Abingworth Vineyard: A Family-Run Boutique Producer of Elegant English Wines in West Sussex
Tucked into the foothills of the South Downs, on a gently sloping stretch of West Sussex countryside, Abingworth Vineyard is one of England's quietly remarkable new wine estates. Founded by Chris and Caroline Stedman and run with their four daughters, the family has, in the space of just a few years, transformed the centuries-old Champions Farm into a boutique producer of elegant, cool-climate still and sparkling wines. With a focus on precision, minimal intervention and storytelling that begins in the soil, Abingworth has already begun turning heads - in 2026 it took the WineGB Best Newcomer Trophy.
A New Chapter at Champions Farm
The story of Abingworth is inseparable from the story of Champions Farm. The earliest written record of the land dates back to 1296, when it was referenced as the "Champeneys of the villat de Sillynghurst cum Thraham." The family name evolved through Champneys, Champion and finally Campion, and is of Old French origin - once used for those from the Champagne region of France. As the Stedmans note, the coincidence of a site tied to "Champagne" now growing grapes for sparkling wine is too good not to share.
Champions Farm carries layers of English history. Parts of the farmhouse date to the 16th century, with the Tudor section surviving a fire in 1900. A probable priest hole in the house hints at the more dangerous side of Tudor England: in 1588, Edward Shelley, an ancestor of the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, was executed for sheltering a Catholic priest, likely at this site. The Shelley family owned the estate for more than two centuries, and their literary shadow lingers over the place, including in the names of the wines.
Deeper still, Roman Britain lies beneath the rows. A Roman plug was discovered in the farmhouse pond, and a Roman road runs directly beneath Greenhurst Field - now the vineyard's largest site. The land is a Lower Greensand Ridge, with free-draining, mineral-rich soils that have proved ideal for vine health and expression.
The Stedman Family
It was during the stillness and uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021, that Chris and Caroline made a bold decision: to leave the pace of London life behind and start a vineyard of their own. Chris had retired from a long career in the shipping industry and, with a chemical engineering degree, brought a love of wine together with the technical skills to build both a vineyard and a winery. Caroline - with a background in History of Art, property development and interior design - found the perfect site for vines while contemplating a move to the countryside.
The first vines were planted in 2022, and the family's four daughters quickly became central to the project. Annie (Marketing Director) brings publishing experience and an archaeologist's eye for the site's history; Georgie (Product Director) leads innovation, packaging and customer experience; Katie (Operations Director) oversees finance, HR and operations; and Juliet (Art Director) creates the illustrations on the labels and merchandise. Together with Head of Viticulture and Winemaking Dominic Travers and the wider vineyard team, they form what the family calls "the Abingworth family" - a close-knit crew devoted to producing expressive, characterful English wine.
The Vineyard
Abingworth covers 30 acres within the 100-acre Champions Farm, a working sheep farm. The vineyard is split between two distinct sites - Tumbledown Hill and Greenhurst Field - each chosen for its particular combination of soil, aspect and microclimate.
Tumbledown Hill
A small, focused Pinot Noir block on a steep, south-facing slope, Tumbledown Hill is Abingworth's most expressive site. Just 1.8 hectares in size, it sits on the vineyard's highest sand content, giving excellent drainage, ideal conditions for a variety notoriously particular about where it succeeds. A mature oak tree at the centre of the block - the "Tumbledown Tree" - was deliberately preserved when the vines were planted and remains a recognisable landmark through the seasons, providing shade, biodiversity and a touch of microclimate influence. The slope is planted with four Pinot Noir clones: 521, 115, GM2013 and 777, each on its own rootstock (SO4 or 3309).
Greenhurst Field
A diverse, south-facing 7.5-hectare site with panoramic views of the South Downs, Greenhurst is home to Chardonnay, Cabaret Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. The open aspect gives excellent morning and evening light, supporting slow, even ripening across multiple clones and varieties. A central gazebo offers a quiet spot to pause and take it all in, a place where beauty meets purpose.
A Vineyard-First Philosophy
Viticulture at Abingworth blends traditional methods with modern, sustainable techniques. Led by Dominic Travers, who brings experience in biodynamic, organic and conventional systems, the team operates within a hybrid framework, drawing on organic and biodynamic principles while working practically within a conventional one. The approach focuses on:
- Gentle, sustainable pruning using the Simonit & Sirch method to reduce plant stress and extend vine life.
