ripe blackberry and cherry fruit. £15.75 per bottle.

Sparkling

• Classic Cuvée N/V - A traditionally made, bottle-fermented English sparkling wine of very high quality. £22.25 per bottle.
• Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling 2018 - An orangey-pink traditional-method sparkling wine made from 100% Pinot Noir, aged on the lees. £27.00 per bottle.

All Three Choirs wines are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They are hand-harvested, screw-capped (in part for sustainability reasons, as cork harvesting damages cork oak forests) and bottled in lightweight glass to reduce the vineyard's carbon footprint.

Wine Tasting Experiences

Three Choirs offers both guided and self-guided wine tasting sessions and explicitly sets out to make wine tasting approachable for beginners. Thomas Shaw's team-style mantra is that wine tasting should be "fun, friendly and enjoyable. If you know nothing, it doesn't matter, nobody is going to make you feel uncomfortable." The estate does not encourage spitting, and tastings typically cover five 50ml wines (about a large glass in total), usually a red, a rosé, a sparkling and two whites.

Self-guided Wine Tasting with Lunch & Vineyard Walk

Available to non-residents on Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm and 2pm, all year round. Guests select 5 x 50ml wines from the vineyard (including sparkling wines), receive tasting notes to take away, choose from the full lunch menu and walk around the 75-acre vineyard at their leisure. The average cost is £45 per person, made up of £20pp for the wine tasting plus food as chosen from the menu. Largest party size is six guests. Booking is advisable via the Brasserie on 01531 890223.

Residents Self-guided Wine Tasting with Vineyard Walk

For guests staying in the vineyard accommodation, daily between 2.30pm and 4.30pm, all year round. Five 50ml wines to taste, tasting notes provided, plus a vineyard walk. £20 per person.

Guided Winery Tour, Tasting & Lunch

Available Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, May to October, 11.30am to 1.30pm. Includes a glass of sparkling wine on arrival, a visit to the winery, tasting of three selected still wines, a cheeseboard of three selected cheeses with celery, grapes, chutney and crackers, a glass of wine to accompany the cheeseboard, and a walk amongst the vines. £54.95 per person. Bookings by phone only.

Residents Guided Winery Tour with Wine Tasting

Weekdays, 4pm to 5.30pm. Includes a guided winery visit, five different wines to taste, food pairing and a vineyard walk. £38 per person. Residents only.

What to expect on the day

Three Choirs recommends allowing three to four hours for a wine tasting, lunch, winery visit and vineyard walk. The team encourages visitors to stick to the trails because of the rabbit population - the rabbits dig holes that can be a tripping hazard. Self-guided tastings are run as a pair or in a group of up to six friends; guided tours join a slightly larger group but the team keeps numbers low so guests can chat to the staff member leading the session. Private tours are no longer offered.

Accommodation: Vineyard Lodges and Vineyard View Rooms

Three Choirs offers two very different types of accommodation, all designed with couples in mind.

Vineyard Lodges - Oak and Cedar

The Oak and Cedar lodges are glass-walled, wooden-framed retreats tucked discreetly in the valley, around 500 metres from the main buildings, looking out over tranquil willow-fringed ponds surrounded by vines. Each lodge has:

• Floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides.
• Two-sided verandas for sunbathing and stargazing.
• A roll-top bath, separate shower, fluffy bathrobes, hairdryer, iron and ironing board.
• Flat-screen TV with FreeSat, tea and coffee making facilities, free WiFi.
• Underfloor heating.

Each lodge is warm in winter and cool in summer and is described as the ultimate private retreat for two among the vines. Wine tasting can be added at £20pp (available 2pm - 4.30pm every afternoon). The lodges are a 10-minute walk or short drive from reception and the Brasserie, and may not be suitable for guests with limited mobility due to their location within the vineyard.

Deluxe Vineyard View Rooms

Eight deluxe vineyard view bedrooms sit adjacent to (but not connected to) the restaurant, with south-facing private patios looking out over the vine-clad valley. Each room includes:

• Super-king beds (one room is twin-bedded and has a large wet room - no bath - making it ideal for those with limited mobility).
• Bathroom with either a bath and overhead shower or a large monsoon shower.
• Soft, fluffy bathrobes, 32" TV with FreeSat, desk, hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities.
• Free WiFi and electric car charging points in the car park.

