Winbirri Vineyards
Winbirri Vineyards
5
About
Winbirri Vineyards, award winning wines from Norfolk. This family run vineyard and winery is set in twenty five acres of beautiful Norfolk country side. With a new state of the art winery just completed all the wines are produced on site from grapes grown here at the vineyards.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
287 reviews
Excellent
260
Very good
9
Average
3
Poor
4
Terrible
11
Neal A
6 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
Firstly, I think its only fair to say that the wine is reasonably good, but thats about all the good I have to say about this place!
The story starts with 4 tickets bought as a gift for a friend and his wife. Unfortunately just before the date of visit, my friend got notice to say he was being sent abroad for work (he's in the militarily). My friend phoned the vineyard to ask if we could move the date. He spoke to a female and told her of the predicament. He was met with zero compassion and was told that the tickets could not be used for another date. My friend explained once again that he could make any other date, but once again was stonewalled. The owner, Lee, was heard putting his 10p in in the background, saying he could not move the date.
Moving on to the date of the tour and the 3 of us went, not seeing the point of wasting all the money. I have discovered 2 things that you may need to bear in mind about this place......
1) If you buy a bottle of wine from their "shop" for the love of God, tell them you are taking it away and not drinking it there! If you tell them you are drinking it there, they will apply a cover charge!! I bought a £15 bottle and got charged £20! I spoke with the owner who told me it's like being at a restaurant!! Even though we were not! Imagine going to a gin or beer festival and having to pay a cover charge on the alcohol you bought there, just because you wanted to drink it there!! Madness isn't it! But his lack of compassion really shone through with that complaint and basically told me to lump it!
I then spoke to him about the tickets! Again, zero compassion, in fact a couldn't care less attitude! Told me it's because he needed all of the sessions full and couldn't relist the tickets on his website!!! So I asked if I had basically just given him £25 for nothing and he said yes with a smug little grin! Way to support key workers and the military folk hey!!
In summary, the wine is good, but the owner is living proof a little success can go to your head and despite his impassioned speech about being loyal to his customers, it appears to me that maybe his customers are just a cash cow waiting to be milked!
The story starts with 4 tickets bought as a gift for a friend and his wife. Unfortunately just before the date of visit, my friend got notice to say he was being sent abroad for work (he's in the militarily). My friend phoned the vineyard to ask if we could move the date. He spoke to a female and told her of the predicament. He was met with zero compassion and was told that the tickets could not be used for another date. My friend explained once again that he could make any other date, but once again was stonewalled. The owner, Lee, was heard putting his 10p in in the background, saying he could not move the date.
Moving on to the date of the tour and the 3 of us went, not seeing the point of wasting all the money. I have discovered 2 things that you may need to bear in mind about this place......
1) If you buy a bottle of wine from their "shop" for the love of God, tell them you are taking it away and not drinking it there! If you tell them you are drinking it there, they will apply a cover charge!! I bought a £15 bottle and got charged £20! I spoke with the owner who told me it's like being at a restaurant!! Even though we were not! Imagine going to a gin or beer festival and having to pay a cover charge on the alcohol you bought there, just because you wanted to drink it there!! Madness isn't it! But his lack of compassion really shone through with that complaint and basically told me to lump it!
I then spoke to him about the tickets! Again, zero compassion, in fact a couldn't care less attitude! Told me it's because he needed all of the sessions full and couldn't relist the tickets on his website!!! So I asked if I had basically just given him £25 for nothing and he said yes with a smug little grin! Way to support key workers and the military folk hey!!
In summary, the wine is good, but the owner is living proof a little success can go to your head and despite his impassioned speech about being loyal to his customers, it appears to me that maybe his customers are just a cash cow waiting to be milked!
Written July 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brighton9
East Sussex, UK441 contributions
Sep 2021
Firstly let me say the Bacchus wine was really good; however my rating relates to the "tour" which comprised some time spent at the end of a row of vines and then time in front of some steel fermenting tanks. The group size (around 40) was much too large for a decent tour in the space available and at £25 it was more expensive than others we have done. It was more of a talk than a tour. I appreciate that Winbirri aim to produce high quality wine and in 2017 won a prestigious award, but we could have been told that in a much shorter time. The Head Winemaker who took us round speaks exactly like David Brent from The Office which was mildly amusing. There were
constant references to "I" rather then "we", so the experience came across as a bit of an ego trip.
constant references to "I" rather then "we", so the experience came across as a bit of an ego trip.
