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Vineyard guide · Leith Hill
Visiting Tanhurst Estate
Tanhurst is a young family vineyard on the southern slopes of Leith Hill, first planted in 2020, with its own winery in a converted barn and a weekend café for walkers and cyclists. Drop in for coffee and a glass at Hither Barn on a Saturday or Sunday, or book the summer evening tour to taste all five wines.
Tanhurst at a glance
| Founded | First vines planted in 2020 |
|---|---|
| Known for | Estate-grown sparkling and still wines named after local places, and the weekend vineyard café |
| Grapes | Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir Précoce, Chardonnay, Bacchus, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Cortis |
| Open | Café at Hither Barn Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm. Guided tours Fridays and Sundays, 4pm to 6pm, May to early October |
| Booking | Guided tours booked ahead online, for groups of 2 to 15. No refunds, but bookings can be moved with 7 days’ notice. The café and self-guided tour need no booking |
| Tours from | Free self-guided tour; guided tour £25 |
| Food | Coffee, cakes, hot sausage rolls, bacon baps and vegetarian dishes at the café, with the estate’s wines by the glass or bottle |
| Children | Guided tastings are not suitable for children |
| Stay | Three holiday barns on the estate, Great, Middle and Little Foxmoor |
Checked on the vineyard’s own website in November 2026.
About Tanhurst
The Grimes family have lived and worked on Leith Hill for forty years, with a background in farming and forestry.
Colin and Sarah Grimes own the estate, their daughter Hannah manages the vineyard and lives there with her family, and their younger daughter Laura organises the tours and events from Devon. Colin has looked after the ancient woodland above the vineyard for four decades.
Planting started in the winter of 2020 with 8,000 Pinot Noir vines on four and a half acres. Another 12,000 went in during 2021, including Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir Précoce, and two more fields of Cabernet Cortis and Sauvignon Blanc followed in 2023, due to come into production in 2026.
That makes 30,000 vines on land that slopes gently south, where the greensand of Leith Hill gives way to Weald clay.
The wine is made on site, in a winery converted from an old barn, so grapes are pressed within hours of picking. Salvatore Leone, a Sicilian winemaker with 34 vintages in seven countries behind him, makes the wine, using only fruit from the estate.
The first wine was a still rosé from the 2022 Pinot Noir harvest, followed by the first sparkling wines from the same year.
The wines
Every wine is named after a place nearby. Felday Classic Cuvée 2022, the sparkling white, takes its name from an area of Holmbury St Mary, and Folles, the sparkling Pinot Noir rosé from the same year, is the oldest recorded name for Forest Green.
We would start with Folles, since the Pinot Noir it comes from was the first fruit on the estate. The still wines, Stoneymoor Chardonnay, Rosiers Rosé and Whitings Bacchus, are named after the wet woodland above the vineyard, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Where to buy them.
Tours and tastings at Tanhurst
Two ways in, depending on the day. At weekends the café in Hither Barn is the easy option, with no booking, wine by the glass alongside the coffee, and the self-guided trail through the vines. It is aimed squarely at walkers and cyclists coming off Leith Hill.
For the full picture, book the Friday or Sunday evening tour in summer, which is the only way to taste all five wines side by side and comes with a glass afterwards.
The ground is steep in places, so it is not for anyone unsteady on their feet. Tickets cannot be refunded, though you can move a booking with a week’s notice. The café shut for a weekend in August 2026 for staff holidays, so it is worth checking the café page before a special trip. Parking is free for tour guests.
| Experience | Price | Length | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-guided vineyard tour Signs with QR codes take you round the vineyard on your own. | Free | – | During café hours, Saturday and Sunday |
| Vineyard Tours and Tasting A guided walk through the vines with views over the Surrey Hills, then a tasting of all five Tanhurst wines in the tasting barn with small bites and a glass of your favourite to finish. Groups of 2 to 15. The walk is hilly and uneven. Not suitable for children. | £25 per person, £5 of it redeemable against wine | About 1.5 hours | Fridays and Sundays, 4pm to 6pm, May to early October |
Book these on the Tanhurst website.
Buy Tanhurst 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.
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Getting there
The estate is on Tanhurst Lane, on the slopes of Leith Hill near Holmbury St Mary, and its what3words is noises.heave.rungs. Walkers arrive from the Leith Hill paths, and signs on the estate point the way from near the Starveall car park and the National Trust car park. The website gives no train or bus directions.
Make a day of it
Leith Hill and its National Trust land are right above the estate, and Holmbury St Mary and Forest Green are the nearest villages. The café’s coffee comes from Chimney Fire Coffee at Denbies, near Dorking, which is the big estate to pair with a visit.
See every vineyard you can visit in our Surrey directory. Our other Surrey vineyard guides: Denbies, Albury Organic, Greyfriars.
Questions people ask
Do I need to book the café?
No. The café at Hither Barn opens on Saturdays and Sundays, and the self-guided vineyard tour is free while it is open.
Can children come on the tour?
The guided tastings are not suitable for children. The café and self-guided walk are the better bet for families.
Can I stay at the vineyard?
Yes. Three converted timber-framed barns on the estate are let as holiday homes, booked through the estate’s website.