Yorkshire Heart Vineyard & Brewery: A Family-Run Producer in the Vale of York
Yorkshire Heart Vineyard & Brewery: English Wine and Yorkshire Craft Beer in the Vale of York
Tucked into the conservation village of Nun Monkton, between York and Harrogate, Yorkshire Heart is one of the most distinctive family-run producers in North Yorkshire. In a single day at the vineyard you can walk amongst nearly thirty thousand vines, taste award-winning English still and sparkling wines, sit down to a proper Yorkshire afternoon tea, and finish the evening with a pint of the brewery's own ale around the fire. The site combines a working vineyard, a 12-barrel microbrewery, a café, a campsite, glamping, and an events calendar that runs from acoustic music nights to one of the region's biggest summer festivals.
From 35 Vines to 29,000: The Story of Yorkshire Heart
The Yorkshire Heart story is a 25-year case study in patience. Chief winemaker Gillian Spakouskas describes planting her first 35 vines in 2000 as a garden hobby to answer a simple question: can we make good wine in Yorkshire? Most people said no. She decided to find out for herself. By 2006, the small experiment had grown into a serious commitment, with the first commercial acre planted at Nun Monkton. In 2011, the Spakouskas family added a brewery to the estate, installing a 12-barrel plant that today produces a wide range of cask and keg ales using natural spring water from the vineyard's own borehole.
The vineyard kept expanding. 2014 saw the first major regional awards; 2017 marked the launch of the Winehouse Café as a visitor destination; in 2024, Yorkshire Heart was named Family Business of the Year at the York Press Awards. By 2025 the team were celebrating 25 years with 29,000 vines in the ground, a record harvest, and a long list of medals from WineGB, SIBA, CAMRA, and the Yorkshire Post Rural Awards. The name "Yorkshire Heart" itself is a deliberate double meaning: the vineyard sits in the geographical centre of the county, and the producers put a little of their heart into every bottle.
The Vineyard: 18 Acres and 20 Grape Varieties in Nun Monkton
Yorkshire Heart's 18-acre vineyard sits on the rich clay soils of the Vale of York, a flat, frost-pocket landscape that on first sight looks more like grain country than wine country. The team believe that is precisely the advantage. Cool nights and a long, slow ripening season preserve the natural acidity and aromatic intensity that hotter regions struggle to retain. The vineyard is cultivated sustainably, with much of the work still done by hand, from winter pruning to summer canopy management and the late-September/October harvest.
The Grape Varieties
More than 20 grape varieties are planted, but the stars of the show are:
- Solaris - the white "workhorse" of the range, bred for Northern Europe, producing tropical peach and apricot flavours.
- Rondo - a hardy red that puts paid to the idea that Yorkshire cannot make serious red wine, yielding deep, ruby, black-cherry styles.
- Pinot Noir - the classic Burgundy clone, used for both premium reds and elegant sparkling wines.
- Seyval Blanc - the backbone of the Sparkling White, providing crisp citrus acidity.
- Ortega - a German variety contributing floral, blossom-like aromas and a touch of sweetness.
Everything is pressed, fermented and bottled on-site in Nun Monkton, keeping "food metres" to a minimum and guaranteeing true Yorkshire provenance from grape to glass.
The Brewery: Reviving 400 Years of Nun Monkton Brewing
Just up the road from the vines, at Carlton Farm on Frank Lane, sits the Yorkshire Heart Brewery. Established in 2011 and managed by head brewer Tim Spakouskas, the brewery is a proudly modern take on a very old Nun Monkton tradition. Historical records show that village "Brewsters" were plying their trade here as far back as 1584. The team are simply the latest to keep that flame alive.
The 12-barrel plant and on-site bottling line produce a versatile range of cask and keg ales. The brewery sources water from its own borehole, malts from reputable Yorkshire suppliers, and ships spent grain to local livestock farms so nothing is wasted. The core range includes:
- Hearty Bitter - a classic, rich amber bitter, malty and traditional.
- Blonde - the bestseller, a quaffable session ale everyone can drink.
- Silverheart IPA - the contemporary, zesty hop-forward IPA.
- Blackheart Stout - a dark, roasted, smooth stout that won a 2025 SIBA Silver Medal.
- Rhu Bar - Yorkshire Heart's famous rhubarb beer, tart and unmistakably local.
The brewery is also gluten-free, using a process that removes the gluten from every beer it produces. Visitors can buy bottled beer, mixed cases, bag-in-box, and beer accessories directly from the brewery shop.
The Yorkshire Heart Wine Range
Yorkshire Heart's wines are organised into clear tiers: the everyday Latimer range, the premium Eleanor and Winemaker's Choice ranges, the Mercian red, Sparkling wines made by the Traditional Method, and the Varietal and natural wines. All wines are available from the online wine shop, with prices starting from £14.00 for the Mercian Red and rising to £42.00 for the most exclusive sparkling releases.