Written September 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah T
Norwich, UK17 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
This company sadly has the worst customer service that I have ever dealt with. We bought a voucher for 4 for a 50th birthday gift and sadly it was a disaster. Winbirri were firstly unsympathetic when three of us were ill with Covid and made us pay another £20 to change the booking. They then cancelled on us, no refund of our £20, and stipulated when we could and could not go. It ended up with only me being able to make the date so I dragged along a couple of friends. The tasting tent is unattractive and cold in May, the owner is very, very full of himself, you don't see the vineyards in the photos, and the wines are expensive for what they are. This could be so much better than it is. They let themselves down so badly with their customer service, not answering phone messages or emails for at least a couple of weeks. No apology when they cancelled. I think their one award has gone to their head!
Written June 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Norfolk_HelenC
Norwich17 contributions
Aug 2021
Fascinating visit. Lee the owner is passionate about his wines and gave us a really good insight into the work of producing excellent wines. The site is well organised for tours as well as for drop in visitors. The tour lasted 3 1/2 hours and included 5 tastings in a pleasant marquee with good information about each wine. We tasted the sparkling, 2 white wines and 2 red. I have since recommended the tour to several friends. I will look at all wines in future with a more experienced eye!!
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tsmorgan10
Wakefield, UK18 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
What a fabulous day. My family and I arrived early and enjoyed a fantastic bottle of sparking reserve while we waited for the meat and cheese sharing boards. When they arrived they were substantial and delicious and served by a lovely team of people, friendly and efficient. Lee then took us for an hour on the vineyard tour which was very interesting and at times quite emotional. Well done to you and your family. We finished with a 2 hour wine tasting with 5 amazing wines again explained with passion and fun by Lee. We would thoroughly recommend this tour. It far exceeded our expectations which were high!
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Edward J
Norwich, UK10 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
The history of the vineyard was expertly explained by Lee in the field where the original vines were planted in 2007. The tour progressed to the fermenting shed, then into the marquee where we sampled five excellent wines. Lee is extremely knowledgeable and presented very well, with his passion for wine-making very evident. We hadn't expected the session to last for three hours but it was not a moment too long. My only negative observation is that there is a lot of time spent standing, which I found quite uncomfortable. It would be good to have a facility for sitting down during more of the presentation
Written September 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steadyonic
Norwich, UK13 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
The wine making business isn’t classically famous in Norfolk, but this amazing local business have set the bar so high (the highest in fact), by offering an honest insight into how the vines were initially planted, to the organic grape growing process, and the massive amounts of hard hands-on work it takes to run a vineyard and make 5 different wines. Vegan wines too, so no horrible added crap!
I was in awe about how incredible the process is, and that they truly let nature work it’s magic on the grape juice! Many vineyards use a lot of chemicals and automatic processes, but this team do most of it by hand so get a seamless product and award winning results!
The knowledge of the owner was perfect, it was a very entertaining and captivating tour, and I learned a lot as a wine drinker.
The tasting session was also very informative, the setting was comfortable and relaxed, and they were happy to answer an array of questions and compare other wines and their processes, and why they do it better.
I would highly recommend a visit, definitely get a taxi, and make sure you eat something!!
I was in awe about how incredible the process is, and that they truly let nature work it’s magic on the grape juice! Many vineyards use a lot of chemicals and automatic processes, but this team do most of it by hand so get a seamless product and award winning results!
The knowledge of the owner was perfect, it was a very entertaining and captivating tour, and I learned a lot as a wine drinker.
The tasting session was also very informative, the setting was comfortable and relaxed, and they were happy to answer an array of questions and compare other wines and their processes, and why they do it better.
I would highly recommend a visit, definitely get a taxi, and make sure you eat something!!
Written August 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Offley
Offley1 contribution
Jul 2021
It may be a bit more humble than a Bordeaux chateau wine tour, but vigneron Lee with his passion and enthusiasm, gives one of the best tours with an indepth history of the vineyard, how they chose the grapes, planted and cultivated them to win impressive awards. We tasted 5 different wines in generous glasses, all superb. The two red wines were a real surprising eye opener ! Afterwards we sat in the garden with a glass and a board of local cheeses and meats next to the vines.
