Denbies Wine Estate

My review is based on the wine tour. This has to be the worst tasting experience I’ve ever had. Lets see where do I begin. First off on the website you get the impression they offer 3 distinct wine tasting tours. The standard wines 10GBP, the sparkling 14GBP, and the wine and food pairing 16GBP. In all reality it’s all just one tour. They literally combine all three into one tour with about 30 – 40 people. The sparking tour has to sit and listen to the wines they aren’t even tasting. In our case the 360 video was broken, so we didn’t get that experience. The guy suggests this means more time in the tasting part… but not extra tastings, what crap. People had kids on the tour, which is also just dumb as hell. The guys microphone was fading out and we listened to loud static at times. The worst part of the tour was the tasting experience. First, you get your wine in a miniature wine glass. If you know anything about wine you know the wine glass shape and size plays a very important part with the release of the aromatic bouquet. The tastings are so small they are literally about ½ of 1 oz. Not even enough to know if you want to buy a bottle. PATHETIC. I get better tastings in Dundee Oregon drinking some of the best Pinot noir’s in the world for the same price. The part the takes the cake is the food paring. The guy didn’t even address us on the tour as to what foods to pair with what wines other than on the very first wine.
As far as what we were able to decipher from the tastings I’d rate the wines as average at best. If you want to try their wines just buy a bottle at the store and save yourself a huge waste of money and time.
FYI — the outdoor «Train tour» is not really a train. It’s basically a car towing a bunch of trailers with seats. Not an actual TRAIN.
Now here’s where I give them credit. Their web page designer did an amazing job making this out to better than it really is. The only thing that is worth noting is the landscape is quite beautiful.
If you’re visiting Dorking (which we loved) just stay in town and skip the winery.

I went here with my family last night for the annual Denbies Christmas dinner dance, and we left extremely disappointed. The standard of service and quality of food was very poor this year, and the staff did not seem overly interested in dealing with our complaints (that was when we finally managed to drag a reluctant maitre d’ over!). To mention just a couple of our gripes; the smoked salmon starter was lazily slung together (with salmon straight from the packet!), the vegetables with the main were cold, and at the end of the meal you had to help yourself to tea and coffee from a small table in the corner. Now before you think ‘oh there’s always someone who has a specific grievance so this review isn’t representative’, let me assure you that several other people from other tables I spoke to last night were equally disappointed. This place has gone seriously downhill, and given the ambitious price per head, we shall not be returning next year.

As we did not get a tour on the Estate last time, it was fully booked, we went on Bank holiday. I had been before in the early days with a tour of the underground people carrier as well. This time no underground tour as no time, but the other tour conducted excellently by the tour driver. The only thing that he did not know that Denbies was used in an episode of «Rosemary & Thyme «with Felicity Kendall !

With the great taste of the Denbies wine in your hand from the vinyard it’s a great place to visit and see the sights of the history of the bonuses from the tour. Try to book on with Steve as he makes it more fun

This is a review for the restaurant in the vineyard’s visitor centre.
We often go out for Sunday lunch and we end up at Denbies occasionally when I have forgotten the last experience, or am feeling particularly optimistic.
My issue with this place is simple. Their process for serving hot food is just wrong. During the peak Sunday lunch hour, they make you queue up (canteen style) to select your own food and pay for it at the one open till. (Opening the other till would help get the queue through a lot faster!) Twenty minutes later, you get back to your seat with a delicious plate of stone cold food.
When hot, the roasts look excellent, I just wish that I could try them at the temperature they are meant to be eaten at.

having driven pass many time along A24 to dorking it was a nice place to stop. and see the grapevines and also going on the winetasting tour the white wine is very refreshing

Wine making in this country is a fledgling industry but with warmer temperatures predicted, it may become more prevalent.
Denbies is a local vineyard and wine producer. Being a non drinker, I can’t comment on their wine but they’ve cleverly diversified their vineyard just north of Dorking into a visitor’s attraction and restaurant
They offer tours of their vineyard, the outdoor tour running from March to November with an all year round indoor wine experience tour. There is a new indoor tour with 360 degree cinema and indoor moving train as part of the tour together with wine tasting at the end of the tour
The large visitors’ centre also houses a large gift shop and 2 restaurants serving hot food.
This is a great place for a day out in Surrey
I also have to pay tribute to Adrian White, the owner of Denbies, who has been a very generous benefactor and supporter of the local district general hospital in Epsom. His generosity has led to the building of the Denbies wing at the hospital as well as other capital projects.

Wine is ok but very over priced for standard. If your planning on visiting the tea shop, you’ll be forgiven for thinking your in an old peoples home

This was a lovely day out. The wine yard is set amongst the stunning backdrop of some of Surrey’s most beautiful coutry-​side.
The wine-​yard is professionlly run, the tour was fun if a little long, especially the tasting part and being taken to see the various different grapes. It was educational and fun for all of the family.
They have a lovel café and shop which has all sorts of delightful treats, gifts and also a section where you can buy the wine at discounted prices.
There is a lovely gallery which although small showcases some local talent on the first floor and on the second floor there is a lovely restaurant which has decent food, a spectacular panoramic view of the whole place. it’s quite simply a stunning view.
Outside is a farm shop which is small and with not much choice but still worth a look.

Went to a friends wedding reception there last september and had a great time. Its a stunning venue and the reception was upstairs in the turret area and the views are amazing. Wine also very good and staff very helpful. Brilliant place to get merry and married if that takes your fancy.
Melam

A good day out from London — 45 min by train from Waterloo or Victoria — is Denbies wine tour. They make some of the best British wines around and I believe their sparkling white is an award winner.
It’s pretty interesting findinding out how they make the vino and let’s face it there are not many vinyards to snoop around in good old Blighty.
Some of the tour is a little long, but the wine tasting is fun in the cellars. Also afterwards you can buy the wine at a discounted price in their little shop.
You can, by the way, also buy some of their wines from Waitrose now. But not, unfortunately, the Rose, which I think is best — so if you pay them a visit, stock up!