A is for Art
Wine has been a worldwide source of artistic inspiration for millennia and in Sussex the worlds of art and wine continue to collide. At Artelium (artelium.com), in Street, the Artefact range of still wines is dedicated to a different artist each year, with artists designing the labels and a piece of artwork to sit among the vines. Art is also central to Nutbourne Vineyards (nutbournevineyards.com), near Pulborough, where artist owner Bridget Gladwin and her son Oliver’s bold paintings adorn wine bottle labels and hang in the winery buildings.
B is for Bolney Wine Estate
Acquired in 2022 by Freixenet Copestick in what was the first-ever sale of an English wine brand to a major international sparkling wine group, Bolney Vineyard near Haywards Heath is Sussex’s oldest commercial vineyard having been planted by Janet and Rodney Pratt in 1972. The couple’s daughter, Sam Linter, took over the reins in 1995, helping to build it to one of the top ten wine producers in the UK. From traditional tours and tastings to afternoon teas and dining in the vines (from £20) the vineyard runs experiences throughout the year. bolneywineestate.com
C is for Chasselas
Chasselas, also known as Gutedel, is a white wine grape widely grown in Switzerland but is also found in France, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Sussex! Bluebell Vineyard Estate, near Uckfield, is thought to have the only commercial planting of this variety in the UK and the 2020 vintage (£20.40) won bronze at Mondial Du Chasselas, where it was pitted against wines from countries that have been growing the grape for decades. The vineyard, which has a beautiful self-guided woodland trail, is open for tours and tastings from Thursday to Sunday (from £23.95).
bluebellwines.com
D is for deer
Alongside spring frost and disease, deer pose a significant threat to vineyards by grazing on young shoots, leaves and grape clusters. However, at Roebuck Estates the respect they have for the deer that frequent their Petworth vineyard is so high they’ve used them as a brand name. Tours take place on Fridays and Saturdays (£25pp) but one of the best times to visit is Friday evenings, when the vineyard hosts Sunset Sipping sessions (£25pp) at The View where you can enjoy pizza and a glass of fizz while watching the sun go down behind the vines and, perhaps, a deer or two. roebuckestates.co.uk
E is for Everflyht
After relocating from London to Ditchling in East Sussex, Sam and Ben Ellis built their own home and planted 16 acres of vines on the land. Under the watchful eye of general manager and viticulturist Luke Spalding and with the help of the winemakers at Hambledon in Hampshire, the couple create traditional method white and rose sparklings. Their non-vintage brut is incredible value at £30 per bottle but they also produce gastronomic sparklings favoured by top restaurants such as Skoff by Tom Barnes. Tours run monthly from May to September (£30pp). everflyht.com
F is for the Flint Barns at Rathfinny
Originally developed to provide accommodation to grape pickers during harvest, The Flint Barns are an iconic part of Rathfinny’s 600-acre Alfriston estate. Guests can wake up right in the heart of the 230-acres of vines, before exploring the vineyard trail that sweeps through the Cradle Valley, ending up back at The Hut to share a bottle of owner Mark Driver’s favourite Blanc de Noirs 2020 (£55). Tours, tastings and events take place at the B-Corp vineyard throughout the year.
rathfinnyestate.com
G is for glamping
With king sized beds, soft lighting, individual luxurious washrooms and wine made from the surrounding vines available to order, collect and take back to your bell tent, glamping at Oastbrook Estate near Bodiam is quite the experience (from £130 per night). If a night under canvas isn’t for you then there’s a subterranean Vineyard Hollow and scandi-inspired waterside lodge. Either way the friendly vineyard dog, Laura, impeccable hosting by owners America and Nick Brewer and their daughter, Gaby, who leads kids tours, ensure there’s no end of fun to be had. In fact, far too much to fit here so turn to page XX to read more in the Grapevine column.
oastbrook.com
H is for Henners
The picturesque village of Herstmonceux has been home to Henner’s Vineyard since 2007 but the site, which overlooks the natural beauty of the Pevensey Levels Nature Reserve – affectionately referred to as ‘the Sussex Serengeti’, only officially opened to the public in 2022. Collette O’Leary heads up the all-female winemaking team, alongside Sam Williams, and together they make wines strongly influenced by the sea breezes that flow from the English Channel just five miles away. Head there at weekends in summer and you can pair their wines – including the silky Blanc de Blancs 2018 (£49) – with food from a range of local pop ups from fish and chips to Nepalese street food. henners.com
I is for international
As well as being enjoyed on home ground, Sussex wines are exported to and are popular in countries such as Norway, Canada and Japan. They’re internationally revered too and regularly win awards alongside some of the world’s most prestigious and well-established wineries.