Booking Practicalities

• Check-in from 3pm (please let the team know if arriving after 8pm).
• Check-out by 11am (late check-out available on request).
• A 2-night minimum policy applies for stays that include a Saturday during high season.
• 50% deposit required on booking for romantic getaway packages.
• 96 hours' notice required for cancellation with a full refund; less than 96 hours incurs a one-night charge.
• No smoking in any room. Lodge rooms are not suitable for children.
• Dogs are not allowed in any of the buildings; well-behaved dogs are welcome on outdoor courtyard or terrace tables only.
• Hen and stag parties are not accepted.

Romantic Getaways and Minimoon Breaks

Three Choirs has built a strong reputation as a romantic destination. The romantic getaway package includes sparkling wine and locally hand-made chocolate truffles in the room on arrival, a £30 per person food allocation for dinner in the restaurant's small plates and sharing boards menu, a cooked breakfast with locally sourced produce, vineyard walks and on-site parking with EV charging points. Minimoon extras can include a pre-ordered chilled bottle of sparkling wine, handmade chocolates, balloons, and a late check-out on request.

Three Choirs has been featured as "Best for a romantic weekend away" by The Times and praised by the Express and The Guardian's walks-with-a-focal-point feature.

The Restaurant: The Brasserie

Set within the vineyard, the Brasserie celebrates the connection between great food and great wine, with menus focused on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, thoughtfully prepared to complement the wines and the changing seasons. The kitchen's recent appointment of Newstead Sayer signals an exciting new chapter of modern British cuisine - comforting, well-known flavours with nods to nostalgic favourites and classic dishes - with strong emphasis on provenance and seasonality.

Opening Hours

• Saturday Lunch - 12pm to 2pm. A relaxed and sociable spread of nibbles, sharers and small plates.
• Sunday Lunch - 12pm to 3pm. Beautifully prepared traditional Sunday roasts with classic trimmings and fresh seasonal flavours.
• Dinner - Wednesday to Sunday, 5.30pm to 8pm. Booking essential. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Sample Menus

Sample menus and wine lists are available, covering Saturday lunch, Sunday lunch, dinner and desserts. Wine flights are also available at the bar and on the terrace.

Food and Wine Pairing

Three Choirs serves a "tapas style" little plates menu designed for sharing and grazing, built specifically to complement its range of wines. Cheese boards, charcuterie boards, vegetarian options and gluten-free options are all well represented, and the kitchen is happy to cater for dietary requirements with advance notice.

Gift Vouchers and Stay Packages

Three Choirs sells a wide range of monetary and experience gift vouchers online, all valid for 12 months from the date of purchase and redeemable against wine tasting, accommodation, brasserie meals and any wine purchase.

Monetary Vouchers

• £10 Gift Voucher
• £20 Gift Voucher
• £50 Gift Voucher
• £100 Gift Voucher
• £250 Voucher

Stay and Tasting Vouchers

• 1 Night B&B with Self-guided Wine Tasting for 2 in a Vineyard View Room - £295. Saturday nights incur a £50 supplement.
• 1 Night B&B with Self-guided Wine Tasting for 2 in a Vineyard Lodge - £315. Saturday nights incur a £50 supplement.
• 2 Night B&B with Self-guided Wine Tasting for 2 in a Vineyard View Room - £498. Saturday nights incur an extra £50 each.
• 2 Night B&B with Self-guided Wine Tasting for 2 in a Vineyard Lodge - £538. Friday and Saturday nights each incur an extra £50 supplement.
• Wine Tasting Tour & Lunch for One - £54.95. Available Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, May to October 2026, 11.30am - 1.30pm.

Vouchers can be sent by email and are delivered separately from the order confirmation (please check junk and spam folders).

Sustainability and the Environment

Three Choirs describes itself as committed to being as sustainable as possible without being fully organic. The team uses around a quarter of the pesticides it is legally allowed to use, including foliar feeds made from seaweed extracts. Mildew is the biggest risk to vines in the UK, so disease management focuses on keeping vines healthy and resilient.

