Giffords Hall winery is a friendly family run vineyard by the beautiful Suffolk village of Hartest. 

It has undergone considerable development over the past few years, providing a range of facilities for visitors without losing their welcoming atmosphere. For such a small vineyard Giffords Hall offers an impressive range of facilities for the visitor.

Impressive facilities

It was great to visit Giffords Hall in early spring 2023, before the tourist season really kicked off. I had visited them a few times over the years, but this was my first visit since they had opened their new facilities.

I was really impressed. Owner Linda Howard and her team have pulled off the difficult balance of successfully combining old and new, building on what was already a successful winery, retaining its authenticity and the approachable and friendly ethos I remembered.

I was even more impressed when owner Linda Howard explained that all the building works happened during the various covid lockdowns we had in the UK.

She also had to cope with the sudden loss of her husband, the original winemaker and driving force behind the vineyard, and an important figure in the British wine scene in the region.

Tours & Tastings

Owner Linda Howard and her small hardworking team offer private vineyard tours & wine tastings for groups from 2 people to 30, with a range of tasting options. Whether you love cheese or prefer sparkling wines, you can tailor your tasting to suit.

Smaller groups (2 to 7 people) can be booked online via their website, contact them directly for larger groups (8 to 30 people).

Tours & tastings are offered throughout the year based on demand. This is a busy vineyard, Linda and her trusty head of sales and tours, Kim explained how their final tour of last year had been in December and the first of this year in February.

Vineyard tours

Giffords Hall’s vineyard is old for an English vineyard, at 35 years old. This makes it particularly interesting to visit.


Situated on what passes for a hill in Suffolk (East Anglia is renowned for being flat) the vineyards have a tranquillity, with the vines protected by sweet maple trees. Being 35 years old, the trunks of the vines have grown into interesting, sculptural shape.

There is a picnic area in the field before you enter the vineyard. Here you can enjoy your picnic in the company of Giffords Hall’s rare breed sheep.

Tasting room

Giffords Hall have a unique tasting room with a fascinating history. Created during lockdown from a 1st World War hanger, they have created a large airy space which incorporates not only a tasting room but is part of the winery.


With the stainless-steel vats where they make their red wines in one corner and the oak barrels where the wines are aged, it helps to bring the winemaking of the wines you are tasting to life.

A cute touch is that Giffords Hall name their vats. They can tell you whether the white wine you are tasting was made in Helga or Hilda. A nice difference from the usual impersonal numbered vats of most wineries. Exemplifying their personal approach to the work of making wine.

Food

There is an onsite café open at the weekends and bank holidays, from April to September.

There you can buy wine (by the glass or chilled bottle), and picnic food for two (charcuterie boxes, cheese platters, picnic teas) as well as soft drinks, teas, coffees, cakes, and ice cream.

Here is where the cheese platters and charcuterie boxes are prepared for wine tastings in the Barrel Hall tasting room.

Events and venue hire

Giffords Hall’s Barrel Hall can be hired for corporate and private events. 

Accommodation

Giffords Hall have created an attractive two-bedroom, two-bathroom (one shower, one bath) holiday let, Vineyard Cottage, created from an old dairy which used to be their shop.



It has been done with the attention to detail I would expect from them and has the benefit of a private patio area.

This would be a great location to visit a beautiful part of the world. This part of Suffolk has stunning villages and historic towns to visit.

Dogs

Dogs are welcome on vineyard tours and tastings. Unfortunately, due to the proximity to the farm, dogs are not permitted to stay at the Vineyard Cottage.

Giffords Hall wines

Giffords Hall makes a range of stills wines, whites, rosé and reds, as well as a range of the sparkling wines for which England is becoming world famous.

This reflects the unique position of vineyards in East Anglia (Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire), an area of England that is benefitting from climate change and has been identified as the home of world beating still wines in the years to come.

Innovative winemaking

I really admire Linda, for what she has created and the small team she has built around her. The way she addressed the problem of finding a winemaker after the loss of her husband exemplifies her people-centred approach.

Rather than seeking a permanent winemaker, Linda brings in a new winemaker each year. The world of winemaking is a vibrant one. Highly qualified, often young winemakers travel the world gaining experience of different climates, grape varieties, and wine styles. They bring the latest knowledge and wide experience to wineries, and innovation to the wines.

England, being a relatively young and up-and-coming wine country is seen as a great place to gain experience. Therefore, Linda has had a fascinating range of winemakers to choose from, interestingly quite a few have been women.

I have noticed how female winemakers are increasingly making their mark in the wine world. Linda’s winemakers have come to her beautiful part of Suffolk from Patagonia, Chile and the exceptional wine region, Margaret River in Australia.

Giffords Hall wines - tasting notes

Giffords Hall makes a range of stills wines, whites, rosé and reds, as well as a range of the sparkling wines for which England is becoming world famous.

This reflects the unique position of vineyards in East Anglia (Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire), an area of England that is benefitting from climate change and has been identified as the home of world beating still English wines in the years to come.

Explore Giffords Hall’s still wines here.. 

Where to buy wines

As well as buying Giffords Hall’s wines directly from their attractive onsite shop, they have an online store, and Waitrose stock their Bacchus white wine and Rosé.

Wines sent direct to your door

Giffords Hall offer international shipping service for customers. They can arrange to have the wines you purchase at the cellar door or on their online store delivered directly to your door.

Useful links

Giffords Hall website

Browse Giffords Hall website for more detailed information on visiting, booking tours and buying wines.

Wine Cellar Door

For a complete list of features and access information for Giffords Hall check out Wine Cellar Door, the very useful directory of Britain’s vineyards.

WineGB

WineGB is the association representing over 80% of the vineyards in England and Wales. WineGB East represents the vineyards in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Cambridgeshire. Check out Giffords Hall and browse other members in East Anglia.

English Wine Tourism - Don’t Miss Out!

Wine tourism in England is at a fascinating stage of development, it is only going to get better. Don’t miss out, read our article to discover more. 

 

Cheers!

 

 How2EnjoyWine