Woodfine Wine: Radically Natural English Wine from a Chilterns Vineyard
Tucked into a 300-year-old smallholding in the Chiltern Hills, just outside the village of Seer Green in Buckinghamshire, Woodfine Wine is one of the most uncompromising natural-wine producers in England. Founded in 2021 by Earth Scientist turned winemaker Richard Woodfine, the project is built on a single, radical premise: that the only ingredient in wine should be grapes, and that a vineyard should be part of a thriving ecosystem, not a monoculture. The result is a small but extraordinary range of still and sparkling wines, cider and limited-edition spirits, all made at Newbarn Farm with zero additions of sulphites, sugar, yeast, fining agents or chemicals of any kind.
A farm before a winery
Woodfine Wine began not with a wine list but with a piece of land. Newbarn Farm is a small, traditional holding set in 16 acres of Buckinghamshire countryside, with a vineyard planted in a wildflower meadow, an ancient apple orchard, beehives, free-ranging organic chickens and sheep, and a 17th-century tythe barn. Richard, who spent twenty years in corporate life before founding a charity that restores and rewilds ecosystems across the UK, bought the property and began the slow work of converting it to a Soil Association certified organic smallholding.
From the outset, the brief was regenerative rather than purely extractive. Rather than clearing and ploughing, the team laid out the vineyard in a way that worked with the existing ecology: chickens fertilise the orchard and vineyard, sheep keep the meadow grasses in check, bees pollinate the apple blossom, wildflowers feed the bees, and the apples are eventually fermented on grape skins to make cider. Today, the farm hosts nesting owls and bats, reintroduced wildflower meadows, expanded hedgerows, a traditional hay meadow and a recovering population of invertebrates and small mammals. Off-site, Newbarn Farm also acts as a hub for the charitable work of Rebel Restoration and Rebel Nature Works, supporting ecosystem restoration projects across the UK.
What "radically natural" actually means
Natural wine is a term that gets thrown around loosely. Woodfine Wine has built its identity on a tighter definition: "radically natural" wine, which incorporates every level of the natural-wine hierarchy and then goes a step further. In practice, that means eight firm commitments that the winery publishes on every bottle:
- Soil Association certified organic across the farm, vineyard and winery.
- Zero additives, filtration or corrective procedures in the winery.
- The only ingredient is grapes, organic wherever possible (less than 1% of the world's wine can claim this).
- Regenerative agriculture that supports the natural management of the land.
- No heavy machinery, tractors or tilling.
- Organic (certified) and biodynamic (uncertified) principles, including biodynamic compost and spray preparations made from dandelion, yarrow, organic essential oils such as thyme and eucalyptus, and organic whey taken from the farm's local cheese supplier.
- A circular system: prunings, manure and compost are returned to the land.
- Reduce, re-use, recycle: bottles and packaging are upcycled where possible, and the winery runs entirely on renewable electricity.
Around 20% of the vineyard is planted with PIWI grape varieties - disease-resistant hybrids that require far fewer sprays - and the entire vineyard is herbicide- and pesticide-free. Hand-powered equipment is used wherever possible; where it is not, electric tools run on renewable power. The result is a working farm that doubles as a nature reserve.
The vineyards of the Chilterns
The Chilterns are not an obvious place to grow wine grapes, but the combination of climate, elevation, geology, soil and aspect turns out to be remarkably well suited to cool-climate varieties. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the backbone of the sparkling and still range, alongside Bacchus, Solaris and Seyval Blanc for skin-contact and orange wines. Solaris in particular, with its thick skins and resistance to disease, is the engine of the regenerative programme.
The wines are made using ancestral and artisanal techniques borrowed from the low-intervention tradition: Pét Nat (Pétillant Naturel) and Col Fondo for natural sparkle, extended skin maceration for still orange wines, and full carbonic maceration for lighter reds and whites. All ferments are spontaneous, kicked off by wild or native yeasts; all bottling is by hand, with zero disgorgement or dosage. There is no fining, no filtration and no sulphur added at any stage.
