Cornish Wine, Beer and Cider Tours
11 April 2024
One of the private food and drink tours in Cornwall we offer takes in some of the best of Cornwall’s home-grown drinks. Thanks to the milder climate here, Cornwall is able to grow and produce award-winning wines, alongside traditional cider, local beer, spirits and experimental gin.
We thought we would share a little more detail about some of the Cornish businesses we can include on the tour, starting with the beautiful Camel Valley.
The location of Camel Valley is a treat in itself. Rolling hills, sheltered valleys and long sunny days make it a perfect setting for a vineyard. English wine may still surprise some visitors, but ex-RAF pilot Bob Lindo and his wife Anne helped change that. Their very first wine won a medal, and the awards have kept coming ever since.
It’s a family business, with the next generation bringing their own knowledge and care to the vineyard. Their wines are sold in Rick Stein’s restaurants, Fortnum & Mason in London, and exported to far-flung places such as Japan.
What might your visit look like? Imagine sitting on the terrace, sipping a glass of refreshing Cornish wine, taking in the view and hearing more about the process. Laid-back and down to earth, but with real passion behind it. It’s one we definitely recommend.
As well as Camel Valley, we can drive you in comfort to other Cornish vineyards, each with its own character and setting to enjoy.
Trevibban Mill Cornish Vineyard and Orchards is set in a stunning location, and a summer visit here is a delight. Close to Padstow, the working family farm grazes English Southdown sheep alongside orchards and vines. It’s a contemporary winery with sustainability and quality close to its heart. Working with nature, they produce outstanding wines, many of them organic and all worthy of a taste.
Another winery we can include is Knightor Winery, which has two sites: one near St Austell, a popular location for weddings, and one on the Roseland with a restaurant. Knightor has a relaxed feel and specialises in short-run exclusive wines, including vegan-friendly wines that are low in sulphites. They offer cocktail lessons and other experiences too, making this an exciting Cornish business that is not content to sit still.
But it’s not all about wine. If cider and beer are more your thing, there are some fabulous places to sample, explore and enjoy at an easy pace.
St Austell Brewery has been a fixture in Cornwall since 1851. From humble beginnings, it now has pubs, inns and hotels across the West Country. Still independent and family owned, pride shines through on the brewery tour. You can choose a sampling session or brewing experience if you want to understand how some Cornish favourites are made.
When you think of the West Country, cider naturally comes to mind. Fowey Valley, near historic Lostwithiel, are artisans of the craft. Distilled from scratch, their focus is on quality ingredients. Their tour teaches you all about cider, as well as how to create your own drinks at home and how to craft gin.
Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm is a much larger affair. Here they produce some very well-known and much-loved drinks that you’ll taste across Cornwall and beyond. There is a cider museum on site, so you can see how the process has evolved and follow the journey from ‘pip to pour’, as they say. There is plenty to enjoy when we visit, with a farm shop, restaurant, sampling opportunities and even a vintage tractor ride.
If this has whet your appetite, our private Cornish wine, beer and cider tour is a relaxed way to explore these places without worrying about the driving. Sit back, enjoy the scenery and let someone else handle the narrow lanes.
