We Believe Wine & Beer Should Be Fun
We take wine and beer seriously. Ourselves? Not so much. Tipple Tours (formerly known as Smiling Grape Adventure Tours) was born from a simple idea: the best way to experience great drinks is with great people, in amazing places, without any pretension.
Est. 2018
Eight years of strange adventures and strong drinks
Small Groups. Big Personalities.
Still small enough to know everyone's name by day two. And probably their embarrassing stories by day three.
12 Countries
Exploring wine regions, beer cities and wonderfully weird places
Guinness World Record
Yes, really. It involved pubs.
Recognition for our wine merchant, The Smiling Grape Company
Winner · 2015
International Wine Challenge
Regional Merchant of the Year, Eastern England
Shortlisted · 2016
Grocer Gold Awards
UK Drinks Retailer of the Year
Finalist · 2014
Drinks Retailing Awards
UK Independent Drinks Retailer of the Year
Finalist · 2013
Harpers Awards
Best Top Merchant of the Year (up to 3 stores)
Runner-Up · 2010
Drinks Retailing Awards
UK Independent Wine Retailer of the Year
As Seen In · National press
“Domino's Pérignon”
Matt's fast-food wine pairings
Serious wine credentials. Slightly questionable adventures.
Tipple Tours grew out of The Smiling Grape Company, the independent wine merchant we founded in 2008 and winner of the International Wine Challenge's Regional Merchant of the Year for Eastern England in 2015.
After years of discovering brilliant bottles and making wine less intimidating, we started taking people to the source. Today, that same curiosity fuels our small-group wine, beer and food adventures. The wine knowledge comes with us. The pretentious tasting notes stay at home.
Our wine merchant roots & awardsHow It Started
It started in Moldova — a country quietly producing some of the world's best wines. We came out of curiosity. We stayed for the hospitality, the atmosphere and some of the best nights of our lives.
But what struck us most wasn't the wine (though it was exceptional). It was the people. The stories. The laughter. The feeling of being welcomed into something special.
We came back convinced that this is what wine and beer tours should be. Not crowded buses and rushed itineraries. Real connections, real experiences, real fun.
Our Philosophy
Three beliefs that guide everything we do.
Small Groups Win
Big tours are impersonal. We keep groups small (4-12 people) so everyone gets attention, everyone makes friends and everyone has an incredible time.
Fun is Non-Negotiable
If you're not laughing, we're doing it wrong. Wine and beer should be enjoyed, not studied. You'll learn plenty—but it won't feel like homework.
Authentic Always
No tourist traps. No manufactured experiences. We go where locals go, eat what locals eat and show you the real side of every destination.
Hi, I'm Matt.
Founder & Chief Sip Officer
I started Tipple Tours after years of extremely serious "research" into wine, beer and drinking cultures around the world.
Turns out most tours were a bit… polite.
So I built something better.
Small groups. Real producers. Long dinners. Generous pours.
If you like great flavours, curious places and good company, you'll fit right in.
Confessions of a Chief Sip Officer
Favourite wine: Pinot Noir. Dangerous.
Favourite beer: IPA that means business
Worst hangover: Sarajevo. Classified.
Weirdest drink: Deer antler wine. Don't ask.
Rule: Never rush dinner
Claim To Fame: First person to achieve a Guinness World Record for The Most Pubs Visited In 24 Hours By An Individual
Things We've Been Up To Since 2018
Past Adventures Have Included
- A wine tasting inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (yes, really)
- A 25,000-mile pub crawl around the world
- A crazy No-Itinerary Tour where the locals decided what happened next
- A Red Horse beer fuelled karaoke marathon in the Philippines
- Wine Tasting Surfing in Portugal. Sadly the waves won
A worrying number of "just one more" moments.
As Featured In
What the press says about us
"One of the strangest travel experiences imaginable."
"A good way to get insight into people's lives and different cultures."
"Alcohol can bring people together."
"People will find locals warm, accommodating, and inquisitive."
Registered Company
Tipple Tours Ltd
UK Company
London Office
4th Floor Silverstream House
Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6EB
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