Still Wines
- Mercian Red - From £14.00
- Seyval Blanc - From £14.00
- Latimer Red / White / Rosé - From £15.75 each
- Latimer Wine Taster Pack - £22.50
- Winemaker's Choice Red / White - From £17.80 each
- L.F.R. Light Fruity Red - From £19.00
- Ortega - From £19.00
- Solaris Natural Wine - From £19.00
- Solaris Orange Wine - From £19.00
- Pinot Noir - From £19.00 (the Yorkshire Heart Pinot Noir is something of a talking point, grown, picked and bottled in Nun Monkton)
- Eleanor Red / White / Rosé - From £19.90 each
- Sparkling Rosé Wine - From £32.00
- Sparkling White Wine - From £32.00
- Kathleen Vintage Sparkling Rosé - From £42.00 (won WineGB's Best Estate-grown and Made Sparkling 2025)
- In Loving Memory of Chris - From £42.00
- Varietal Wine Triple Case - From £57.00
- Varietal Wine 6 Bottle Case - From £110.00
- Sparkling White & Rosé Mixed Case - From £165.00
The varietal and natural wines are fermented using wild, indigenous yeasts found on the grape skins rather than commercial yeast, giving them a more "natural" character. The Latimer wines are designed to be easy to drink, the everyday house style, while the Eleanor and Winemaker's Choice ranges are more premium bottlings for a special occasion.
The Yorkshire Heart Beer Range
The brewery's beer is sold in three main formats: bottled beer from the fridge, "Beer in a Box" (fresh 5-litre bag-in-box), and mixed cases. A 5-litre box of any of the standard beers is priced from £26.50, and the 10-litre 50/50 mixed box is £42.00.
Bottled Beer (From £12.50 / £6.50)
- Blonde - bestseller pale ale
- Liberty Lager - clean Yorkshire lager
- J.R.T. Golden Best - traditional golden best
- 1K Citra IPA - hop-forward IPA
- Pedal Pusher - session pale ale
- Blackheart Stout - 2025 SIBA Silver
- Ghost Porter - dark, rich porter
- Scarbados - East Coast Pale Ale
- Y.B.A Yorkshire Brown Ale - classic brown ale
- Nelson Sauvin IPA - From £6.50
- Pinot Porter - From £6.50 (2025 SIBA Bronze)
Mixed Cases
- Beer Mixed Case - 3 Bottles - £12.50
- Beer Mixed Case - 6 Bottles - From £18.00
- Beer Mixed Case - 12 Bottles - From £33.00
Beer in a Box (5 L bag-in-box, from £26.50 each)
- Yorkshire Hearty Bitter, Blonde Ale, Krush IPA, 1K IPA, Quaffer Session Pale Ale, Scarbados East Coast Pale Ale, T'Otherside New Zealand Blonde, Rhu Bar Beer, Blackheart Stout, Ghost Porter, DarkHeart Mild
Beer Accessories
- Yorkshire Heart Pint Glass - £3.00
- Hand Pull System - Brass & Mahogany Plinth - £195.00
- Hand Pull System - Chrome & Black Plinth - £195.00
Yorkshire Heart Club
The Yorkshire Heart Beer and Wine Members Club (£40 from) is an exclusive membership delivering monthly beer and wine perks straight to your door.
Tours, Tastings and Experiences
Booking is recommended; weekend slots often sell out.
Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting - From £30.00 per person
A 1.5-hour guided walk through the vines and winery with Gillian, Tim, or the wider team. The experience starts with a glass of Sparkling White Wine on the terrace, then takes you behind the scenes of the winemaking process, finishing with a guided tasting of three still wines (Latimer white, red and rosé) paired with a board of Yorkshire nibbles. Add a light lunch platter for +£12.50 or a Yorkshire Afternoon Tea for +£20.
Cellar Door Wine Tasting - From £16.95
A self-guided tasting in the Winehouse Café for those who prefer to take things at their own pace. Classic (£16.95) - three 50ml glasses of the Latimer range with three nibbles. Signature (£24.95) - six 50ml glasses including Sparkling, Latimer, Winemaker's Choice and a single varietal, with three nibbles. No time limit; sit inside or out on the terrace.
Brewery Tour & Tasting - From £25.00 per person
Hosted by Tim Spakouskas at the brewery on Carlton Farm, starting at 6 pm. The tour covers the mash, boil and fermentation vessels, three half-pints on the brewery floor, three more half-pints back at the Winehouse paired with Yorkshire tapas, and an open bar until 10 pm. The vineyard and brewery are about half a mile apart, so you can book a campsite pitch for the night and walk home.
