The winelands of Sussex boast around 138 vineyards, representing a quarter of Great Britain under vine. Many are award-winning, offering tours, tastings, restaurants and accommodation, as well as a variety of events and activities. They’re also pioneering: Sussex led the way by attaining the UK’s first Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in 2022, putting Sussex wine on the same footing as Champagne and Bordeaux.
Now the county has even entered the non-alcoholic wine market – Westmanson Estate in Ditchling produces a non-alcoholic grape juice called Verjuice, made from grapes picked at veraison (just before they turn ripe), as Sussex Life discovered . A partnership led by Sussex Modern including Plumpton College and South Downs National Park, with support from the Sussex Visitor Economy Initiative, launched a plan to grow Sussex's wine tourism sector from the current £25 million to £283 million by 2040. And that will put Sussex on the map as the UK’s premier wine tourism destination which is why Wiston Estate played host to the launch of a new map to help people navigate South East’s wine region.
Get more amazing features inside the latest edition of our sister title Sussex Life: https://www.sussexlifemagazine.co.
uk ‘Almost every winery on the map is within an hour of London, Brighton or a major airport, highlighting how easily accessible English wine can be,’ comments Fergus Elias, chairman of WineGB South, the membership association for vineyards and wine p.