Trade Rover driving up Chilford drive

A new chapter for Chilford Hall

Coming soon.

A new chapter for Chilford Hall. The vineyard remains, the wine-making heritage lives on, but Chilford Hall is no longer a commercial winery or wine retailer.

Today, the estate is the new home of Grillo Outdoor Kitchens. Grillo is a manufacturer of design-led British outdoor kitchens that has developed into a market-leading premium outdoor living brand in the over the past decade.

GRILLO AT CHILFORD HALL

Once home to one of England's oldest vineyards. Now home to Grillo Outdoor Kitchens.

Chilford Hall estate

From wartime farm to working vineyard to our new home: the story of Chilford Hall.

people picking grapes of chilford vines

The vineyard

The story of one of England’s oldest vineyards, from the first vines in 1972 to the sparkling wines of today.

Chilford Hall Vineyard

view of vineyard and rolling hills in background at chilford
people walking down vine row at chilford
crate of grapes on ground in vineyard
closeup of grapes in crate at chilford

Fifty years on the chalk

Planting vines in Cambridgeshire in 1972 was a gamble. More than fifty years on, it’s still paying off. Here’s the story of one of England’s oldest vineyards.

closeup vine at chilford hall vineyard

1972: Breaking chalk

Chilford’s winemaking story began in 1972 when the first vines were planted. The first wine followed in 1974. English winemaking was only starting its modern revival, and growing grapes in Cambridgeshire was a bold experiment. 

closeup of bunch of grapes on vine at chilford

The 70s: Planting proceeds apace

More vines went in throughout the 1970s, spreading across the south-west-facing slopes of the Linton Chalk Hills. The early choices leaned on German varieties which thrive in the cooler climate, including Müller-Thurgau, Ortega, Reichensteiner, Rondo and Regent.

brick and beams closeup

The Winery

In 1976, the winery’s timber-framed building arrived, moved beam by beam and brick by brick from nearby Linton. Production went modern, with temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and bottling equipment for still and sparkling wines.

closeup of chilford vinyard grapes

2004: Pinot Noir is planted

Few grapes carry the renown of Pinot Noir. It’s the soul of Burgundy’s great reds and a pillar of Champagne. Beneath the dark skin, the juice runs clear: Press it gently, and the wine becomes blanc de noirs – white from black. Chilford’s award-winning Chancellor Brut is exactly this: a 100% Pinot blanc de noirs sparkling English white.

person carrying crate of grapes in chilford vineyard

The historic 51st harvest

2026 was a difficult year for many growers, with a disastrous late frost destroying all new growth. But remarkably, the vines grew back, producing a small but excellent crop that made the most of the record-breaking heat of the 2026 English summer.

GRILLO AT CHILFORD HALL

Chilford Hall estate

view over lawn to chilford estate house
white statue of man at chilford
old vines at chilford vineyard
closeup of face of statue with sun coming through trees behind
grillo showroom building at chilford with logo on wall

The story so far

Chilford Hall has been a working farm, a wartime billet, a collector’s playground, an early English vineyard and a party venue, and it has survived a fire along the way. Here’s the story so far.

group of men sitting on tractor and trailer

A Victorian farm

Before the vines, there was the farm, built around a Victorian farmhouse. The summer of 1940 saw a tank squadron of the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (the Sharpshooters) billeted at the farm for training. The Sharpshooters had an active war, fighting in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy and Germany.

white statue of man at chilford

The 1960s: New ownership

In 1966, the estate found its showman. Sam Alper, creator of the Sprite caravan and founder of Little Chef, made Chilford Hall his family home and playground: sculpture, printmaking, wine and architectural salvage all found a home here. Farm buildings filled up with exhibitions, conferences and parties, and by 1989, the Curwen Studio had arrived.

crate of grapes on ground in vineyard

The 1970s: The vineyard

The first vines went in the ground in 1972, among the earliest of England’s modern wine revival. Back then, growing grapes in Cambridgeshire was bold – some would say foolish. But the terroir was ideal, and today the original half-century-old vines are still standing, their fruit still being vinified.

imprinted stone at chilford

The venue and the great fire

Chilford Hall became a favourite for weddings, parties and big gatherings, with the Grade II-listed Great Hall for a backdrop. In 2012 a devastating fire destroyed the Great Hall and adjoining event spaces. The house, winery and vineyard survived, a temporary event venue was erected, and tours and tastings carried on.

person emptying bucket of grapes into a crate

The 2020s: Old story, new chapter

In 2025 the Chilford Hall estate is acquired and its buildings carefully restored. The new Grillo showroom is in the Old Winery – with fire damage visible on its beams – and we’d love to welcome you for a chat and glass. And the vineyard? The 2026 vintage is quietly taking shape…

GRILLO AT CHILFORD HALL