Our Vineyards
GEOGRAPHY
Our family-run vineyards sit on sunny south-facing slopes overlooking the South Downs National Park in West Sussex. Before us Neanderthals, Celts, Romans and Anglo-Saxons settled in the ancient hills we now call home. This green and pleasant land provides virgin pasture perfect for viticulture. Our goldilocks climate – not too hot, not too cold – allows for a long ripening season to create the best flavours in the grapes, and exquisite English Sparkling wines.
GEOLOGY
Our 9.5Ha (23 acres) of vineyards in West Sussex are planted on rare Greensand – which we believe to be the terroir of choice in England. This sedimentary bedrock was formed about 113 to 126 million years ago in the Cretaceous Period when the area was covered by shallow seas. Greensand is free-draining – which is useful in a country renowned for the occasional rain shower. The underlying Greensand rock both stores heat to keep the vineyard warm, and reflects heat to help ripen the grapes.
GEOLOGY
Our 9.5Ha (23 acres) of vineyards in West Sussex are planted on rare Greensand – which we believe to be the terroir of choice in England. This sedimentary bedrock was formed about 113 to 126 million years ago in the Cretaceous Period when the area was covered by shallow seas. Greensand is free-draining – which is useful in a country renowned for the occasional rain shower. The underlying Greensand rock both stores heat to keep the vineyard warm, and reflects heat to help ripen the grapes.
VINES
Our vines are the classic Sparkling varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier but we have chosen lower-yielding clones for their superior fruit flavours.
VITICULTURE
Most work in the vineyard is done by hand, including pruning and harvesting. Each bunch of grapes is gently handled ‘like lightbulbs’ while they are hand picked and carried in small trays to the press. We are proud to work sympathetically with nature. We do not use insecticides or herbicides and we practice intelligent viticulture. We promote biodiversity and our vineyards teem with beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife. Over winter our vineyards are grazed by ouessant sheep – the smallest in the world – and our hedges are browsed by Golden Guernsey goats. If you are interested in our sustainability policy Read here
VITICULTURE
Most work in the vineyard is done by hand, including pruning and harvesting. Each bunch of grapes is gently handled ‘like lightbulbs’ while they are hand picked and carried in small trays to the press. We are proud to work sympathetically with nature. We do not use insecticides or herbicides and we practice intelligent viticulture. We promote biodiversity and our vineyards teem with beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife. Over winter our vineyards are grazed by ouessant sheep – the smallest in the world – and our hedges are browsed by Golden Guernsey goats. If you are interested in our sustainability policy Read here
