A creative duo crafted an eco-friendly paradise, featuring a cider mill, vineyard, and farm stay lodgings
Nestled between the Mendips, Quantocks, and Blackdown Hills, Thornfalcon Winery & Press in Somerset offers a unique blend of sustainable vineyard, farm stays, and artisan craft experiences. This 40-acre microclimate, home to neat rows of Chardonnay vines and a cider press, is the brainchild of co-founders Sophie Brendel and Panu Long, who moved from London to Thornfalcon in 2022.
The property showcases handcrafted wine and cider production by Panu Long, a former mixologist known for creating exceptional cocktails. The vineyard experience is integrated with the natural landscape of the site, blending sustainability with craftsmanship.
Accommodations at Thornfalcon are as unique as the vineyard itself. There are three distinctive farm stay options, including the luxurious shepherd’s hut called the Vine Hut, which offers rustic yet stylish lodging. The Vine Hut features a unique outdoor copper roll-top bath where guests can relax under the stars, highlighting a focus on peaceful and immersive countryside living.
Alongside vineyard cultivation, Thornfalcon includes an orchard and active farm elements, allowing visitors to experience a full farm-to-table ethos and sustainable rural lifestyle. The location is described as a ‘wild and wonderful’ haven with ongoing development plans like a wildflower meadow and spa treatment room, emphasizing a holistic and evolving rural retreat.
Sophie Brendel, with her eye for color and pattern, has lovingly renovated the properties, giving them an intimate, imaginative, and carefully curated feel. This makes Thornfalcon not just a retreat, but also a creative space.
Future developments include event and art spaces, a spa in an old boatshed, and a wildflower meadow, suggesting that Thornfalcon aims to be a multi-dimensional destination blending nature, wellness, and culture.
In addition to the Vine Hut, there are two other farm stays on the property: the Coach House and the Lambing Shed. The Coach House, a characterful two-bedroom conversion, boasts reclaimed wood, polished concrete, antiques, Pooky lamps, and Tess Newall wallpaper. Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a hamper of fresh produce from the kitchen garden and local goods. The Lambing Shed sleeps two and has an outdoor wood-fired, wood-clad bath among the apple trees.
For those seeking a more hands-on experience, Thornfalcon offers a cabin via the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) scheme. For a supplement of £70 per night, guests can also enjoy a stay in a gypsy caravan.
Annunciata Elwes, director of contemporary art gallery TIN MAN ART and an award-winning journalist specializing in art, culture, and property, resides in Hampshire with a husband, two daughters, and a mischievous pug. Annunciata, who previously worked as News & Property Editor for the platform and at The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, is a frequent visitor to Thornfalcon.
The cider made at Thornfalcon is sparkling, slightly lower in alcohol, and 100% apple. Thornfalcon plans to produce sparkling wine, still white and still rosé, in the future. The residue from cider and wine making is used to feed the vegetable garden, demonstrating Thornfalcon’s commitment to sustainability.
Thornfalcon is more than just a vineyard; it's a rural idyll that offers a creative sustainable farm and vineyard experience paired with charming rustic accommodations and a vision for diverse rural hospitality, making it distinctive among Somerset’s rural venues.
- At Thornfalcon Winery & Press, organic farming practices extend beyond the vineyard and orchard, with the residue from cider and wine making being used to nourish the vegetable garden.
- For those looking for a sustainable rural lifestyle immersion, Thornfalcon offers unique accommodations like the Vine Hut, the Coach House, the Lambing Shed, and even the chance to participate in organic farming through the WWOOF scheme or a stay in a gypsy caravan.