Cellar Door Beer Tasting - From £25.00
Build a paddle of full 500ml bottles paired with Yorkshire tapas. Three tiers: Bronze £25.00 (3 bottles + 3 tapas, 1 to 2 people), Silver £45.00 (6 bottles + 4 tapas, 2 to 4 people), and Gold £65.00 (9 bottles + 6 tapas, 4 to 6 people). Bookable Tuesday to Saturday, 11 am to 2 pm.
Afternoon Tea - From £21.95 per person
A proper Yorkshire spread served in the Winehouse Café or on the terrace. Fresh savoury pastries, warm fruit scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream, and a selection of homemade cakes, with unlimited tea or coffee. Upgrade to a glass of sparkling wine or one of the brewery's beers.
An Evening in the Vineyard - From £60.00 per person
From 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm, the daytime vineyard transforms into a relaxed twilight setting. You start with fizz and canapés, take a private after-hours mini tour of the vines and winery, then sit down to a three-course Yorkshire dinner in the Winehouse with half a bottle of Latimer wine per person. Dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free) are catered for with advance notice.
Vineyard Picnic - From £27.50 per person
A self-guided summer experience. You collect a wicker hamper from the Winehouse, grab a blanket, choose your favourite spot among the vines, and unpack a proper Yorkshire feast of sandwiches, local pork pies, sausage rolls, cakes, scones with jam and cream, and a bottle of Latimer wine OR four bottles of Yorkshire Heart beer.
The Winehouse Café and Dine Experiences
The Winehouse Café sits at the heart of the vineyard, open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 4 pm (closed Mondays). The menu changes seasonally but always celebrates Yorkshire produce. Breakfast and brunch are served until 11:30 am, with a full Hearty Breakfast, Eggs Benedict, and lighter fruit-granola options. Lunch features the famous Hearty Platters, including the Yorkshire Ploughman's with Voakes's pork pie and local cheeses, made-to-order sandwiches, and a Yorkshire Tapas menu of homemade mackerel pâté, pork pies, and roasted red peppers. Homemade cakes and scones with jam and clotted cream are available all day.
The café is family and dog friendly, with indoor seating and a sun-trap terrace overlooking the vines. It also acts as the start point for cellar door tastings, afternoon tea, picnics, and venue hire for celebrations (capacity up to 50 inside, with a marquee available in summer).
Stay: Camping, Glamping and Nearby Places to Sleep
The vineyard's 15-pitch campsite is intimate, rural, and located just metres from the vines. Open 18 April to 31 October, pitches are priced at £25 per night (including two people), with a minimum two-night stay. Hot showers, toilets, and a dishwashing sink are on-site, and dogs are welcome for £5 per stay. The site's quiet-hour policy means it is geared towards couples and families rather than party groups.
For those who prefer not to wrestle with tent poles, Yorkshire Heart offers two glamping options:
- Glamping in the BBQ Cabin - From £90 per night. Available May to October, a Scandinavian-style cabin with three single beds (room for a fourth), BBQ/fire pit, seating and bedding provided. Charcoal and logs are included.
- Bell-Tent Glamping - From £100 per night. Available 1 May to 30 September 2026. Fully furnished 4-metre bell tents with proper beds, duvets, pillows, rugs, bedside lamps and fairy lights. Sleeps two comfortably.
For guests who prefer four solid walls, recommended pubs, inns, B&Bs and self-catering cottages include The Alice Hawthorn in Nun Monkton, Goose Beck Vineyard Cottages at Tockwith, The Bay Horse at Green Hammerton, Skip Bridge Farm Cottages at Kirk Hammerton, and Supercity Aparthotels in York (20% off with code YORKSHIREHEART). The Alice Hawthorn and the Bay Horse both have negotiated rates for Yorkshire Heart guests.
Events Calendar 2026 and 2027
Confirmed upcoming dates include:
- Music and BBQ Night - 14 August 2026, an evening of live music and BBQ in the vineyard.
- Weekend Away Amongst The Vines: Music Night & Vineyard Tour - 14 August 2026, a two-night weekend package from £80 per person including Friday Acoustic Music Night and Saturday Vineyard Tour with lunch.
- Country Music Festival - Saturday 15 August 2026, 12 noon to 11 pm, Yorkshire Heart's inaugural country festival. Adults £30, Under 16s £15, optional camping £7.50 per person.
- Acoustic Music Nights - recurring on the last Friday of every month, with extra dates throughout summer 2026. Tickets £15 per Adult, £7.50 per Child, supper included. Bar opens 6 pm, music from 7 pm, supper around 8 pm, second set, finish about 9:30 pm.
- Beers & Bangers Night - recurring tasting event in the Arctic Cabin BBQ hut for up to 16 guests, with six Yorkshire Heart beers and locally sourced gourmet hot dogs.