The Interconnections sparkling range
The flagship sparkling line is called Interconnections, a name taken from the mycelium artwork on the labels - hand-designed and printed by local artist Charlotte Cooper - which depicts the fungal threads that link the vines and apple trees beneath the soil. The artwork also references the wider entanglements on the farm: manure from the chickens feeds the trees and vines, the bees pollinate the apple blossom, the wildflowers feed the bees, and the apples are fermented on grape skins.
Interconnections Part 1: Lightly sparkling cider (£24)
The opening act of the range is technically a cider, but a cider like no other. Hand-collected juice from around twenty heritage and wild English apple varieties is milled using a small electric mill on renewable power, left to macerate for 24 hours to extract structure, and pressed by hand in a basket press. Twenty-five per cent of the juice is then co-fermented on the leftover skins from the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay winemaking. Fermentation is spontaneous with wild yeasts; secondary fermentation in bottle uses the ancestral Col Fondo technique, leaving natural sediment. Limited to 690 bottles, 7% ABV.
Interconnections Part 2: Sparkling Chardonnay and Pinot (£36)
A vibrant pink rosé sparkling, made from hand-pressed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir juice that fermented spontaneously with wild native yeasts in a mix of stainless steel and oak barriques. The secondary fermentation in bottle uses the Col Fondo ancestral technique, yielding a natural sparkling wine with sediment. Sommelier Greg Jones describes it as "smooth, balanced, youthful and full of vitality" with a nose of summer fruits and sublime oak. 11% ABV. Limited to 950 bottles.
Interconnections Part 3: Sparkling Pinot Noir (£40)
A pure, light, floral expression of Pinot Noir in sparkling form, blended from three base wines: a delicate light rosé, a deeper rosé from extended skin-contact maceration prior to fermentation, and a red wine fermentation. No oak ageing is used, so the fruit comes through cleanly: strawberry, raspberry and light cherry notes throughout, crisp and fun. 11% ABV. Limited to a mere 100 bottles.
The Lost Vagus still range
The still wines are named Lost Vagus, after the vagus nerve that links the gut and brain - a nod to the "soil-gut-brain axis" championed by the farm's wellbeing collaborators. Label artwork by local artist Ellie Good captures the concept. The range is built around Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a cider that slots neatly into the middle.
Lost Vagus / White (£29)
A single-harvest Chardonnay, hand-picked, direct-pressed and fermented with indigenous yeast. Half is matured for nine months in Burgundy oak barrel, the remainder in stainless steel, then blended shortly before bottling. Expect lemon zest, citrus blossom and sherbet framed by delicate hints of vanilla and sweet spice, with a long, mineral finish. 11.5% ABV. Around 500 bottles produced.
Lost Vagus / Rosé (£29)
A pale, gastronomic rosé that draws on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Pinot Noir spent nine months in French oak, the Chardonnay was kept in stainless steel to preserve brightness. Notes of wild strawberry, redcurrant and cream are supported by subtle savoury complexity and a gentle texture from barrel ageing. 11% ABV. Around 500 bottles produced.
Lost Vagus / Orange (£29)
A golden, skin-contact orange wine blending Solaris (80%) and Bacchus (20%). Solaris was largely direct-pressed with a portion seeing three days of skin contact; Bacchus underwent 15 days of extended maceration for depth, structure and colour. Aged across stainless steel and seasoned Burgundy and Bordeaux oak barrels, the wine is warm and honeyed, with peach, apricot and soft stone fruits and gentle oak spice. Limited to 750 bottles.
Lost Vagus / Red (£29)
A soft, light, gluggable Pinot Noir red. Whole bunches of Pinot Noir were left for 19 days in CO2 for full carbonic maceration, producing aromas and flavours not released by conventional fermentation, then aged in steel and blended with a direct-press, oak-aged Pinot Noir. Cherry fruit throughout, easy to drink. 11% ABV.
