Visit to Fairmile Vineyard Henley on Thames, UK
Fairmile Vineyard in Henley on Thames is a top producer of sparkling English wine and a wonderful English vineyard to visit for a wine tour and wine tasting
Fairmile Vineyard, Henley on Thames in the Stonor Valley, Oxfordshire - Source: Winekeller
Fairmile Vineyard in Henley on Thames, is in the county of Oxfordshire, which forms the Thames & Chilterns UK wine region along with the counties of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. Compared to other English wine regions, for example Sussex and Hampshire, it is a relatively small wine region, with more dense population levels and less available land for vine growing, however there are some excellent wines produced here, with perfect soils, gentle slopes, plenty of sunshine and proximity to the River Thames.
One such vineyard producing some excellent wines is Fairmile Vineyard, located on the outskirts of the popular river town of Henley on Thames. Located close to where we live, we cycled there one Summer afternoon for a wine tour and a wine tasting…
An introduction to Fairmile Vineyard
Fairmile Vineyard comprises 7.5 hectares of vines planted on steep, chalk and flint slopes on the Oxford to London road, in the Stonor Valley in the Chiltern Hills, on the outskirts of Henley-on-Thames - famous for its annual rowing Royal Regatta in particular.
The steep Fairmile vineyard, Henley on Thames - Source: Winekeller
The land was purchased in 2012 by local couple Jan and Anthea Mirkowski, recognising its huge potential for vine growing and wine production, due to the nature of the soils, the steep gradient of the slope and the valley location - and also of course the proximity to such a popular town.
In 2013 Jan and Anthea went on to plant an initial 12,000 vines, comprising the 3 traditional ‘champagne’ grape varieties, namely Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Their aim was to focus 100% on the production of ‘traditional method’ English sparkling wine. The first harvest was in 2015, producing a white and a rosé sparkling wine. The white Classic Cuvée then went on to win Decanter magazine’s English sparkling wine tasting in 2019, which helped put Fairmile Vineyard on the English and global wine map and since this significant achievement, recognised for producing some of the best English sparkling wine, things have gone from strength to strength.
Fairmile Vineyard terroir
Jan’s assessment of the potential of this land was correct, with its unique terroir and location perfectly suiting the growth of these grape varieties and the production of top-class English sparkling wines.
The unique influencing factors include firstly, the steepness of the south-facing vineyard slope - a 1 in 3 gradient and below 100m altitude, which not only attracts optimal sunlight (in the crucial months of September and October, 30% more sunlight than on flat ground), it prevents any Spring frosts from settling on the buds. Secondly the location of the vineyard in the valley means that a constant breeze prevents the vines from being damaged by humidity and mildew. In addition, Fairmile Vineyard lies on the same flinty chalky marl soil that stretches across South-East England and into Northern France, which provides the perfect terroir for the 3 grape varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay.
Sustainability
Fairmile Vineyard’s mission is to produce excellent wines, in a way that is as sustainable as possible, with respect for the environment. The vineyard lies in the foothills of the Chilterns, an area of ‘outstanding natural beauty’ and Jan and Anthea are very focused on protecting the land for future generations.
Read here about the many sustainable processes deployed at Fairmile Vineyard. One that is certainly evident when you visit is the abundance of beautiful, mature trees around the vineyard.
Sustainability is a prime focus at Fairmile Vineyard - Source: Winekeller
Fairmile Vineyard wines
An average of 20,000 bottles of English sparkling wine are produced each year, with the wines being made by contract winemaker Hambledon. The sparkling wines are produced through the ‘traditional method’, involving a second fermentation in the bottle and each wine is left to age on the lees for a minimum of 3 years, giving the wine an added layer of flavour. Harvest is in September/October each year and all of the grapes are picked by hand.
Fairmile produces a white (Classic Cuvée) and a rosé non-vintage wine, as well as a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs 2017 - and you can also still purchase the 2015 ‘maiden’ Classic Cuvée. A Blanc de Noirs wine is also waiting in the wings - we had a taste and it was superb so we look forward to that becoming available!