- Great Yorkshire Wine & Fizz Festival Weekend Away - 25 June 2027.
- Great Yorkshire Wine & Fizz Festival 2027 - 26 June 2027.
- Hearty Festival 2027 - 23 to 25 July 2027 (the flagship weekend of the year). Bronze Saturday day-pass tickets (£35 adult / £15 ages 12 to 17 / £10 under 12s), Silver weekender tickets including Friday launch party and two nights' camping, and Gold full-weekend tickets with three nights' camping and Sunday lunch. Glamping options are £220 (2 nights, Silver) or £250 (3 nights, Gold).
About Hearty Festival
Hearty Festival is Yorkshire Heart's flagship annual weekender, held right in the vineyard. The site runs live music on a main stage and inside the marquee, family-friendly inflatable entertainment, a bar pouring Yorkshire Heart wines, beers and cocktails, and food from the Winehouse and festival stalls. The festival is family and dog friendly, with weekend tickets and glamping pitches sold separately. The full 2027 line-up continues to be announced.
Gifts and Vouchers
The Gifts & Vouchers shop covers wine gifts, beer gifts and experience vouchers. Open-value vouchers start at £10.00. Experience vouchers include:
- Gift Voucher - Cellar Door Wine Tasting - From £18.95
- Brewery Tour Gift Voucher - From £25.00
- Gift Voucher - Cellar Door Beer Tasting - From £25.00
- Gift Voucher - Afternoon Tea - From £43.90
- Gift Voucher - Vineyard Picnic - From £55.00
- Gift Voucher - Vineyard Tour & Tasting for 2 - From £60.00
- Gift Voucher - Vineyard Tour, Tasting & Lunch for 2 - From £85.00
- Gift Voucher - Vineyard Tour, Tasting & Afternoon Tea for 2 - From £100.00
- Gift Voucher - An Evening in the Vineyard for 2 - From £120.00
All vouchers are valid for 12 months from purchase and can be delivered by email in minutes or posted in a gift box. Gifting guides are available for weddings, birthdays, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Yorkshire Day, Bonfire Night, Christmas, and corporate thank-yous.
Awards and Recognition
Yorkshire Heart's philosophy is to let the wines and beers do the talking. The awards shelf is therefore a happy by-product rather than a goal. Recent highlights include:
- 2025 WineGB Midlands & North - Gold Medal: Latimer White
- 2025 WineGB Midlands & North - Best Innovation: Sparkling Red
- 2025 WineGB Midlands & North - Best Estate-grown and Made Sparkling: Kathleen Vintage Sparkling Rosé
- 2025 WineGB Midlands & North - Personality of the Year: Gillian Spakouskas
- 2025 SIBA Awards - Silver Medal: Blackheart Stout
- 2025 SIBA Awards - Bronze Medal: Pinot Porter
- York Press Family Business of the Year 2024
- Yorkshire Post Rural Awards recognition
Visiting Yorkshire Heart
How to Find Us
The vineyard is located in the beautiful conservation village of Nun Monkton, just off the A59 between York and Harrogate. The full address is Pool Lane, Nun Monkton, York, YO26 8EL. There is plenty of free parking on-site. The nearest railway stations are Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton (about 3 miles away), with no footpath to the vineyard, so a pre-booked taxi is essential. Recommended local taxi firms include Neil Phillips Private Hire (07795 387441), Town Travel (01423 324666) and Sarah Deaton (07742 405355).
Opening Hours
The Winehouse Café is open Tuesday to Saturday 9:30 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday 9:30 am to 4:00 pm (Easter to October). Sunday opening is closed from November to Easter. The site is closed on Mondays (except Bank Holidays). Tours and tastings run throughout the year; booking is recommended.
Contact
- Phone: 01423 330716
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: Pool Lane, Nun Monkton, York, YO26 8EL
- Brewery: Carlton Farm, Frank Lane, Nun Monkton, YO26 8EJ
- Facebook: YorkshireHeartVineyard
- Instagram: @yorkshire_heart
Delivery Information
Standard UK mainland delivery is £5.95, and orders over £75 qualify for free delivery. Orders are dispatched Monday to Thursday and ship same day if placed before 2 pm. Local pickup from the Winehouse Café is free during opening hours. International shipping is available on request.
Yorkshire Heart Today
Yorkshire Heart is one of the few places in England where, in a single afternoon, you can walk through the vines, watch the winemaker at work, sit down to a tasting flight of Latimer wines, tuck into a Tasting Lunch or an Afternoon Tea, and finish the night with a pint of Blackheart Stout beside the brewery's own fire pit. Add a stay in the bell tent or BBQ cabin, a weekend of live music at Hearty Festival, and a stack of industry awards, and it is easy to see why the Spakouskas family has turned a garden hobby into one of the most loved destination producers in the North.