J is for Jack Pike
Peter Hall is regarded as a winemaking pioneer. He planted his Breaky Bottom vineyard in Lewes in 1974 with Seyval Blanc, mostly for its ability to ripen in the cooler British climate. He gained a reputation for making still wines but in 1995 made his first sparkling and his sparkling Seyval Blanc wines are now some of the most revered in the world. Each year he dedicates his cuvees to one of his close friends or relatives; Jack Pike helped Peter plant those first Seyval Blanc grapes in the seventies and the stunning 2015 vintage (£39) is named in his memory.
breakybottom.co.uk
K is for Kinsbrook
When Joe Beckett planted vines on his third-generation family farmland in Thakeham when he was just 24, he was considered the youngest vineyard owner in the UK. He and his partner, Rebecca Dancer, have since transformed the cellar door at Kinsbrook from a rustic horsebox set-up to a stylish farmhouse restaurant and deli showcasing the best of local produce and, of course, Kinsbrook’s own wines. Tours and tastings take place Thursday to Sunday (£30pp), but look out for their sell-out events, which include the Summer Festival on June 21 (from £10pp) or just drop in for a glass any day – we recommend their new ABC Chardonnay, (£32). kinsbrookvineyard.com
L is for Leonardslee Vineyards
Inspired by her wine estate in South Africa, British-born entrepreneur Penny Streeter and her family have planted 38-acres of vines at Mannings Heath Golf Club and Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens to create Leonardslee Family Vineyards. Among the traditional sparkling grape varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier is a one acre planting of South Africa’s signature grape, differentiating their sparkling rose wine from any other in the UK. There are two options if you want to visit and spend the night; the Vineyard Hotel at Mannings Heath (from £195 per room per night) and Leonardslee House (from £240), which also has a Michelin star restaurant led by 2024 Great British Menu finalist Jean Delport.
leonardsleefamilyvineyards.com
M is for Mousehall
First recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086, Mousehall Country Estate in Wadhurst has been brought back to life by Gary and Kathy Jordan, owners of Jordan Wine Estate in South Africa. Home to a winery, distillery and self-catered oast house, where groups of up to six can spend the night, the estate made its first wines under the Tidebrook label (named after the brook which runs through the estate) in 2022. Tours and tastings (from £25pp) take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. mousehall.com
Nyetimber
If there is one brand responsible for pioneering the English sparkling wine revolution, it’s Nyetimber. Californian couple Stuart and Sandy Moss, were the first to exclusively plant Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – the main three grapes grown in Champagne – in the 1980s. Fast forward 40 years and Nyetimber’s flagship classic cuvee (£42), can be found everywhere from supermarket shelves to Michelin-star restaurants and at large scale sporting events, such as the Olympics. The West Chiltington estate isn’t generally open to the public, but they do host a select number of open days each summer (£50pp). nyetimber.com
O is for Oxney Organic
Norway-born Kristin made the switch from public relations to viticulture in 2012 when she started Oxney Organic Estate – one of the first organic vineyards in the UK – with her partner, Paul Dobson. The Beckley vineyard forms part of a wider organic farming estate near the River Rother and has a winery, cellar door and holiday accommodation in the shape of a self-catering cottage, barn accommodation and shepherd huts. They use low intervention methods to make still and sparkling wines – their newest is a still Woodhouse Red pinot wine made using blends from a perpetual reserve, much like the solera system used to make sherry (£27). Explore the range with a wine flight (£12pp) available Tuesday to Saturday or book a picnic tour and tasting (£55pp)
oxneyestate.com
P is for Plumpton
As well as its racecourse Plumpton is home to a land and environment college, which is renowned for its wine division. If you ask most viticulturalists in the UK, they will have undoubtedly spent some time studying at Plumpton College. Students get to make their own wine too, which you can buy direct and at select local independent retailers.
plumpton.ac.uk/winedivision
Q is for Qvevri
Used in traditional Georgian winemaking, a qvevri is a large, egg-shaped terracotta vessel, which a number of English winemakers are employing to add another dimension to the traditional barrel and stainless steel containers used to mature wine. One of the pioneers is Ben Walgate, who started Tillingham Wine Estate but has since started his own wine brand, Walgate, based in a warehouse at Rye Harbour. His Cuvée 909 2022 is a blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes that were left in a covered qvevri for a month before being matured for eight months in barrel.
walgate.eco
R is for Ridgeview Wine Estate
This year marks 30 years since Mike and Chris Roberts planted vines at Ridgeview in Ditchling Common and, four years later, planted the UK’s first underground wine cellars.
