about us
Welcombe Hills Vineyard is a family business run by husband and wife team, Jonathan and Nichola Kelsey.
In 2017, a job change moved our family 100 miles from London to rural Warwickshire. We were lucky enough to fall in love and buy a house nestled on the Welcombe Hills that overlooks Stratford-Upon-Avon that also came with a small English vineyard.
We decided from the start, despite no experience, that we were going to manage it ourselves and it has been a rollercoaster of a ride!
Welcombe Hills Vineyard was planted in 2001 as a small “hobby vineyard” and has steadily grown over time. Today, we nurture nine grape varieties across 4.5 acres — a diverse planting that reflects our gradual expansion and our love of experimenting with English wine.
The land itself has deep roots in local history. Once farmed by the Shakespeare family and later part of the well‑known Snitterfield Fruit Farm, it remains surrounded by plum and apple orchards and a neighbouring strawberry field. Perched high on rocky clay terroir with excellent drainage flowing down toward the River Avon, it’s an ideal site for growing characterful English grapes.
Our early plantings began with Pinot Noir, Dornfelder and Bacchus in 2001, followed by further Bacchus, Auxerrois, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Précoce in 2003, and additional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Précoce in 2010. In 2020, we expanded again, adding 3,500 new vines and bringing the vineyard to a total of around 6,000.
Over the years, Welcombe Hills Vineyard has earned a reputation locally and nationally for producing high‑quality, award‑winning wines — including five silver medals in 2021 from WineGB and the IEWA.
Although we’ve welcomed visitors for tours and tastings in the past, the vineyard is currently not open to the public, and we’re not running tours as we focus on family time and the ongoing work among the vines. Our wines remain available online and through the wonderful local shops, bars and restaurants that proudly stock them.