Lost Vagus / Cider (£18.50)
A still cider made from around twenty heritage apple varieties picked between August and October 2024 from the farm's organic orchard. Fermentation and élevage were carried out in a single cherry-wood barrel last used by the farm's friends at Cane Rat Distillery. Juicy ripe apricot, yellow plums and golden apple skin are underpinned by citrus oil, nutmeg, a gentle clasp of tannins and a digestible quinine-like bitterness. 6.5% ABV. Limited to 230 bottles.
Collaborations and special releases
The winery also produces limited-edition releases and collaborations that push the natural-wine brief even further.
Goose in the Woods / Orange (£18)
A still, hazy orange wine made with Adam from Saddle Goose Wines. A 60/40 blend of Bacchus and Seyval Blanc, both undergoing a five-day maceration with skins before pressing and co-fermentation. Zero commercial yeast, sulphite additions, fining or filtration. 9% ABV. Limited to 280 bottles.
Limited Edition / Brandy (£45)
One hundred bottles of the most premium brandy the team can imagine, distilled from barrel-aged organic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir natural wine and matured again in oak to capture the purest essence of the wine. "The spirit of interconnection."
Eau de Vie (£39)
A gentle fermentation of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, barrel-aged as base wines for six months, then distilled in an artisan copper still. Only the purest "hearts cut" is bottled, with zero additions, filtering or fining. Hand-produced by the team at Cane Rat Spirits. 48% ABV. Limited to 70 bottles. A 200ml format.
Tours, tastings and visits
The flagship experience at Woodfine Wine is the Tour & Tasting: a 2.5-hour walking tour of the orchard, chickens, bees, wildflower meadows, vineyard and winery, with a tasting of the wines and cider and a food platter of locally-sourced cheese, charcuterie, crackers and bread from producers such as Nettlebed Creamery, Bray Charcuterie and Nena's bakery.
Each tour is priced at £40 per person, including the platter. Tickets are released in batches on the online shop, with upcoming Saturday dates published in the spring and autumn. Visitors are advised to dress for all weathers and bring sturdy boots; dogs on leads are welcome but cannot enter the winery; under-18s attend free when accompanied by an adult but cannot take part in the tasting. Tour guests can also buy wines at a 10% cellar door discount on the day.
For groups of ten or more, the winery offers private tours and tastings at a mutually agreed time - book by emailing woodfinewine@gmail.com or calling 07767 382735. The cancellation policy allows postponements with at least seven days' notice and cancellations with at least 14 days' notice (refunds issued as gift vouchers).
Natural Wine & Pizza Nights
Once a month, the winery hosts Natural Wine & Pizza Nights: wood-fired sourdough pizzas paired with five natural wines - a mix of Woodfine Wines and guest bottles from around the world - in the atmospheric setting of the Tythe Barn or, weather permitting, out among the vines. Tickets are released via TicketTailor.
Vineyard Volunteer Days
Volunteers are the lifeblood of the vineyard, helping with everything from planting to harvesting. No experience is necessary; the team simply asks for enthusiasm and a willingness to get stuck in. Dates are announced and bookable via TicketTailor.
Multi-vineyard tours
The team's friends at Chilterns Safari have curated a range of multi-vineyard tours across the Chilterns that include Woodfine Wine among the stops.
Sustainability and 5-year impact
In 2025, Woodfine Wine published a 5 Year Sustainability Report covering the 2020 - 2025 period. The headline numbers are striking: 275 tonnes of CO₂e saved over five years, four times more biodiversity than baseline, 44.16 biodiversity units, 91% improvement in soil health, 95% less sulphites in the wine than typical commercial benchmarks, and zero synthetic pesticides used across the entire farm. The farm is certified organic by the Soil Association across the vineyard, farm and winemaking, and the winemaking is currently working towards further biodynamic certification.
