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[Drinking] English (Sussex) Wines



Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,499
An honourable mention for Albourne Estate's wines - very enjoyable indeed.
 

Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,891
at home
Not sussex but Surrey, Denbies from dorking area have lovely wines...their English lily is a smashing drink.

Our favourite wine these days is lamberhurst estate from tenterden in Kent. Their sparkling is not hugely expensive at £20 a bottle, but really drinkable. They also do a blend called Bacchus( after the Greek god of wine amongst other stuff) and that ian really quaffable.

Agreed with Bolney wine, but personally I think ridge view from ditchlin is rediculously over priced.

There is also a South African company that have set up shop at mannings Heath golf course and they have planted vines. Their wine is quite superb.

Can't wait for the vineyards at alfriston to bear fruit as it where....when you play golf at Seaford GC ( not Seaford head) you can see the whole estate and it goes on for miles over the downs. Seemly a venture capitalist sunk his money into it just before the crash....
 

Bedsex

not my real name
Jan 29, 2009
1,844
Flitwick
+1 for the Nyetimber sparkling. It was on special offer in Waitrose a couple of weeks ago, so got a couple of bottles in for Christmas.
 

The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
Sparkling and whites from Sussex are excellent, Nyetimber being my favourite.

I've had the wine pairing at Isaccs. I didn't like the Plumpton red wine at all but everything else was spot on.

Does Sussex produce any decent red wines? Haven't sampled any yet.

(Some) whites and many sparkling wines are, as you say, excellent.

Not a Sussex wine, but may I point you in the direction of the Camel Valley vineyard in Cornwall? They have a wine called 'Bacchus' (but of course) which is not a million miles from a good Sancerre.
 

SeagullSarge

Active member
Jul 8, 2012
227
I think Sussex Wines are fantastic. I have only drunk sparkling wine. My favorites are as follows:-

1. Beaky Bottom (Rodmell, Nr Lewes)
2. Ridgeview (Ditchling)
3. Bluebell Estate & Vineyard (Furners Green)

I would rate all of the above as superior wines to Champagne (in the equivalent price range).

My favorite is Bluebell Estate.

I hope you enjoy.

Bluebell sparkling wines are amazing, the Blanc de Blanc is fantastic along with the Rose.... They are by far my favourite Sussex producer!
 


Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Oct 8, 2003
49,057
Faversham
Long time since I tried a Sussex white, but last time it reminded me of a young lady from Croydon.

Tart, with not much body.
 

dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Mar 27, 2013
51,892
Burgess Hill
Does Sussex produce any decent red wines? Haven't sampled any yet.

(Some) whites and many sparkling wines are, as you say, excellent.

Not a Sussex wine, but may I point you in the direction of the Camel Valley vineyard in Cornwall? They have a wine called 'Bacchus' (but of course) which is not a million miles from a good Sancerre.

Bolney Pinot Noir, as mentioned above.....
 

SIMMO SAYS

Well-known member
Jul 31, 2012
11,701
Incommunicado
I think Sussex Wines are fantastic. I have only drunk sparkling wine. My favorites are as follows:-

1. Beaky Bottom (Rodmell, Nr Lewes)
2. Ridgeview (Ditchling)
3. Bluebell Estate & Vineyard (Furners Green)

I would rate all of the above as superior wines to Champagne (in the equivalent price range).

My favorite is Bluebell Estate.

I hope you enjoy.

We have carried out plumbing work at Breaky Bottom Vineyard for over a decade.
Despite Peter the owner knowing I'm a wine lover he's never offered me a bottle:(
I had to buy a bottle (£27.00) from Waitrose in Lewes.
I just put £30.00 on his bill :rolleyes:
 


Raleigh Chopper

New member
Sep 1, 2011
12,054
Plymouth
Does Sussex produce any decent red wines? Haven't sampled any yet.

(Some) whites and many sparkling wines are, as you say, excellent.

Not a Sussex wine, but may I point you in the direction of the Camel Valley vineyard in Cornwall? They have a wine called 'Bacchus' (but of course) which is not a million miles from a good Sancerre.

