Wayford Vineyard: A Somerset Co-operative Sparkling Wine Story
A Community Vineyard on the Somerset - Dorset Border
Nestled in the tranquil village of Wayford, just three miles from Crewkerne, Wayford Vineyard is one of those rare English wine projects that has been built not by a single investor or a corporate buyer, but by neighbours who share a love of the land and a curiosity about what their soil might yield. Straddling the Somerset and Dorset border, the vineyard is a working co-operative that produces an award-winning Sparkling Pinot Noir from vines planted, tended and harvested by the people who own them.
The story of Wayford Vineyard is, in many ways, the story of modern English wine itself. It begins with a group of friends, a south-facing field and a single decision: what if we planted vines here?
The Story: Ten Couples and 3,500 Vines
In April 2007, around 3,500 vines arrived at the field in Wayford and the adventure truly began. Ten local couples, drawn from the village and the surrounding countryside, had decided to try their hand at viticulture. Pinot Noir was the chosen variety - a grape that thrives in cooler climates and is the backbone of some of the world's most celebrated sparkling wines.
The planting itself was a heroic week. Rows were meticulously marked out across the field and, in a single blistering stretch of weather, every one of the 3,500 vines was put into the ground by hand. From that moment on, each of the ten couples took responsibility for a section of the vineyard. The work was hands-on and unsentimental: pruning the vines, mowing between the rows, repairing posts and wire, keeping weeds at bay and patiently waiting for the day they would taste their first vintage.
The first harvest finally came in 2014, seven years after planting. It was an all-hands-on-deck affair, with family and friends rallied to help with the back-breaking task of picking the grapes. Picking crates were positioned at the end of the rows and a tractor and trailer waited to ferry the full boxes away. Once the day's picking was done, the fruit was weighed, counted and loaded onto a closed trailer for transport to the winery. Those who stayed behind at the vineyard were rewarded with a hot supper to soak up the fatigue of the day.
The grapes had to be left to do their work. Two years of patience later, the result was an English Sparkling Pinot Noir of real character - and a co-operative with a future.
How Wayford Wine Is Made
Wayford produces a single style of wine: a traditional-method Sparkling Pinot Noir, made from grapes grown exclusively on the vineyard. Once the harvested fruit has been delivered to the winery, the winemaking process takes over. Each vintage is stored and matured on the lees, the sediment of dead yeast cells left in the bottle after secondary fermentation. This contact with lees adds depth, texture and complexity, and helps explain why the Wayford Brut has earned a reputation beyond its modest scale.
English wine is, by nature, a vintage product. The variability of the Somerset weather from year to year accounts for most of the natural variation between each release of Wayford Pinot Noir. Cooler summers tend to yield wines of brisk acidity and bright fruit; warmer years bring riper, fuller expressions. The team has come to welcome those differences, recognising them as a signature of the place rather than a flaw.
The wines have been entered into the WineGB West competition, where they have been awarded multiple Bronze, Silver and Gold medals - a remarkable track record for a small community vineyard.
The Wines
Wayford currently releases two main vintages of its Brut Pinot Noir, alongside a range of gift-boxed formats and mixed cases. Every bottle is made from estate-grown fruit.
Wayford Brut Pinot Noir - 2018 Vintage
The 2018 vintage is offered at a special introductory price. It is a classic traditional-method sparkling wine, dry and elegant, with the bright red-fruit character typical of English-grown Pinot Noir.
- Single bottle (2018 Vintage) - £22.00 (special offer)
- Single Bottle Gift Box (2018 Vintage) - £27.00
- Two Bottle Gift Box (2018 Vintage) - £47.00
- Case of 6 (2018 Vintage) - £110.00
Wayford Brut Pinot Noir - 2019 Vintage
The 2019 vintage sits at the heart of the current Wayford range. It carries the same traditional-method production as the 2018 but reflects the warmer growing season of that year, typically giving a slightly riper, fuller wine.
- Single bottle (2019 Vintage) - £28.00
- Single Bottle Gift Box (2019 Vintage) - £33.00
- Two Bottle Gift Box (2019 Vintage) - £63.00
- Case of 6 (2019 Vintage) - £145.00
Food Pairings
The Wayford team recommends their Brut Pinot Noir as a versatile food wine. Its character enhances the briny notes of oysters, pairs particularly well with cheese platters - especially Gouda - and complements oily, crispy dishes. Above all, it is positioned as a celebratory bottle, the kind of English sparkling that earns its place at christenings, anniversaries, weddings and quiet suppers at home.
Buying Wayford Wine
There are three main routes to a bottle of Wayford: direct from the vineyard online, through a network of carefully chosen local stockists, or on a wholesale basis if you run a shop, restaurant or deli.
Buy Online
The Wayford Vineyard online shop carries the full range of vintages, gift boxes and cases. Local customers are also welcome to collect their orders in person, though the vineyard is licensed to supply its products only during particular hours.
Buy Locally
Wayford Vineyard is proud to support other small, independent food and drink businesses across Somerset, Dorset and beyond. Its wines can be found at a growing list of farm shops, delis, community stores and country pubs:
- Trading Post Farm Shop & Deli, Lopenhead, TA13 5JH
- Our Shop, Hinton St George, TA17 8SE
- Cedrics Somerset, Misterton, TA18 8NR
- North Perrott Fruit Farm, North Perrott, TA18 7SS
- Perry's Somerset Cider, Dowlish Wake, TA19 0NY
- The Shaftesbury Deli, Shaftesbury, SP7 8JE
- Tytherleigh Farm Shop, Tytherleigh, EX13 7BE
- Norton Community Shop, Norton sub Hamdon, TA14 6SG
- Winesolution, Taunton, TA1 4ER
- The Crooked Swan, Crewkerne, TA18 7HR
- Rockpool Deli, Teignmouth, TQ14
- Apline Grove Touring Park, Teignmouth, TQ14
Buy Wholesale
For retailers and hospitality businesses interested in stocking Wayford on their shelves or listing it on their menu, the vineyard asks interested parties to call 01460 78907 to discuss options. The team highlights that Wayford is a premium product that justifies its price point, with excellent margins for stockists and very happy customers to show for it.
Events and Community
Wayford Vineyard is more than a producer - it is a community project with a busy calendar of public-facing events. The team regularly gets out and about to talk about the vineyard, pour its wines and meet the people who enjoy drinking them. Local food fairs, farmers' markets and tastings are a regular part of the year.
The vineyard maintains a regularly updated calendar of upcoming events, market dates and tasting venues where the team will be pouring.
Visiting and Getting in Touch
Wayford Vineyard is based in the village of Wayford, on the Somerset/Dorset border. Because the vineyard is a working co-operative rather than a permanent visitor centre, the team prefers enquiries by phone so they can give you the most up-to-date information on collection, events and stock availability.
- For wholesale or retail enquiries: call 01460 74321
- For retail enquiries and anything else: call 01460 78907
- Follow the vineyard on Instagram for the latest news and event updates
Whether you choose a single bottle for a quiet evening, a two-bottle gift box for a special celebration or a full case to stock the cellar, every bottle of Wayford Brut Pinot Noir is the product of years of patient co-operative work - from the planting of the first 3,500 vines in 2007 to the meticulous harvest days and the long, lees-aged maturation that gives the wine its character.