On a sunny Thursday afternoon, strolling through rolling hills and expansive plains laced with fruit-bearing vines, one might think they were in Tuscany or Bordeaux. But this scene was merely a 20-minute drive from Chelmsford, Essex. While the city is better known as the setting for The Only Way is Essex, the surrounding area is gaining fame as an emerging capital of English wine.
At the International Wine Challenge this year, English wines won more gold medals than ever, claiming 25 prizes, up from 10 in 2025. Master of wine Sam Caporn highlighted the Crouch Valley in Essex as an exciting new region for wine production.
The Crouch Valley, situated among quaint villages, is filled with precisely planted vineyards. New Hall Wine Estate, the first vineyard in the area, planted its earliest vines in 1969. The owners made their first wine in a saucepan. Since then, production has grown significantly. "We produce about 250,000 bottles a year," said Becki Trembath, 35, general manager of New Hall Wine Estate.
The wine made from grapes grown outside All Saints Church, which sits atop the vineyard, was reportedly drunk during the sealing of the Magna Carta. Trembath's grandparents established the vineyard decades ago, but business has exploded recently. "People know a lot more about English wines. Since Covid-19, people want to know where their products come from. They like to try and buy local," she said.
Nearly 30 growers now operate in the valley. "Sales are going up but it's competitive out there," Trembath added. "This is such a great area to grow grapes. We have very low rainfall through the summer, which allows us to ripen the fruit for a longer period compared to somewhere more north or south."
Researchers have identified the valley as a location that could bear even sweeter fruit for wine producers as the climate crisis leads to higher UK temperatures. The area has become so renowned that winemakers from Burgundy are scoping out plans to buy land in the valley. English winemakers are also courting international buyers. "We've had people come from Canada, America, New Zealand and Australia," said Anna Vine, 42, cellar door manager at New Hall. "People are suddenly starting to realise that we have vineyards in the UK."
The winery produces red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines, but the valley is best known for still wines because the "microclimate is absolutely perfect" for it, said Andy Hares, 50, vineyard and estate manager. Hares worked in Bordeaux, a world premier wine production destination, before returning to the UK to work in the Crouch Valley.
"England's been making wines for hundreds of years but traditionally it wasn't particularly good," Hares said. He blames this on trying to emulate wines from countries like France or Germany, but "over the last 10 to 20 years, we've developed our own style." English wines "tend to be really aromatic and normally quite young" with a real "fruit focus."
I tried a trio of wines to see how English wines hold up. First was a Bacchus white wine (£17.75), smooth and very fruity. Next, a limited edition Bacchus Fume white wine (£23), aged in oak, with touches of vanilla for deep flavour. Last, my personal favourite, the sparkling Bacchus white wine (£23), which tasted like a pimped-up prosecco, crisp and full of fresh undertones of berry.
But wine production is not all fun and games. Aside from low rainfall and sunnier skies, the Crouch Valley is also popular because it is fairly frost resistant, which can ruin a year's harvest in minutes. "We've heard stories of people losing 60% to 70% of their crop," said Hares. The grapes are flowering, but come September, harvest will begin. While the Crouch Valley is well known in wine circles, for those nearby or travelling through the area, these vineyards remain a mystery. Hares said: "People drive past and go: 'What is this?' We forget that people don't even know we exist."
