Sip, Swirl and Sample Your Way Through Southern England This Summer

If your perfect summer day involves sparkling English wine, craft beer, artisan gin and somebody else doing the driving, then the latest announcement from Grape & Grain Tours could be right up your street.

The award-winning drinks tour company has unveiled its 2026 summer schedule across Surrey, Hampshire and the New Forest, and it is packed with exciting new vineyard, brewery and distillery experiences guaranteed to tempt food and drink lovers looking for a relaxed day out with a difference.

Founded in 2018, Grape & Grain Tours has built a reputation for turning England’s flourishing wine and craft drinks scene into memorable, stress-free tasting adventures. Guests meet at convenient rail stations before hopping aboard a chauffeur-driven executive mini coach for a full day of guided tours, tastings and a two-course gastropub lunch.

In short? All the fun of a vineyard-hopping road trip without anyone having to stay sober behind the wheel.

This summer’s line-up includes some particularly exciting newcomers. Hampshire’s beautiful Candover Valley welcomes guests to the normally private Candover Brook Vineyard, where award-winning sparkling wines are produced on chalk-rich soils using regenerative farming techniques. Sheep roam among the vines, biodiversity is encouraged, and the vineyard even celebrates the rare white-clawed crayfish found in the nearby chalk stream on its labels.

Beer lovers, meanwhile, can look forward to visits to Vibrant Forest Brewery, the independent New Forest brewery known for its bold vegan craft beers and inventive brewing styles. Guests will get the chance to sample a rotating line-up of modern beers while hearing directly from co-founder Ryan Dack about the brewing process.

Returning favourites across Hampshire and the New Forest include producers such as Black Chalk, Raimes, River Test Distillery and Triple fff Brewery.

Surrey is also getting fresh new experiences for 2026, including the brand-new Surrey Wine & Gin Tour from Guildford. The tour visits the acclaimed Greyfriars Vineyard, Albury Organic Vineyard and artisan spirits producer Distillers of Surrey, combining stunning countryside with plenty of tastings along the way.

With English wine continuing to boom and craft producers attracting growing attention worldwide, these tours feel perfectly timed for anyone wanting to explore the South’s thriving drinks scene in a relaxed, sociable and deliciously indulgent way.

Frankly, it sounds like the ultimate grown-up summer day out.

To learn more or to book visit https://www.grapeandgraintours.co.uk

Candover Brook marks English Wine Week with its powerful film on regenerative viticulture

Candover Brook, an award-winning vineyard in the heart of the Hampshire countryside, is proud to mark English Wine Week 2025 with the release of its new short film, "A Year in the Life of a Vineyard," a cinematic glimpse into its purposeful approach to regenerative viticulture.

Spanning just five hectares, Candover Brook harbours no ambition of being the biggest, only the best at working in harmony with nature. Founded on a commitment to soil health, biodiversity, and slow, sustainable excellence, the vineyard is redefining what it means to produce English sparkling wine with purpose.

The film follows the vineyard through the seasons, capturing the quiet rhythm of regenerative farming and the life it nurtures both above and below ground. A Year in the Life of a Vineyard was made by renowned British documentary maker Jess Bassett, who spent a year following the vineyard team.

Candover Brook co-owner Mark Sainsbury said, “Working with Jess was a complete joy and we are delighted with the outcome. It's a proud feeling to see our hard work and passion captured in such a beautiful film. We hope that our respect for the land and our community connects us and our award-winning wines to a new audience.”

Screenings are being held at select venues that share Candover Brook’s values of craft, care, and conscious living. Later this year, the film will be available on the vineyard’s newly launched YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@candoverbrook), which offers an inside look at this rare and remarkable estate.

With limited production and award-winning vintages already attracting attention, Candover Brook is one to watch, and now, one to watch on screen.

More information at www.candoverbrook.co.uk or on social media @candoverbrook.