Bolney Wine Estate
Foxhole Lane, Bolney RH17 5NB
If you’re one of the (increasingly rare) people who still snigger at the mention of English wine, a vineyard tour at Sussex’s Bolney Wine Estate should set you straight. Snuggled in the countryside a few miles west of Haywards Heath, Bolney is one of a handful of Sussex vineyards that have been pulling in the plaudits in recent years. As with other vineyards, it’s the sparkling wine that’s gained the most attention (and awards) but Bolney also produces award-winning still wines, including – unusually for the UK – reds. You can just pitch up and buy a bottle, or case, from the shop, but it’s best to book yourself onto a tour if you have time. The nicest thing about Bolney – great wine and beautiful setting aside – is that it’s family-run and relatively small-scale, so tours have a much more personal feel than at the big wine estates. The basic tour includes a walk around the vineyard and the winery followed by a tutored tasting of three wines; other tours tag on lunch at the on-site café.
