Bolney Wine Estate
Bolney, West Sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
The best-designed visitor experience in Sussex, with a shiny new visitor’s centre, Bolney offers basic tastings and gourmet tours including a lunch.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Bucket list experience:
Sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
The United Kingdom wasn’t widely known for its wine until the mid-2010s, when a handful of brilliant wineries in the south of England started garnering buzz and winning awards, for excellent sparkling wines among other varieties.
The area lies on the same latitude as France’s Champagne region with the same limestone ridge, creating a similar quality of grape – and as climate change has nudged average temperatures up, the bumper crops have kept coming.
Ridgeview Winery led the way for the region, winning the prestigious Winemaker of the Year prize in 2018’s International Wine and Spirit Competition. Now there are enough established wineries around Sussex’s South Downs to create a wine-tasting itinerary, either as a day out from Brighton or London, or a short break in its own right.
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Destination Guide >Although some vineyards accept walk-ins, if you want a formal tasting, or tour of the vineyard, it’s always best to ring ahead and make a reservation. As most vineyards are set in rural locations, getting to them by public transport can be difficult – it’s better to drive.
Sussex Wineries is an umbrella organisation that has information on some of the county’s best vineyards and how to visit.
Most vineyards are open all year, although in the winter months it may be on an appointment-only basis. Not all vineyards are open every day for tastings, so do plan ahead.
Bolney, West Sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
The best-designed visitor experience in Sussex, with a shiny new visitor’s centre, Bolney offers basic tastings and gourmet tours including a lunch.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Ditchling Common, West Sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
Close to the pocket-sized village of Ditchling and many South Downs walking trails, this modern, family-run winery lays on tastings, food pairings and walks around the vines.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Robertsbridge, East Sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
This region’s forerunner in biodynamic wines, Sedlescombe has a beautiful grand-design of a tasting room set among the vines, plus tastings and a shop.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Albourne, West Sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
Leaving from Brighton, this vintage double-decker bus takes you on a full day jolly to visit two wineries (Court Garden and Albourne Estate) for tours and tastings.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free | Full day
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Brighton
£109 | Rating 4.75 / 5 [70 ratings]
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