Now run by their children, winemaker Simon and CEO Tamara Roberts, Ridgeview continues to pioneer and was the first English vineyard to achieve B-Corp status in 2022. Although initially focused on sparkling wine, the estate made its first still wine, a rose, in 2023, and has recently launched its first Chardonnay from the 2023 vintage (£23). You can sample the wines at The Rows & Vine restaurant or on a vineyard tour (£35pp).
ridgeview.co.uk
S is for Stopham Vineyard
While Sussex’s terrior is renowned for its synergies with Champagne, when Simon Woodhead swapped designing automotive sensors at TAG McLaren F1 for vineyard life, he decided to specialise in still wines. It was a good move: Stopham Vineyard’s Pinot Gris (£22.95) is recognised as one of the best in England, consistently winning the best still white award at the independent English wines awards (IEWA) competition. Tours take place on Saturdays between April and September (£26.20).
stophamvineyard.co.uk
T is for Tinwood Wine Estate
Once a lettuce farm, Tinwood Wine Estate, near Goodwood, is now home TO 110 acres under vine, as well as a restaurant and eight luxury lodges with Jacuzzi baths and private decked terraces overlooking the vines (from £255). The vision of third generation farmer Art Tucker, who runs the estate with his wife Jody, Tinwood makes traditional method sparkling wine which can be enjoyed by visitors on daily tours and tastings (£21), with afternoon tea (49pp) alongside Sunday lunches and at epic events such as the summer party in May and garden party on August 30 (£48pp).
tinwoodestate.com
U is for Upperton Vineyards
First planted by Andy Rogers in 2005 with 800 trial vines Upperton Vineyard produces exclusively sparkling wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. The small family vineyard, expanded to 32,000 vines at its biggest but reduced to about a fifth of that size when Andy semi-retired 10 years ago. His daughter and grandchildren now help out and wines can be bought online or at the cellar door shop on Fridays and Saturdays.
uppertonvineyards.co.uk
V is for Veraison
Veraison is the name for the stage in a grapevine’s lifecycle when the grapes begin to ripen and change colour from green to red or yellow. It’s also the name of one of five luxury lodges at Ashling Park Estate, near Chichester, which is now recognised as one of the country’s leading wine tourism hubs. Gail Gardner planted vines here on her family’s estate in 2018 and has since grown the offering to include accommodation, a restaurant and gin school. The vineyard also makes one of the UK’s best red wines, having won the 2024 WineGB trophy for its 2022 Estate Selection Pinot Noir (£29.50). Tours take place Thursday to Sunday (£25) and overnight stays cost from £250 per night.
ashlingpark.co.uk
W is for Wiston Estate
Next year marks 20 years since the Goring family planted vines on the 600-acre Wiston Estate on the outskirts of Steyning. Having grown up among the vines of South African, it was a long-held dream of Pip Goring when she moved to Sussex having met and married Harry Goring in the 1970s. However, it wasn’t until French Champagne houses came knocking that husband Harry agreed and the first vines were planted in 2006. Wiston’s wines are now considered some of the best the UK produces and their cellar door offering is fantastic too with Chalk restaurant utilising seasonal produce from the estate and its neighbours. There is a range of tours and tastings including Vineyard Explorer picnic tours (£70pp) and, new this year, a Vintage Tour (£37.50pp) specifically celebrating its vintage single vineyard wines.
wistonestate.com
X is for eXtra
Okay, so this is a stretch but there aren’t many places you’ll find wine-related words beginning with X (aside perhaps from Cyprus or Greece) so this is dedicated to the extra bi-products made from Sussex’s grape growing industry. At Slakes Spirits (slakespirits.com), in Worthing, Tom Martin-Wells makes a wild elixir (£29) made from Bacchus grapes grown on the Stopham Estate vineyard, while many other vineyards make grape infused gins and vermouths. The Spa at South Lodge (exclusive.co.uk/south-lodge/spa) even works with skin care brand Pelegrims to produce products using vine leaf extracts from the hotel’s vineyard.
Y is for Yeast
The second most important ingredient in winemaking besides grapes is yeast, which is needed to turn the sugar in wine into alcohol (fermentation). Most winemakers add specific yeast strains but natural wines, which are made through spontaneous fermentation with naturally occurring yeasts, are becoming increasingly popular. Tillingham, a biodynamic wine producer near Rye, is one of the leading names in the natural wine movement in the UK but whether you like the style or not, the vineyard is well worth a visit for its stunning setting, wood-fired pizzas and Michelin Green Star restaurant. You can spend the night too, in the renovated farmstead or a bell tent.
tillingham.com
Z is for Zodo by Sugrue South Downs
Exceptionally difficult to make in England’s marginal climate, ZODO – referring to zero dosage meaning no sugar is added to the wine – is one of Dermot Sugrue’s many success stories and is the perfect companion to oysters (£65). Dermot has always used grapes from a variety of vineyards he has rented across Sussex but, in 2024, he and his wife, fellow winemaker Ana, found a permanent home for their brand at Bee Tree Vineyard in Wivelsfield. Their weekly winemaker tours have already sold out, as have the monthly Sugrue Sunday chefs’ dinners, but you can book private group tours by emailing direct.
sugruesouthdowns.com
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