Education is treated as seriously as agriculture. The farm is the nominated exemplar vineyard and winery for all MSc winemaking students at Plumpton Wine College, runs educational programmes for primary and secondary schools covering farming, food, nature and science, and collaborates with Ballymaloe Cookery School on a sustainable wine programme.
Awards and recognition
In 2024, Richard Woodfine was named Food & Farming Champion for Buckinghamshire. The same year, the winery was the UK producer representative at the Real Wine Fair - the largest natural wine fair in the UK - and hosted an expert panel on regenerative viticulture. In 2023, Woodfine Wine hosted Real Wine In The Vines, the largest organic and natural wine fair for UK producers and trade, again with an expert panel on regenerative viticulture.
Where to find the wines
Woodfine Wine is sold direct from the online shop, with free UK delivery on orders over £90 (use code FREE60 on the smaller shop). Farm pick-up is available by appointment from Newbarn Farm in Seer Green.
The wines also appear on carefully chosen restaurant and retail lists across the UK, including:
- Les Caves de Pyrene - the long-standing global distributor of organic and natural wines
- The Hand & Flowers - Tom Kerridge's two-Michelin-star gastropub in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
- KOL Restaurant - Mexican/British fine dining in London
- SILO - zero-waste dining in London
- The Crown at Bray - gastropub, Bray, Berkshire
- The Oarsman - gastropub, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
- Sune - restaurant, London (Honey Spencer)
- Farmyard Wine - restaurant and wine bar, St Leonards, Hastings
- The Shambles Bar - Windsor, Berkshire
Sommelier Honey Spencer - wine buyer at Nobu and owner of Sune, Palomar and The Mulwray, and author of Natural Wine, No Drama: An Unpretentious Guide - has been a vocal champion of the wines, calling them "the most joyous, yet intriguing wines I have tasted from the UK to date" and listing Interconnections 2 at Sune.
Stay at Newbarn Farm
For visitors who want to linger, Newbarn Farm offers three self-catering options, all bookable via Airbnb:
- Four-bedroom farmhouse with garden and pool - a peaceful short-term family retreat.
- Two-bedroom cottage - a charming rural retreat within beautiful gardens.
- Wildflower Shepherd's Hut - sleeps two, positioned in the wildflower meadow next to the vineyard, with sunset views and frequent visits from foxes, badgers and the farm's resident owls.
The 17th-century tythe barn is also available to hire for occasional small events.
Merchandise and gift vouchers
The shop also stocks organic merchandise printed with water-based inks: the Radically Natural T-shirt (£25, available in small, medium and large) and the Radically Natural Tote (£15). Spend over £60 at checkout to unlock free UK delivery with code FREE60; spend less than £60 within three miles of Seer Green and use code LOCAL for reduced local delivery.
Digital gift vouchers (£25, £50, £75 or £100) can be redeemed against any online order. The Tour & Tasting Gift Voucher (£40 for one ticket or £80 for two people attending together) is redeemable against any scheduled tour date.
Visiting and finding the winery
Woodfine Wine is at Newbarn Farm, Newbarn Lane, Seer Green, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2QZ. The double farm gates are visible by the bus stop; visitors should follow the Google Maps pin or the what3words address grants.onions.brings. Visits are by appointment only; the winery can be reached by email at woodfinewine@gmail.com or by phone on 07767 382735. The farm is within easy reach of London and close to the villages of Seer Green, Jordans and Chalfont St Giles.
The bigger picture
Woodfine Wine is part of a small but growing movement of UK producers taking natural winemaking to its logical conclusion. By combining Soil Association organic certification, regenerative viticulture, biodynamic preparations, zero-addition winemaking and a circular farm ecosystem in a single working property, Richard Woodfine and his team have built a model that is genuinely new - and that has caught the attention of sommeliers, educators and natural-wine enthusiasts well beyond the Chilterns. As Honey Spencer puts it, in a sea of identikit English sparkling wine production, Woodfine Wine is "a breath of fresh air" - wines with vibrancy, genuine detail and depth, made from truly regenerative soil.