Come Wine Tasting With Me In Sussex!
Undoubtedly, I am under the London influence as my love for afternoon tea, English fizz, and all things British has grown exponentially this year. To say that I’ve become a pro at navigating Terminal 5 at Heathrow is an understatement. While each trip varied in nature, I made sure to sample any English wine/fizz I spotted on the menu, glass after glass, and not one disappointed.
My love affair with English wine began early in 2022 when I took my first trip to London and subsequently took a day trip to Kent and had the chance to sample wines from Sedlescombe, Wayfarer, and Chapel Down. Needless to say, you can’t find much English wine/fizz in Nashville, so I’ve had to do my best to ration my reserves. < If you are interested in learning more about wine tasting in Kent, you can read more HERE.>
Since my last trip to London was going to be quite lengthy, I decided to head south to Sussex and check out a few wineries. Coordination was crucial because it was so close to the holidays. For this trip, I worked with a new company, Great British Wine Tours. While they are primarily known for the Vintage Bus Wine Tours, they offer an assortment of options, including a private tour, which is approximately six hours in duration and roughly £475 per person and includes the following:
Sussex Vineyard Tour (approx. 6 hours) includes the following:
Private transport and guide
Visit to two award-winning vineyards
Full vineyard and winery tour where you will learn about English winemaking from grape to glass
Tutored wine tasting at each vineyard
Suppose you are looking for something a bit more economical. In that case, they also offer a second option, Wine Tours by Taxi, which is a similar experience/itinerary, except that you will have different drivers throughout the day. This experience is priced at £149 per person.
I’ll be the first to admit that I can be fussy about things, but drivers aren’t one of them. With that said, I booked the Wine Tours by Taxi option and had a fantastic experience. If you plan on going during the holiday season, I’d recommend reaching out early and asking for Danny, as it was challenging to secure drivers for us, but Danny finally came through.
Now that we’ve talked logistics, let’s get into the most important details: the wineries! During the tour, I visited two wineries, Ridgeview and Artelium. I’m excited to share both with you all!
With so many wineries in England, how do you ever choose? During my previous trips, I started chatting with folks in the restaurants about their favorite English wineries and started compiling a list. That, coupled with a lot of internet research, led me to choose Ridgeview and Artelium. I wanted to visit one winery that focused specifically on sparkling wines and one that had a large portfolio of still wines. It didn’t hurt that they were close in proximity, either.
Life is worth celebrating.
A motto that permeates throughout the entire vineyard.
Since 1995, the Roberts family has produced world-class English sparkling wine in Sussex, focusing on quality and sustainability from grape to glass. Their greatest joy is sharing this incredible sparkling wine and celebrating life's significant milestones and all those little moments in between.
As soon as I stepped foot on the property, I could sense the staff's pride as they shared the Ridgeview story. The Roberts family set out with a trailblazing vision nearly thirty years ago to create exceptional sparking wine in the heart of Sussex. While many thought it couldn't be done, they proved them wrong, putting English winemaking on the global stage.
Ridgeview strives to be at the forefront of sustainable and ethical practices for the English Wine Industry, making every step of the project process as efficient, ethical, and ecologically positive as possible from vine to glass.
For this vineyard, I selected the Ridgeview Classic Tour and Tasting. Even though we arrived a bit earlier than expected, our host graciously greeted us and began our walk about the property. If you haven't visited the English countryside in the winter, it can be quite blustery. So much so there were moments when I swear it was worse than Chicago, despite what the weather app said. Learn from me and dress accordingly. Even though I wore a turtleneck sweater and a long skirt, I was freezing. Our host realized that and was kind enough to give us the Cliff's Notes version of the outdoor tour and quickly ushered us inside.
Ridgeview Wine Estate | Sussex
Once we returned to warmer temperatures, we were greeted with various pours from the Ridgeview portfolio. Our first three were as follows:
Fun fact: The Fitzrovia Rosé was served to Barack Obama at the Buckingham Palace State Banquet.
Each of these bottles was exquisite, but of the three, the Fitzrovia Rosé was my favorite, and I almost purchased a bottle to bring home until our host was kind enough to bring a taste of the Blanc de Blancs and the Oak Reserve.
Aside from the Blanc de Blancs being served at King Charles' first State Banquet, it is simultaneously bright, elegant, and complex. The Oak Reserve, aged in Burgundy and Loire oak barrels, is unlike anything I've ever tasted. It is produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes and will blow your mind.
Needless to say, I left the Fitzrovia Rosé behind and purchased one bottle of Blanc de Blancs and two bottles of Oak Reserve. All of which I am saving for a special occasion until I figure out a way for them to ship to Nashville!
