New masterclass hosts, new exhibitors and, of course, stunning new home-grown wines to sample are set to make this year’s Vineyard & Winery Show another cork-popping success.
With the early harvest long since safely gathered in, there can be no excuse for anyone with an interest in growing grapes, making and selling wine or simply discovering what’s new in the world of viticulture to miss the sixth iteration of this remarkable celebration.
Around 120 trade exhibitors are set to pack both exhibition halls at the Kent County Showground, making this year’s event on Wednesday 25 November a must-visit for anyone with an interest in English and Welsh wines, while it’s end-of-season timing provides the ideal opportunity for growers and makers to catch their breath and chat to friends, colleagues, suppliers and customers.
As well as visiting standholders keen to talk about the latest developments in everything from bottle labelling to marketing, soil health, winery technology and grape varieties, those attending the event will be able to sample some of the very best home-grown wines that have wowed both competition judges and wine writers over the past 12 months.
There will again be two tasting hubs, one in the Maidstone Exhibition Hall dedicated to the ‘Golden 50’, wines that have won gold or platinum medals across 10 national and international competitions, and one in the John Henry Pavilion featuring wines chosen by Vineyard magazine’s own specialist writers over the past year.
That hub will this year feature wines selected not only by the late and much-missed Matthew Jukes, who sadly died in August, but by the two top writers who have stepped in to fill his shoes, Henry Jeffreys and Tom Surgey.
Matthew’s picks from the first nine months of the year, along with Henry’s selections for November and Tom’s December choices, will make for a rewarding tasting experience and will be joined by at least one very special wine chosen by Vineyard magazine editor Rebecca Farmer.
Rebecca has added a Pinot Noir from Biddenden that was originally intended to be enjoyed by the sadly missed Matthew Jukes. She explained: “Tom Barnes always used to create something a bit different for Matthew to try each year and he was always happy to give Tom his opinion.
“At this year’s WineGB trade tasting in September, Tom decided that he would bring Matthew’s Bottle with him in tribute to the much-loved writer, even though its namesake was sadly no longer with us. Those of us who tried it really enjoyed it, and so Tom agreed to have it bottled and labelled in time for this year’s Vineyard & Winery Show.”
That Pinot Noir, along with all the other wines featured on the Vineyard hub will be eligible for the inaugural Matthew Jukes’ Trophy for the Vineyard magazine Wine of The Year, which will be judged by Henry and Tom, who will also be joint hosts of this year’s masterclass. Proceeds from the ever-popular masterclass will again be donated to the Drinks Trust.
This year’s ‘Golden 50’ proved a challenge for show partners WineGB, forced to choose the hub’s gems for this year from no fewer than 130 top-notch competition winners, a good-to-have dilemma that highlights the continuing ascendency of the UK’s wine.
For those growers and makers who aspire to become future medal winners, the show’s exhibitors will again be providing plenty of help, offering the usual mix of advice on everything from planting vines and keeping them healthy to the best winery equipment, bottling and labelling options and routes to market.
Specialist advice on everything from raising finance to insurance, agronomy and soil analysis will be on offer at this free-to-attend celebration of English and Welsh wine, while the show’s increasingly high profile means that it also attracts the major players in winemaking machinery and equipment. There are plenty of experts on hand, both for those who are starting out and for those who are looking to expand.
New exhibitors for 2026 include VitiForce, a specialist vineyard management company providing professional, practical and reliable viticulture services across the UK, Tellia, which offers an AI solution to help busy vineyard teams log issues and tasks, and bottle wholesaler and winery supplies company Zimber Kellereibedarf.
This year’s show also sees the Vineyard & Winery Show debut of Frank P Matthews Trees, a company with a 125-year history and experience across commercial orchards, agroforestry projects and landscaping schemes.
Other first-time exhibitors include barrel storage specialists Intox, bird deterrent company Scarecrow, winemaker Enologie.Wine, and BDE Farm Trac, a record-keeping platform that promises to help vineyards stay compliant without mountains of paperwork.
Starting at 9.40am in the Astor Pavilion, WineGB has again organised a fine line-up of speakers who will lead seminars throughout the show on the theme of ‘resilience’, an appropriate topic following a scorching summer which has affected yields but delivered a quality harvest.
A second, technical, masterclass hosted by Rankin Brothers and Sons will tackle ‘Caps and Closures’ and outline the best ways in which winemakers can make sure their pride and joy tastes as it should do by the time it reaches the consumer. There will be two chances to join the masterclass, at 2.30pm and 3.45pm, with Henry and Tom’s masterclass happening at 1pm.
While the wine hubs are always popular, there are plenty of other catering options available, providing a chance to catch up with friends and colleagues over a coffee rather than a cabernet.
Headline sponsors for this year’s show, which is again expected to welcome well over 2,000 visitors during the day, are Autajon Labels Royston, Itasca Wines, Hutchinsons, NFU Mutual and Vitifruit Equipment. The show is also proud to have the ongoing support of leading trade body WineGB.
“We have been delighted with the success of the Vineyard & Winery Show since we launched it six years ago and we think the 2026 show will prove to the biggest and best yet,” said Vineyard magazine publisher and event organiser Jamie McGrorty.
“Whether you are looking for inspiration, keen to find out what’s new in the world of viticulture or just fancy sampling some of the finest English and Welsh wines available, this year’s show really is a must visit.”
Get your free ticket to the show
The Vineyard & Winery Show will be an unmissable event for anyone working in viticulture and wine production in the UK. The show takes place on
25 November 2026 at the Kent County Showground, Detling, Kent.
Organised by Vineyard magazine and supported by WineGB, it will be an invaluable opportunity for all viticulturalists, winemakers, suppliers and the trade to come together. There will be a packed programme including a series of seminars from WineGB, tastings of the UK’s top wines, lots of machinery and equipment to see – as well the opportunity to network with peers.
To register for your free ticket go to www.vineyardshow.com