Other sustainability measures include:

• 100% renewable, certified green electricity across the winery, brasserie and guest rooms.
• No on-site irrigation, with vine roots reaching 12 to 15 feet down for moisture.
• Low-water tank cleaning using water-spray pressure systems.
• Lightweight glass bottles (with heavier glass only where required for sparkling wines).
• Screw caps instead of cork, both for consistency and to reduce the environmental impact of cork harvesting.
• On-site laundry for towels, robes and kitchen cloths.
• Refillable bathroom amenity bottles rather than single-use plastics.
• Food waste sent off-site to a digester that converts it into electricity.
• On-site water pumps, recycling of glass, cardboard, aluminium and plastic.

The estate's low chemical use also supports a thriving population of wildlife, including rabbits, badgers and woodpeckers, with five ponds attracting newts and dragonflies.

Local Area and Things to Do

The vineyard makes a great base for exploring the Three Counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Local attractions and day trips include:

• Gloucester Cathedral - Famous for Harry Potter filming locations and guided and self-guided tours.
• Gloucester Quays - Designer outlet shopping, food dock and seasonal markets.
• Hereford Cathedral - Home to the Mappa Mundi, Magna Carta and Chained Library.
• Malvern Hills - 30 minutes away, with walks of varying lengths and panoramic views.
• Forest of Dean - Sculpture Trail, Cannop Ponds, Mallards Pike, Pedalabikeaway Cycle Centre and Dean Forest Railway.
• Cheltenham - Regency town with famous Jazz, Science, Music and Literature festivals and Cheltenham Racecourse.
• Ledbury - A 10 to 15-minute drive, packed with independent shops and historic pubs.
• Kempley and Dymock - Annual daffodil weekends in spring.
• Hay-on-Wye - World-famous literary town on the Welsh border, home of the Hay Festival.

The estate has its own 28-mile Newent Loop leisure cycling route (with shorter option) and is close to Eastnor Castle Land Rover Experience and Stonelea Riding Centre, both nearby attractions worth a visit.

Media Recognition and Awards

Three Choirs has had considerable national press coverage:

• Featured in The Times' round-up "11 of the best vineyard stays in the UK" and named "Best for a romantic weekend away".
• Featured in the Express as a vineyard that produces wine for Jeremy Clarkson's The Farmer's Dog pub.
• Featured in The People's Friend magazine as a "top-drawer example" of an English vineyard.
• Featured in The Guardian's "Walks with a focal point: five of the best UK hikes with extras" with the Three Choirs Way walking route.
• The winery has already won more than 50 awards and the team has high hopes for further accolades for the 2025 vintage.

How to Find Three Choirs Vineyard

Three Choirs Vineyards Ltd, Baldwins Farm, Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1LS. Telephone 01531 890223. Email info@threechoirs.com. The vineyard is approximately 2.5 hours by car from London and just under 1.5 hours from Birmingham, making it ideal for a weekend getaway. The nearest train station is Ledbury (about a 10-minute drive); the number 132 bus from Gloucester to Ledbury passes directly past the drive.

FAQs at a Glance

• When were the first vines planted? 1973, with the first vintage in 1976.
• Are the wines vegetarian and vegan? Yes - all wines are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
• Do you offer private wine tours? No, the largest public tour group is six guests. Larger groups are not split to get around the policy.
• Do you take hen and stag parties? Sorry, no.
• Are dogs allowed? Not in the buildings, lodges or rooms. Well-behaved dogs are welcome at outdoor courtyard or terrace tables only, on a lead.
• Can I bring my voucher after the expiry date? Contact the team and they will usually try to help.

Final Thoughts

With more than 50 years of winemaking heritage, 75 acres of vineyard, an award-winning restaurant, hand-picked luxury accommodation and a wine list that runs from a quaffable £14.75 Coleridge Hill to a bottle-fermented £27 Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling, Three Choirs Vineyard is a complete English wine destination. Whether you are booking a romantic vineyard lodge for a minimoon, joining a £20 self-guided tasting as a day visitor, dropping into the Brasserie for tapas and a glass of Bacchus, or stocking up online with a mixed case discount, the team has built something genuinely welcoming and quietly confident - a working English vineyard that takes its craft, its hospitality and its environment seriously.