Central <strong>Sussex</strong> Wine Tour Experience vineyard life and discover award winning local wines 26 | sussexexclusive.com
This year, and as <strong>Sussex</strong> has been appointed a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for wine by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), at <strong>Sussex</strong> <strong>Exclusive</strong> we’re celebrating our <strong>Sussex</strong> wine heritage. And in this second in our series of wine tour suggestions, we explore Ditching, Ashdown Forest and Mayfield. You can find the first of our wine tours here: West <strong>Sussex</strong> Wine Tour Ditchling Our central <strong>Sussex</strong> wine tour starts in Ditchling, just north of Brighton where there is a veritable cluster of exceptional vineyards. Ditchling may be small, but it is perfectly formed and has some good reasons to visit in addition to the wine. The village dates back to about 765 AD and is perhaps most famous for being owned by King Alfred the Great! By 1068 it was recorded in the Domesday Book as belonging to William de Warenne. Ditchling Garden Manor (just opposite the church) was gifted to Anne of Cleves as part of her divorce settlement from King Henry V<strong>II</strong>I. Although she never lived there, it is a striking and beautiful Tudor building. To the side of the church, is Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft which celebrates, in part, the life and work of sculptor and letter cutter Eric Gill and the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic, a local community of artists and craftsmen, including painters, silversmiths, sculptors, ceramicists and weavers. No visit to Ditchling is complete with out a hike up the South Downs and Ditchling Beacon. The beacon is the highest point in East <strong>Sussex</strong> and was the site of an Iron Age hill fort, which, if you know what you’re looking for, you can still make out. It’s now owned by the National Trust. Court Garden Court Garden is on a site that dates back to Saxon times when it was the Manor of Ditchling Garden. The vineyard was established in 2005 and is a 17-acre, family vineyard growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier for the production of sparkling wine, and also Pinot Gris, Ortega, Rondo and Pinot Blanc for use in still wine. Two rare old varieties of Arbanne and Petit Meslier are grown as well. Court Garden has won both national and international awards, including the IWC Trophy for Best English Sparkling Wine awarded to their Blanc de Blancs 2010 Vintage in 2015. They offer two different guided tours, plus a selfguided tour and a tasting-only tour as well as a picnic lunch option. Vineyards in Ditchling Ridgeview A <strong>Sussex</strong> wine big gun and winner of the IWSC winemaker of the year 2018, Ridgeview have been established for over 25 years and were one of England’s first wineries. They produce sparkling wine from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. Ridgeview is well stocked across the county, and they also offer “The Ridgeview Experience” which includes a tour of the vineyard, winery and cellars followed by a tasting overlooking the South Downs. This summer (<strong>2022</strong>), they are opening a brand new, all-weather outdoor venue for dining and wine tasting. 27