Swanaford vineyard tour and tasting
A walk through the vines at this Devon vineyard, which grows the classic Champagne grapes, followed by a tasting.
Starts Swanaford Vineyard, Bridford, near Exeter, Devon
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Vineyard guide · Bridford
Visiting Swanaford Vineyard
Swanaford is a small family vineyard in the Teign Valley on the edge of Dartmoor, about six miles from Exeter, making sparkling and still wine from vines planted in 2013. Guided tours run three times a week from Easter to October, with a self-guided walk and tasting barn the rest of the time.
Swanaford at a glance
| Founded | Planted 2013, tasting barn built 2017 |
|---|---|
| Known for | Traditional method sparkling wine, plus Bacchus and other still wines |
| Grapes | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with Bacchus, Siegerrebe and Schönburger |
| Open | Most days in season; tours Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Easter to October. Phone ahead |
| Booking | Book guided tours online, the self-guided walk needs no booking |
| Tours from | £15 |
| Food | Cheese, charcuterie and pickle plates, best pre-ordered by email |
| Dogs | Dogs on leads welcome on tours |
| Children | Welcome, under-18s go free on the guided tour |
| Stay | Three holiday cottages on the estate, sleeping up to 8 between them |
| By train | Exeter, about six miles away by taxi |
Checked on the vineyard’s own website in October 2026.
About Swanaford
Ben and Caroline Goulden moved from London to Devon to start Swanaford, with the aim of making great English sparkling and still wines. In 2013 a planting team from Germany put in all 10,000 vines in a single day, on a south-east-facing ten-acre plot above the River Teign at Bridford. The couple, who both hold viticulture qualifications, then took on the job of growing them into productive vines themselves, which they call a steep learning curve.
The vineyard sits on slopes beside the National Trust’s Bridford woodland, inside Dartmoor National Park, and is planted mainly with the Champagne varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for traditional method sparkling wine, with Bacchus, Siegerrebe and Schönburger for still wines. In 2017 they built a tasting barn so visitors could taste the wines where they are grown and learn about growing grapes in Devon. Harvest volunteers are welcome from September and are given lunch.
Swanaford’s sparkling wines have won gold at the Independent English Wine Awards, which gave its top accolade to both the Classic Cuvée and the Sparkling Rosé.
The wines
Swanaford makes traditional method sparkling wine and still wine from its own grapes. The sparkling range includes the Classic Cuvée, the Sparkling Rosé, a blend of estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and an older cuvée called Acorns. The still wines are Kingfisher Bacchus, a dry Bacchus with a light touch of oak, an Estate White, a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir Rosé. The two gold-medal sparkling wines are the ones to try. Where to buy them.
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Tours and tastings at Swanaford
Swanaford is a working family vineyard rather than a large visitor centre, so it is worth phoning ahead on 07956 306 872 to check what is on, particularly outside tour times. The estate is open most days in season, and guided tours run on Wednesday afternoons, Friday evenings and Saturday mornings from Easter to the end of October, booked online. The self-guided walk with a wine flight needs no booking. Everything centres on the tasting barn, where you can buy wine and order a glass and a small plate. Park in front of the barn. Proof of age is asked of anyone who looks under 21. The estate also hosts weddings.
| Experience | Price | Length | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour and Tasting Experience A walk through the vines with a talk on growing grapes in Devon, then a tasting of four wines, two of them sparkling, in the tasting barn, with a talk on how they are made. Tours need at least six people to run; if numbers fall short you are offered another date or a refund. Dogs on leads are welcome, and cheese or charcuterie boards can be added. | £20 per person, under-18s free | About 90 minutes | Most Wednesdays at 2pm, Fridays at 5.30pm and Saturdays at 11.30am, Easter to the end of October |
| Self-Guided Tour with Wine Flight Walk the vineyard at your own pace with a map and leaflet, with facts at each stop, then taste a flight of three chilled wines chosen by the team, at least one of them sparkling, in the tasting barn. | £15 per person | About 30 minutes for the walk, plus the tasting | During opening hours, 1 April to the end of the season, no booking needed |
| Small plates Three cheeses from Curworth Dairy near Okehampton with homemade pickle and crackers, cured meats made by Felix Craft, head chef of Stage in Exeter, and seasonal pickles made on the estate. One plate makes a light bite and three make lunch for two, served with a glass of Swanaford wine. | Cheese board £13, charcuterie £10, pickled vegetables £7 | Light bite or lunch | With a tour or a drop-in visit, pre-ordered by email |
Book these on the Swanaford website.
Tours that include Swanaford
If you would rather not drive, these tours take you there, with tastings included.
Buy Swanaford wines
None of our wine partners has these wines in stock this week. The vineyard sells them in its own shop, or see our pick of English wines to buy online.
Getting there
Swanaford is at Bridford in the Teign Valley, about six miles from Exeter, which is the nearest railway station; take a taxi and book the return. By car from Exeter, take the B3212 towards Dunsford, turn left at the bottom of the hill before Dunsford towards Christow and Canonteign Falls, cross the hump-back bridge, take the turn just after it, go round two bends, then turn sharp right down Swanaford Road. The vineyard entrance is on the right after Swanaford House. From Chudleigh, follow the B3212 and turn left up Swanaford Road, by a post box in the hedge, at the end of a long straight. Sat navs can send you towards the Bridford Inn instead; if so, head back to the main road towards Dunsford.
Make a day of it
The vineyard is on the edge of Dartmoor, beside the National Trust woodland at Bridford, and the River Teign runs along its boundary, so there are good walks close by. Canonteign Falls is just down the valley, and the villages of Dunsford and Christow are a few minutes away. Exeter, with its cathedral and quayside, is about six miles east.
See every vineyard you can visit in our Devon directory. Our other Devon vineyard guides: Lyme Bay.
Questions people ask
Do you need to book at Swanaford Vineyard?
Yes for the guided tour, which is booked online and needs at least six people to run. The self-guided walk with a wine flight needs no booking. It is worth phoning ahead to check the estate is open.
How much is a tour at Swanaford?
The guided Tour and Tasting Experience is £20 per person for about 90 minutes, with four wines. The self-guided walk with three wines is £15.
Is Swanaford Vineyard dog friendly?
Yes, dogs on leads are welcome on tours.
Can children visit Swanaford?
Yes. Under-18s go free on the guided tour. Anyone who looks under 21 will be asked for ID before being served alcohol.
Is there food at Swanaford?
There are small plates rather than a café: a cheese board, a charcuterie board and pickled vegetables, which you can pre-order by email to go with a tour or a drop-in visit.
Can you stay at Swanaford?
Yes. Barnfield, Rose and West Park cottages are on the estate: two one-bedroom thatched cottages and one that sleeps four, eight people in all. They are booked online.