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Vineyard guide · Astley
Visiting Astley Vineyard
Astley was planted in 1971, and some of those first Kerner vines still crop on a small slope above the Severn Valley. It is a tiny, low-intervention operation now, open two days a week, and its afternoon tour sells out, so book next year’s as soon as dates appear.
Astley at a glance
| Founded | Planted 1971; run by the Haywood family since 2017 |
|---|---|
| Known for | Old-vine Kerner, still and sparkling, and small-batch low-intervention wines |
| Awards | WineGB West 2023 Silver for Madeleine 2022; IEWA 2018 Gold for Vintage Sparkling Kerner 2014; Visit Worcestershire Experience of the Year 2022; Regenerative Tourism Award winner 2026 |
| Grapes | Kerner (planted 1971), Madeleine Angevine (1979), Siegerrebe (1996) and Bacchus (2007), with a little Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir |
| Open | Tasting Room and shop Friday and Saturday, 10.30am to 4pm; shop closed in January and February |
| Booking | Tours must be booked online; all 2026 tours are sold out |
| Tours from | £40 |
| Food | No café or restaurant; local produce is served with the tour tasting |
| Dogs | Not allowed, to protect the estate’s wildlife; assistance dogs welcome |
| Children | Tastings are for over-18s; the shepherd huts are adults only |
| Stay | Two shepherd huts among the vines, The Harvest Hideaway and The Lost Corkscrew, weekends only, £360 for two nights or £460 for three |
| By train | Kidderminster, Droitwich Spa or Worcester, each within 20 minutes by taxi |
Checked on the vineyard’s own website in November 2026.
About Astley
Astley marked its 50th anniversary in 2021, which makes it one of the oldest vineyards in the UK. The Bache family started it, the Daniels family ran it from the early 1990s and made its name, and the Haywoods, Chris, Tim, Bev and Matleena, took over in 2017.
There used to be ten acres across four plots. Only the strongest is still farmed, a single five-acre plot on Triassic sandstone loam that slopes east at about 95m, with a deep valley beside it. The Kerner went in during 1971, the Madeleine Angevine in 1979, the Siegerrebe in 1996 and the Bacchus in 2007. The output is small, roughly 6,000 bottles a year.
Chris makes the wine in a winery the family built in 2018 a short walk from the vines, having trained at Plumpton College with Simon Day as a mentor. They call themselves low-intervention rather than natural winemakers. The wines are never fined, there have been three orange wines, two with no added sulphites, and a piquette called Saint Vincent. The range changes from year to year.
The wines
Kerner is the grape to try here, from vines planted in 1971 that are among the oldest in the country. The current shop list is short: Kerner 2023, a dry white with light citrus and apple, the Vintage Sparkling Kerner 2019, a late harvest Kerner from 2025, and Wild Madeleine 2025, an orange wine from Madeleine Angevine. Past bottlings have included Bacchus, Pinot Noir and blends called Branwen, Freya and Sabrinna. Online orders are posted within five working days, and collection from the shop is free. Where to buy them.
Tours and tastings at Astley
Outside tour times this is a small tasting room and shop with a gravel car park, open on Fridays and Saturdays. The tour is the reason to come, and with only one a day at weekends and a cap of 20, it goes quickly; we’d book as soon as the next season’s dates are released. Arrive no earlier than 2.45pm. If you are getting a taxi, book the pick-up for about 5.30pm. The Tasting Room, its tables and the winery are wheelchair accessible, but there is no accessible toilet on site; the nearest is at Riverside Meadows in Stourport, about ten minutes’ drive. Tell the vineyard about any food allergies before the tour. Wear sturdy shoes, as the woodland path can be muddy. The shepherd huts are self-catering, with no food on site, and the vineyard points guests to the Hampstall Inn, a ten-minute walk, and Broomfields Farm Shop.
| Experience | Price | Length | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting A welcome drink and the vineyard’s history, then a walk down a wooded valley to the vines to talk grape varieties, a glass of wine at the pavilion looking over the vineyard and the Severn Valley, a quick look at the winery, and a seated tasting of three wines with local produce. Up to 20 people. The woodland path is uneven and sloped, but a 4x4 can take you up to the vines if you ask beforehand. Tours run in most weather. All 2026 tours are sold out. | £40 per person | About 2.5 hours | Weekends, roughly March to October, at 3pm |
Book these on the Astley website.
Buy Astley 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 vineyard is on Crundles Lane at Astley, about ten miles north of Worcester and under 20 minutes from junction 5 or 6 of the M5. Kidderminster, Droitwich Spa and Worcester stations are all within 20 minutes’ drive. Book a taxi from the station in advance. The vineyard says the local bus is not reliable enough to recommend.
Make a day of it
The vineyard’s own suggestions include the ruins of Witley Court, Shrawley Woods and The New Inn at Shrawley, and the Severn Valley Railway, which runs from Kidderminster. Worcester Cathedral is about 20 minutes away. Abberley Hills Vineyard at Great Witley and Wagtail at Hallow are close if you want a second vineyard.
See every vineyard you can visit in our Cotswolds and West Midlands directory. Our other Cotswolds and West Midlands vineyard guides: Three Choirs, Halfpenny Green.
Questions people ask
Can you visit Astley without booking a tour?
Yes. The Tasting Room and shop are open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10.30am to 4pm, except in January and February.
Can I bring my dog?
No. Dogs are not allowed, to protect the wildlife on the estate. Assistance dogs are welcome on all experiences.
Is the tour suitable if I can’t walk far?
Mostly. The full tour includes about 100m of uneven, sloping woodland path, but a 4x4 can drive you up to the vines if you contact the vineyard beforehand.