Secret vineyard with wine tasting and craft village

When you think of vineyards and wine, Staffordshire may not be the first place your mind goes to, but 41 years ago father and son Martin and Clive Vickers planted 400 vines on their West Midlands farm and many believe they helped to officially put English wine on the map.

It was no easy feat getting Halfpenny Green Wine Estate up and running, but now, over four decades later the picturesque vineyard produces 250,000 bottles a year and it is a short drive from the Welsh border.

Speaking about the vineyard's success, Clive said: "A vineyard in South Staffordshire in the early 80s wasn’t necessarily viewed as a recipe for success. To be honest, I thought my dad was bonkers, so I couldn’t disagree with what anyone else might have been saying.

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"It was extremely hard work in the early days. People thought that the quality would be terrible and that the weather was too miserable for it to work. It took some time to change perceptions."

But throughout the years, Halfpenny has certainly changed perceptions. During the 2000s, Clive says there was something of a boom in the popularity of English wine, in part due to the popularisation of farmers' markets.

He said: "Those farmers' markets revolutionised the English wine scene back in the early 2000s, which was when things really started to take off. It got us out to the masses and we carved out a reputation. Our name became synonymous with really good quality.

"I’m sure we became a talking point at dinner parties, where people would pour a glass as a novelty, not that we minded as we were confident they’d come back for another bottle."

And for those wanting to visit the vineyard, it's not just wine you can expect with the estate also featuring a zoological park, which is home to meerkats, reptiles and a number of birds of prey.

There is also a craft village featuring 16 independent businesses, including a pottery studio, a pet portrait studio, and high-class jeweller.

With its eclectic mix of animals and wine, Halfpenny makes for the perfect day out, complete with a meal at the restaurant and deli, run by Clive’s wife Lisa, a qualified chef who took over in January 2000.

Tours at Halfpenny Green Wine Estate run on selected dates from January – October and can be booked via their website.