I have been on The Camel Valley tour and sampled their fayre and very nice it all is too.
Bacchus is superb but so is the whole range.
Sussex has some great whites too Nyetimber is nice, Camel Valley and Sussex wines are finding themselves on the wine list of top restaurants for example Paul Ainsworth at No 6 in Padstow has the Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rose and from Sussex the Ridgeview Brut.
It's just a shame that so many people choose Champagne over English just because it is Champagne, they do not realise that it is comparible or better than a lot of champagnes, on the shelf or on a wine list it's just quite expensive English wine, a huge marketing problem to overcome, people who know wine know this already, it's the occasional drinkers they are trying to convince.
 

Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 23, 2003
33,688
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Does Sussex produce any decent red wines? Haven't sampled any yet.

(Some) whites and many sparkling wines are, as you say, excellent.

Not a Sussex wine, but may I point you in the direction of the Camel Valley vineyard in Cornwall? They have a wine called 'Bacchus' (but of course) which is not a million miles from a good Sancerre.

Cheers - I've had Bacchus in a restaurant as well and very good it is too :drink:
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,320
Uffern
They also do a blend called Bacchus( after the Greek god of wine amongst other stuff)

Roman god - the Greek god of wine was Dionysus.

As others have said, Sussex sparkling wines are top drawer- I love Nyetimber. And there's no reason why they shouldn't be: we have the same soil and climate as the Champagne region. I've had some Sussex whites though and wasn't that keen on them but each to their own ...
 

PeterOut

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2016
1,231
Make sure you try the whites and sparkling rosé (the only rosé wine I have ever enjoyed) from Plumpton College - all superb.
For me, their red is the weakest of the bunch...
 

Biscuit Barrel

Well-known member
Jan 28, 2014
2,382
Southwick
We have carried out plumbing work at Breaky Bottom Vineyard for over a decade.
Despite Peter the owner knowing I'm a wine lover he's never offered me a bottle:(
I had to buy a bottle (£27.00) from Waitrose in Lewes.
I just put £30.00 on his bill :rolleyes:

The only time I have managed to get a free drink out of Peter was when I attended the grape picking day. The deal is you pick grapes for about 4 hours and you get a great big lunch and free sparkling wine. Was a really enjoyable day and highly recommended.
 


exKT17

Well-known member
Nov 27, 2016
337
Argyll & Bute
Can't wait for the vineyards at alfriston to bear fruit as it where....when you play golf at Seaford GC ( not Seaford head) you can see the whole estate and it goes on for miles over the downs. Seemly a venture capitalist sunk his money into it just before the crash....

They already sell their wine through their shop in Alfriston, have done for some years. Hedge fund manager, not a venture capitalist. Mark Driver, he's done wonders with that site, built a beautiful estate.
 

exKT17

Well-known member
Nov 27, 2016
337
Argyll & Bute
Not a Sussex wine, but may I point you in the direction of the Camel Valley vineyard in Cornwall? They have a wine called 'Bacchus' (but of course) which is not a million miles from a good Sancerre.

Shouldn't be anything like a (good) Sancerre; good Bacchus is floral, soft, off dry and fairly light.
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,093
Surrey
we have the same soil and climate as the Champagne region. I've had some Sussex whites though and wasn't that keen on them but each to their own ...

You're right about the soil and interestingly, the climate here is now exactly what the climate was in the champagne region about 200 years ago. For this reason, several champagne producers are now investing in vineyards throughout Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Hants.
 

Monkey Man

Your support is not that great
Jan 30, 2005
3,155
Neither here nor there
They already sell their wine through their shop in Alfriston, have done for some years. Hedge fund manager, not a venture capitalist. Mark Driver, he's done wonders with that site, built a beautiful estate.

Only the still wine, Cradle Valley – the first sparklers will be released next year.

Not overly keen on this one but expect good things from the fizz, which will be the main focus of the business, as you'd expect.
 

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