Written August 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
david p
Thornham Magna, UK170 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
So much better than any of the Bordeaux vineyard trips I have been on. Passion, huge knowledge and the ability to enthuse everyone about his exceptional wines, Lee Dyer is impressive and no wonder he makes such great wines. Real detail with a sense of humour makes this a fun 3 hour tour.The wine tasting at the end of the tour is exceptional and we tried 5 different wines.
There is a bar area to have lunch which is good value and very tasty. Wines, coffee and soft drinks are available with plenty of outdoor seating. Superb tour. Great wine prices too and a commitment to maintain the current profit margins for long term growth and customer loyalty. Music to everyone's ears.
There is a bar area to have lunch which is good value and very tasty. Wines, coffee and soft drinks are available with plenty of outdoor seating. Superb tour. Great wine prices too and a commitment to maintain the current profit margins for long term growth and customer loyalty. Music to everyone's ears.
Written August 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bedefelts
Thames Ditton, UK105 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
Wonderful. Exceeded all our expectations. Having been on many wine tours before we weren't sure what to expect but wow, hey, this was the real deal! Taken on a tour by Lee, the main guy and Head Wine Maker at Winbirri it was great to hear his story first hand. (Search Decanter Winbirri for a glimpse). The tasting was fab too with five different wines to taste and a crash course in viticulture too. Highly recommended. Thanks Lee
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello I am trying to contact you via the phone number on your website but it's constantly engaged. When is best to call as I would like to make 4 bookings for this Sunday?
ChristabelSouthWales
Usk, UK224 contributions
I cannot believe that folks who want to make bookings and bring business to the vineyard are not having their phone calls or emails answered. Is this still the case?
LeeDyer
Norwich, UK4 contributions
No all emails and calls are answered but the tour bookings are automated on the winbirri website. Calls and emails just after the award win had taken just over 7 months to reply back to due the deluge of inbound request just over 15000 inbound emails in fist month alone.
Katie H
Norwich, UK19 contributions
I've also not been able to get through to anyone on the mobile or email address to book! Hope to hear from you soon as want to book for 6 people last sat in July!
rori49
Mauritius16 contributions
I have been trying to contact the Vineyard to book a tour. I've phoned, emailed and messaged via the Vineyards website but have not received a reply. How do I book?
Iain vdR
Lagos, Portugal14 contributions
I suspect that their recent success has meant that they have been inundated with requests. Our wine club luckily booked a few months before the news broke of their award winning wine (it's delicious by the way).
Their phones were red hot from buyers, supermarkets and the press. In fact they took 10 years worth of orders in 4 hours. Now having seen the commitment that they put into their wines and the attention to detail, I think it's a case and safe to say that we're caught out by all the publicity and not really prepared or geared up for dealing with the thousands and thousands of enquiries they have been getting.
They are a fantastic bunch of people and we were grateful that they honoured our booking despite all the turbulence going round them from the publicity.
Bear with them, it's so worth it.
Hope this helps!
Iain
fleursmum
Yorkshire44 contributions
We are hopefully in the area for one week from 17th June and wondered if it might be possible for us to join a tour. I did email you but have not had a reply. My husband leads a wine appreciation group for our local U3A in Bridlington and he has studied wine appreciation for many years. Look forward to a reply.
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Claim your listingWinbirri Vineyards - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Winbirri Vineyards
- Winbirri Vineyards is open:
- Sun - Sun 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Sat - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Hotels near Winbirri Vineyards:
- (0.12 mi) Surlingham Lodge Studio Suite
- (0.11 mi) Surlingham Lodge Garden Suite
- (0.16 mi) Surlingham Lodge Cottages
- (1.25 mi) Yare View Holiday Cottages
- (1.95 mi) Norwich East (Broadlands/A47) hotel
- Restaurants near Winbirri Vineyards:
- (0.75 mi) The Ferry House
- (2.68 mi) Brasteds
- (3.57 mi) River Green Restaurant
- (0.85 mi) Waters Edge Bramerton
- (4.58 mi) Namaste Village Norwich