The Fairmile wine label depicts a Henley Royal Regatta rowing oar, crossed with a bottle of sparkling wine, reflecting the strong link with Fairmile and the town of Henley and the local community.
Visiting Fairmile Vineyard - wine tourism
Fairmile welcomes visitors all year round for a tour of the vineyard and a wine tasting - or you are welcome to enjoy a glass or two of Fairmile sparkling wine to accompany your own picnic, or one arranged by Fairmile, in the lovely grounds, a popular option in the Summer!
Where is Fairmile Vineyard?
Fairmile is located on the road to Oxford just outside the centre of the lovely river town Henley on Thames - about 30 miles outside of London.
Henley on Thames has excellent railway links from Twyford, with connections from London Paddington and Reading. You can access the town centre and the River Thames by foot from the railway station. The town is easily accessible by road from the M4 and M40 motorways and the A4130 and A4155. It is only a short drive from London, Reading, Oxford, and Windsor.
Our tour and wine tasting at Fairmile Vineyard
We joined a group tour around vineyard which was led by owner Jan and lasted about an hour, including the wine tasting. Jan provided us with lots of information about the vineyard, running a wine business in the UK and of course his wines.
The highlight though was the excellent wine tasting, which took place at the top of the vineyard, delivering incredible views over the vines and the beautiful Stonor Valley. We tasted all of the Fairmile wines, which were delicious and most impressive.
We can highly recommend this experience - contact Fairmile to arrange your tour and tasting!
Useful information for your visit to Fairmile Vineyard
Visiting Fairmile you will also wish to spend some time in beautiful Henley-on-Thames, which enjoys a wonderful stretch of the River Thames with delightful independent shops, brilliant pubs, numerous cafes, great restaurants and country pubs. In the centre of the town is the ‘Market Place’, which offers a lovely place to have a drink or a bite to eat and there are lovely walks to enjoy, either around the town, along the Thames path or through surrounding woodland.
Henley has a very busy calendar of events including the Henley Royal Regatta (June/July), Henley Festival (July) and also the Literary Festival (October).
Just minutes from Henley you can visit several significant attractions, including Greys Court, a beautiful manor house dating back to Tudor times, with lovely gardens and a fascinating history and Stonor House, a beautiful country house and rolling park land.
See here for information and inspiration about what’s on in Henley on Thames and for exploring the local area around Henley.
The popular Georgian town of Marlow, also on the River Thames, is just 20 minutes away from Henley on Thames and is also worth visiting - as is the Royal town of Windsor, with its famous castle and Oxford, the city of dreaming spires.
To help plan your trip, visit the South East England tourist website, which is packed with lots of ideas and information.
Note - in terms of accommodation, we can highly recommend Danesfield House Hotel & Spa, located on the road that runs between Henley on Thames and Marlow. The house stands amidst 65 acres of formal gardens with outstanding views over the River Thames and the Chiltern Hills beyond.
Things to do in the Chilterns
Fairmile Vineyard and Henley on Thames are located at the southern end of the Chilterns, offering breathtaking views, beautiful woodlands, historic attractions, quaint market towns and lovely, quintessentially English villages.
Visit other vineyards in the Thames & Chilterns
If you are planning a wine tour of the Thames & Chilterns region and would like to visit more than the one vineyard, here are a few to consider:
Conclusion
We were very impressed with our visit to Fairmile Vineyard and can highly recommend. The wines are excellent certainly, but what also impressed us was the incredibly beautiful natural setting and the views down the Stonor Valley, as well as the genuine warmth of the welcome and the laidback, informal atmosphere at Fairmile. The emphasis is very much on relaxing, enjoying, celebrating and appreciating. Fairmile is a relatively small vineyard and they don’t have the glossy, high tech winery, impressive cellars and other trappings of a much larger wine business, but they pack a punch in terms of the basics of wine tourism!
