Quoit at Cross Vineyard

What's the vibe?

Quoit at Cross has the feel of a working farm that happens to make very good wine. The site is small, personal and unhurried, with Tim Hill typically leading tours himself and doing the pouring. The views from the vines across the Exe Valley are genuinely impressive for somewhere this accessible. It suits people who want an experience that's rooted in a real place rather than a polished visitor centre.

Quoit at Cross runs public guided tours twice a week from April to October, on Friday evenings at 5:30pm and Sunday mornings at 11:30am. Each tour lasts around 90 minutes and includes a walk around the vines followed by a tasting of three wines.

Booking is essential - the vineyard does not offer drop-in tours. You can book via the Tours and Tastings page on the website or by contacting Tim directly.

Price: £13.50 per person. Under 18s are free.

Private tours can be arranged on any day by prior appointment. A minimum of eight paying guests is required. Tim can also bring a guided tasting to an external location for private dinners, birthdays, hen and stag parties and similar occasions - get in touch to discuss details.

Dogs & children: Well-behaved dogs on a lead are welcome on tours at no charge. Children are welcome and under 18s go free. Note that appropriate footwear is required for walking through farmland - the site is on a slight hill.

Parking: On-site parking is available.

The vineyard also runs occasional creative workshops and events - check the events page for what's coming up.

Quoit at Cross produces traditional-method sparkling wines alongside a small range of still wines, all made from grapes grown on the estate's 5-acre site in mid-Devon.

The Classic Cuvée is the flagship - a sparkling wine made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that won Silver at the Food and Drink Devon Awards in its first year and was upgraded to Gold in its second. The still Bacchus/Chardonnay blend won Bronze at the same competition. A Sparkling Rosé and a Col Fondo are also in the lineup, with both launching in 2026 alongside a still Rosé.

All wines are fully vegan - no animal by-products are used at any stage of production.

Grapes planted on the estate include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Bacchus, Seyval Blanc and Pinot Gris. The south-east-facing slopes and elevated position give the site an unusually favourable microclimate for mid-Devon, with views all the way to the Sidmouth Gap on a clear day.

Wines are available to buy on site after tours and through the online shop.

By car

The vineyard is located at Quoit at Cross, Stoodleigh, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 9PJ. It sits in the upland hills of mid-Devon, around 20 minutes from Junction 27 of the M5, with Tiverton visible from the vines. Follow satnav to the postcode - the roads are rural so allow a little extra time on the approach.

By public transport

The nearest mainline station is Tiverton Parkway, which has direct services from London Paddington, Bristol and Exeter. The vineyard is approximately 20 minutes by taxi from the station. There is no practical walking or bus option from the station to the site so pre-booking a local taxi is recommended.

Stoodleigh sits in a quiet part of mid-Devon that rewards exploring, with a good mix of history, countryside and food nearby.

Food & drink

• Stoodleigh Inn - The local pub, a few minutes' walk from the vineyard, is handy for a meal before or after your visit.
• The Fisherman's Cot, Bickleigh - A popular riverside pub by the Exe, a short drive away and a good spot for lunch.

Attractions

• Knightshayes Court - A National Trust Victorian Gothic Revival mansion near Tiverton with impressive gardens and parkland walks. About 15 minutes by car.
• Bickleigh Castle - A moated castle near the village of Bickleigh with guided tours and a picturesque riverside setting.
• Grand Western Canal Country Park - Over 11 miles of towpath walks and cycling near Tiverton, with one of the last horse-drawn barges in England still in operation.
• Exmoor National Park - Around 30 minutes north, with sweeping moorland, coastal paths and some of the best walking in the South West.

Tim Hill came to winemaking via two years working in Margaret River, the small but high-profile region in south-west Australia that produces a disproportionate share of the country's finest wines. That experience shaped his approach when he returned to the UK in 2018 and started planning a vineyard on the family farm in Stoodleigh - land his family has farmed for close to a hundred years.

The first 800 vines went in on a warm April day in 2019, planted across a south-east-facing slope at altitude with long views towards the Exe Valley. These served as a test area for three years before Tim expanded in 2022 with another 1,400 vines, and again in 2025 with a further 2,000, bringing the total to 4,500 across roughly 5 acres.

The choice to diversify a traditional livestock and arable farm into a vineyard was deliberate - a way of giving new life to land that might otherwise have continued down a well-worn path. The Col Fondo in the range hints at a producer willing to experiment beyond the expected, even at this early stage.

The Food and Drink Devon Awards wins came quickly: Silver for the Classic Cuvée in year one, Gold in year two. For a vineyard still finding its feet in terms of scale and range, that trajectory is notable.