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Vineyard guide · Hartest
Visiting Giffords Hall Vineyard
Giffords Hall is a family-run vineyard on an old farm outside Hartest in west Suffolk, making award-winning still wines, especially Bacchus, plus sparkling wine. Drop in to the weekday cellar door for a tasting flight, or book a vineyard and winery tour.
Giffords Hall at a glance
| Founded | Farm recorded around 1408, first vines 1986, Giffords Hall label launched 2009 |
|---|---|
| Known for | Still wines, especially Bacchus and rosé, plus traditional method sparkling |
| Grapes | Bacchus, Rondo, Madeleine Angevine, Reichensteiner, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, with newer plantings of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Meunier |
| Open | Cellar door shop Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm, call ahead |
| Booking | Tours are pre-booked only, tasting flights need no booking but tell them ahead for large groups |
| Tours from | £35 |
| Food | No café or restaurant, cheese boards can be added to tours |
| Dogs | Welcome on tours, on a lead |
| By train | Poor public transport, best reached by car, about 25 minutes from Bury St Edmunds |
Checked on the vineyard’s own website in October 2026.
About Giffords Hall
Giffords Hall sits on a farm first recorded as Giffardes Farm in about 1408, on the edge of the village of Hartest. The vineyard says its first vines were planted in 1986. Guy and Linda Howard, who came to Suffolk after careers in London, bought it as an established vineyard and winery, re-trellised the vines, and at first grew grapes for other producers before making their own. The Giffords Hall label began in 2009 with a Rosé and a still Bacchus, a sparkling Brut Reserve followed in 2010, and in 2012 the business became Giffords Hall Vineyard Ltd.
The vines grow on light, sandy soils over an old glacial river bed, in acre blocks divided by shelter belts of maple, willow, alder and chestnut. The vineyard now covers more than 35 acres on two sites in west Suffolk, at Hartest and Depden. A flock of rare-breed Hebridean sheep grazes between the rows, the vineyard follows minimal intervention principles, and it is part of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. The wines are made on site, the aromatic ones in stainless steel and others aged on their lees in French oak barrels.
Giffords Hall wines have won 3 gold, 7 silver and 13 bronze medals at the Independent English Wine Awards, including gold for the Bacchus 2024 in 2025, as well as medals from WineGB and the Decanter World Wine Awards. Its rosé has also won the Waitrose trophy for the most outstanding still rosé in the industry awards, and the wines are sold in many Waitrose shops in East Anglia.
The wines
Giffords Hall makes mainly still wines, all suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The whites include Bacchus, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Gainsborough, a barrel-aged Reichensteiner. There is a rosé, and the reds include Pinot Noir, Rondo and St Edmundsbury, a blend of Pinot Noir and Rondo aged in oak for at least ten months. Sparkling wines are made by the traditional method and include Suffolk Pink, a dry sparkling rosé, and a Classic Cuvée 2019. The Bacchus is the wine that has won the most recent gold. Where to buy them.
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Tours and tastings at Giffords Hall
Visitors come to the yard by the black barns, where the cellar door shop sells the full range, gift sets and gift cards. The shop opens Monday to Friday from 11am to 4pm, and as the cellar door is run by a small team, the vineyard asks you to call ahead (01284 830799); it is often open on summer weekends too, but check first. Tours are pre-booked only and involve a 5 to 10 minute walk across meadowland to the vines, so wear flat shoes. Spring brings bud burst, summer suits outdoor tastings, and September and October, the harvest, are the busiest months. There is plenty of free parking. Tour vouchers bought for Tour & Tasting can be booked online, while private tour vouchers are booked by phone.
| Experience | Price | Length | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour & Tasting 2027 A guided walk through the vineyard, about 5 to 10 minutes across meadowland, covering the vine’s year from winter pruning to harvest, then the winery and its production stages, ending with a tasting of four Giffords Hall wines. Cheese boards can be added, and vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options are available if you ask in advance. | £35 per person | About 1.5 to 2 hours | 2027 season, dates to be released |
| Private Group Tours A guided walk through the vineyard and a visit to the winery and barrel hall, a tasting of four wines, then a glass of your choice and time to browse the cellar door shop. Book through the enquiry form or by phone. | On enquiry | About 1.5 to 2 hours | By arrangement, for groups of 9 or more |
| Cellar Door Wine Flights A flight of still and sparkling wines bought at the cellar door shop. No booking is needed, but larger groups should let the vineyard know in advance. | Not listed | At your own pace | Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm |
Book these on the Giffords Hall website.
Buy Giffords Hall wines
1 bottle in stock with our wine partners this week. Prices are for a single 75cl bottle.
Sparkling
Giffords Hall Classic Cuvée 2019
A Suffolk traditional method sparkling wine from Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, with base wines fermented in French oak barrels.
£29.99at WinebuyersBuy
Getting there
Giffords Hall is about 25 minutes by car from Bury St Edmunds, 55 minutes from Cambridge and two hours from London. From the A134 between Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds, take the turning signed for Shimpling and Chadacre, cross a small bridge and continue for about four minutes. At the T-junction turn left, then at the top of the hill go straight on, ignoring the Hartest turning. The yard is on the right by the black barns (what3words: dolly.carbonate.tips). Public transport to the village is poor, and if you need a taxi afterwards, book it in advance, as the nearest firm is about 20 minutes away.
Make a day of it
Hartest is a small village in the countryside between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury, close to Long Melford. Bury St Edmunds, about 25 minutes away, is the nearest large town for places to eat and stay, and Sudbury is to the south along the A134.
See every vineyard you can visit in our Suffolk and Norfolk directory. Our other Suffolk and Norfolk vineyard guides: Flint.
Questions people ask
When is Giffords Hall Vineyard open?
The cellar door shop opens Monday to Friday from 11am to 4pm. The vineyard asks visitors to call ahead, and it is often open on summer weekends, but check first.
How much is a tour at Giffords Hall?
The Tour & Tasting is £35 per person for about 1.5 to 2 hours, including a tasting of four wines. Dates for 2027 are still to be released, and private tours for groups of 9 or more are priced on enquiry.
Can you taste wine without a tour?
Yes. Wine flights of still and sparkling wines can be bought at the cellar door shop on weekdays without booking. Let the vineyard know in advance if you are a large group.
Is Giffords Hall dog friendly?
Yes, dogs are welcome on tours as long as they stay on a lead.
Can you get to Giffords Hall by public transport?
Not easily. The vineyard is on the edge of a small village with poor public transport, so most people drive. If you need a taxi, book it ahead, as the nearest firm is about 20 minutes away.
When is the best time to visit Giffords Hall?
Early spring for bud burst, summer for green vines and outdoor tastings, and September and October for harvest, which is the busiest time of year.