So, you enjoy wine and are curious about getting more involved but don’t own a vineyard? Not a problem. There are plenty of ways to experience viticulture aside from just drinking it. Invest English wine producer Folc have opened to public investment on Republic Europe. Launched in 2019, the vineyard
Libby Brodie
Tuesday 30 June 2026 2:24 pm | Updated: Tuesday 30 June 2026 2:41 pm
So, you enjoy wine and are curious about getting more involved but don’t own a vineyard? Not a problem. There are plenty of ways to experience viticulture aside from just drinking it.
Invest
Volunteer at a winery
Get your hands – and feet – dirty at Renegade Urban Winery in Walthamstow. Sign up online at renegadelondonwine.com and spend the day stomping and destemming grapes or bottling and labelling the wines. September and October are their busiest times, due to the harvest, but they need help all year round and will make sure you are fed and watered with coffee, lunch and of course, you get to try their wines too.
Volunteer at a vineyard
Forty Hall Vineyard is the first commercial scale vineyard in London since the Middle Ages and describes volunteers as the vineyard’s “lifeblood”. They are organic, practice sustainable farming and all profits support their community projects. Sessions are every Monday and Wednesday morning and the first and third Sundays in a month in Enfield and volunteers can expect to be planting, caring for the vines and harvesting grapes.
Get a wine qualification
The WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) offer qualifications in wine, spirits, sake and beer. Level 1 provides basic knowledge and food pairing ideas with a multiple-choice quiz at the end, and can be completed in one fun day out. If you fancy something more advanced, skip straight to Level 2 which covers 1 as well as more detailed winemaking and environmental information. The WSET flagship school is in London Bridge though plenty of bars offer these approved courses such as Vagabond (from £250 vagabondwines.co.uk).
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Good health is all about balance and what better than a run interspersed with glasses of delicious wine? Denbies is a 15-minute walk from Dorking station in Surrey. Their Bacchus Half Marathon has sold out for this year but the Phoenix Prosecco run on Sunday 9 August is going ahead. Run through the vineyard before celebrating the finish with fizz. Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex is also hosting a Sparkling Run on Saturday 5th September, a 10km trail with four sample stops for wine on the way and food and music at the end.
Singles and social events
First Glass Wine Events specialise in solo-friendly wine events which pair strangers based on their taste preferences. Coming up are singles events for the over 30s and 40s on 30 July and a wine and cheese friendship event on 6 August. If nothing else, you will meet people you can share a tasty bottle with, but rumour has it some long-term relationships have evolved from that first glass.
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