Ridgeview Wine Estate | Tasting Line- Up | Bloomsbury NV + Cavendish NV + Fitzrovia Rosé NV
Ridgeview Wine Estate | Tasting Line-Up
While researching Ridgeview, many people mentioned that it was a winery great for foodies. After our tasting and shopping concluded, we made our way to Ridgeview's restaurant, The Rows and Vine. Not only did we have a chance to sample additional wines from the Ridgeview portfolio, but we had our first proper Sunday Roast.
To start, we ordered Deep Fried Camembert with Chilli Cranberry Jam. Camembert has made an appearance on several restaurant menus during the trip, and it has never done us wrong, so this was a no-brainer. While I would love to describe the elegant texture and flavor, I have to be honest. This was quite possibly the best-fried cheese I've had in my life. Mozzarella, who? Camembert for life. It is a must order. Period.
The Rows & Vine | Deep Fried Camembert with Chilli Cranberry Jam
While we anxiously awaited our first Sunday Roast, we enjoyed an additional wine-tasting flight, where we sampled Blanc de Blancs 2018, Blanc de Noir 2015, and Rose de Noirs 2018.
As our Sunday Roast approached, I was giddy with excitement. For those of you who have not had a proper Sunday Roast, it’s served with the following: Crispy Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Braised Red Cabbage, Cauliflower Cheese, Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potato & Swede Mash, and Gravy. As if that wasn’t enough to satiate our appetites, we also ordered the Pigs in Blankets, and I’m here to tell you we are doing this all wrong in the United States. Sausage links wrapped with crispy bacon? Say less.
The Rows and Vine | Sunday Roast - Crispy Roast Potatoes + Yorkshire Pudding + Braised Red Cabbage + Cauliflower Cheese + Brussels Sprouts + Sweet Potato & Swede Mash + Gravy
As I reflect upon the meals I enjoyed during my seven days in London, this was by far one of my favorite meals. Not only was the hospitality impeccable but the food and wine were divine.
For more information on visiting Ridgeview Wine Estate, click HERE. Feel free to message me with any questions you may have!
After an incredible meal and too many glasses of English Fizz, I had to pull myself out of my food coma as we made our way to our second stop, Artelium Wine Estate.
Artelium Wine Estate
Mark Collins and Julie Bretland have always been fond of English wine. So much so that when they were planning the menu for their wedding, they chose only to serve English wine. As their knowledge deepened, they saw the possibility of turning their passion into lifestyle, which is exactly what they have done.
Artelium is a boutique wine estate celebrating contemporary craft and the art of winemaking nestled in the stunning Sussex landscape. While they began planting their vines in 2018/2019, their 45-acre estate is home to approximately 20 acres of vines producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Pinot Gris. This would be a fabulous place to visit in the spring/summertime as they have a lovely alfresco terrace where I could see myself daydreaming and sipping a glass of White Pinot. Aside from incredible wine and an inviting terrace, Arterlium hosts art exhibitions featuring artwork throughout the estate, not only in the indoor spaces but also in the vineyard.
While the winery offers an assortment of tours and tastings (more can be found HERE), we had the pleasure of enjoying their Christmas Tasting, which allowed us to taste ten wines from their portfolio. To start, we sampled four of their sparkling wines and then proceeded to try six still wines. It’s rare to taste this many wines and enjoy so many of them, but Artelium truly makes incredible wine. I was fortunate enough to bring back three bottles:
If you have the opportunity to participate in the Christmas Tasting, I highly recommend it. Our host was incredibly gracious and allowed us to get cozy by the fire as he brought us glass after glass of wine and snacks. Absolutely dreamy if you ask me!
Arteliun Wine Estate | A Few Of The Bottles Served During The Christmas Tasting
Did you know Sussex has the same chalky soil as the Champagne region, and its wine has the same protected status – and often beats French fizz in blind tastings? Facts like these piqued my curiosity about English wine. While this is my second time tasting wine in the English countryside, I must say that this visit far surpassed my expectations. I loved working with Danny of Great British Wine Tours. He made everything incredibly effortless- simply pay and show up. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Both Ridgeview and Artelium were incredibly special and had quite diverse portfolios of wine. I enjoyed seeing one producer focus specifically on sparkling wine while the other produced both.
Lastly, I cannot say enough good things about our lunch at The Rows and Vine. I only wish we had a bit longer to spend there- such incredible food and hospitality. I know now why Sunday Roast is such a beloved weekend tradition.
If you find yourself on an extended trip to the UK, take some time to visit the English countryside and try some of these remarkable wines. You'll thank me later. But whatever you do, pack an extra suitcase, as you will want to take several bottles home.
Until Next Time!