Back to nature
As I turn off the main road from Petworth into Roebuck Estates’, I’m distracted by a bird of prey that swoops across the sky in front of me. Driving up the track, bunnies hop across the grass and to my right are the flock of Sussex sheep that mow and fertilise the vineyard over the winter.
I don’t see any roe deer – the vineyard’s namesake animal that this part of West Sussex is renowned for – but CEO Michael Kennedy, tells me, they do regularly appear. ‘We get plenty of Roe deer visiting, which outside of bud burst is fine,’ he says. ‘One came right up to the tasting tent last year.’
The estate is abundant with wildlife, which poses its challenges for grape growers who must protect the vines from hungry visitors, but being kind to these animals has served Roebuck well.
One of the founding members of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain, Roebuck has six vineyards spread across East and West Sussex (as well as one in Kent) but the Petworth vineyard is the flagship. Despite this, it retains its boutique charm – the operational team sit in portacabin offices next to the tractor shed and there is a small but perfectly-positioned tepee for tastings overlooking the vines and Sussex Downs beyond.
The vineyard was acquired in 2013 by two friends, Michael Smith and John Ball, who grew up in this part of Sussex and wanted to create English sparkling wines to rival Champagne. Their strategy was to acquire a portfolio of existing vineyards with proven track records, as well as plant new vines on sites picked for their potential. The tactic seems to have worked – their wines have been compared to Bollinger by renowned wine critic Jancis Robinson and have won countless awards. The reason their wines are so good, says marketing and communications manager Danielle Whitehead, is because they have 70 individual blocks of vines across their sites.
‘Each has its own clone and rootstock combination best suited to that soil, which gives us a huge amount to play with when it comes to the blending table,’ she says.
Supporting the brand’s commitment to growing and championing viticulture in the UK, this summer saw Roebuck become the first exclusive sparkling wine partner at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. They also launched, for the first time, three sparkling wines from the same vintage – a Classic Cuvée (£38), Rosé de Noirs (£42) and Blanc de Noirs (£50) – proving just how outstanding the 2018 growing season was. The wines are particularly special to Roebuck’s head of viticulture, Jake Wicks. ‘It’s undoubtedly one of the finest vintages in England to date - plus it’s the year I found my home at Roebuck,’ he says.
Tours, tastings and events can be booked at Roebuckestates.co.uk
NEWS
First still wine for Ridgeview
Acclaimed English sparkling wine producer, Ridgeview has launched its first ever still wine – a limited-edition rosé of just 1,000 bottles. Exclusively available from the Ditchling Common estate – either while enjoying a meal at The Rows & Vine restaurant for £32.50 a bottle or from the cellar door at £28.50 – the rosé, while the perfect summer sip, pairs great with food and can be enjoyed year-round. Soft coral pink in colour, and with a silky smooth mouthfeel, it offers notes of strawberry and other wild red berries and pairs particularly well with the restaurant’s slow cooked pork belly or with fried chicken and kimchi.
WINE TASTING
3 multi-vineyard Sussex wines
Roebuck Estates Rosé de Noirs, £42
With oodles of cherry, strawberry and cranberry, this is a wine with gusto but it also has a savoury nuttiness to it making it a great match for food – think roasted duck. A beautifully balanced and elegant foodie wine.
Digby Fine English 2014, £45
The latest vintage from Arundel-based Digby Fine English is driven by Chardonnay grown on greensand for energy, impact and extensive ageing potential. It’s bright and zippy yet rich and rounded thanks to a hint of oak fermentation and eight years on lees.
Nyetimber Team GB Classic Cuvee Multi Vintage £41,50
The Paris 2024 Olympics may have been and gone but you can still celebrate Team GB’s journey thanks to Nyetimber’s limited-edition Classic Cuvée. The blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier is from 11 vineyards and comes in a collector’s bottle.