- Canopy management to improve airflow and sun exposure, reducing disease pressure naturally.
- Minimal chemical inputs, used only when necessary, guided by observation and data from on-site weather stations.
- Healthy vineyard floor management that promotes soil health, biodiversity and resilience.
Sheep from the wider farm play a quiet but valuable role: in winter they graze between the vines, naturally managing grass and weeds while enriching the soil.
The Winery
The Abingworth winery is purpose-built, designed to support high-quality winemaking at every stage. It was constructed in two phases: Phase 1 (2024) handled the first small harvest of around 13 tonnes, while Phase 2 (2025) expanded capacity to process up to 60 tonnes per vintage. The building began life as a barn that, the family were told, once housed a quirky collection of classic cars, a story now woven into its character.
Inside, the layout has been carefully planned for smooth workflow, from grape intake to bottling. Vibrating sorting tables and an oscillating destemmer handle fruit gently, while a pneumatic press ensures careful juice extraction. Advanced cooling and heating controls allow precise fermentation management, and the cellar is temperature- and humidity-controlled for optimal ageing. Wastewater systems protect the surrounding land, and the entire building is powered by solar energy from the farm.
Fermentation and ageing vessels include subtle French oak barrels, textured concrete tanks and stainless steel, each chosen to allow a given parcel to express its unique character. The winemaking philosophy is firmly minimal intervention: additions only when truly necessary, combining Old World restraint with New World precision, and letting the fruit and the site speak clearly in the glass.
The Wines
Abingworth's primary focus is on elegant English still wines, with small releases of traditional-method sparkling. The portfolio includes Pinot Noir (for rosé and red), Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabaret Noir, a disease-resistant PIWI variety that allows the team to explore both classic and progressive styles.
Sparkling Wine
- Ozymandias Blanc de Blancs 2019 Brut - £45.00. A traditional-method English sparkling made from 100% Chardonnay, disgorged in July 2025 after more than five years on lees. Inspired by the famous Shelley poem, it offers lemon zest, green apple and white peach layered with toasted brioche, vibrant acidity and a beautifully creamy finish. The first of Abingworth's sparkling wines to be released, with a 2019 vintage sitting ready for its 2026 release.
Still Wines - Whites, Rosé and Red
- Hidden Verse Rosé - £23.00. A Pinot Noir-dominant rosé grown on Tumbledown Hill, with a copper-pink hue, aromas of wild strawberry and redcurrant, a bright creamy texture and a subtle savoury note. Named after the fable of The Ant and the Grasshopper, the violin-playing grasshopper on the label captures the natural rhythm of West Sussex. A 1.5L magnum is available for pre-order.
- Sunken Stones Sauvignon Blanc - £23.00. A classic English Sauvignon Blanc from a one-hectare block at the southern end of Greenhurst Field. Crisp and bright, with lime, gooseberry, greengage and a hint of blackcurrant leaf. The name references the Roman road buried beneath Greenhurst, while the hare on the label nods to the estate's natural landscape.
- Guiding Light Pinot Gris - £25.00. Textural and vibrant, with white blossom, golden apple, comice pear, white peach and a hint of lemon curd. The label's copper detailing and ram motif reflect the wine's quiet warmth and the resilience of the farm's working landscape.
- Four Fables Chardonnay 2024 - £28.00 (pre-order, shipping from September 2026). Award-winning Chardonnay from the four-hectare block at the top of Greenhurst Field. Mirabelle plum and Amalfi lemon lead into ripe apple, toasted hazelnut and delicate filo pastry, with a saline mineral finish. The resourceful fox on the label nods to the site's hidden priest hole.
- Tumbledown Hill Pinot Noir 2024 - £28.00. Abingworth's first Pinot Noir release. Aromas of Morello cherry and violet unfold into soft spice and fine-grained tannins, with smoked plum and raspberry carrying through to a poised, velvety finish. The label pays tribute to a 13th-century dispute between rival rectors, and features a vineyard collie picking up an arrow found on the site.
- To A Skylark Cabaret Noir 2024 - £28.00. A PIWI red that combines ripe fruit with elegant structure. Sour cherry, damson and blackberry lead into silky tannins and bright acidity. Named after Shelley's celebrated poem, with a red foil and feather motif that nods to the skylark's song.
Award-Winning Wines
The 2025 vintage was a milestone year for Abingworth. Production increased sixfold to around 30,000 bottles, and just before English Wine Week, Hidden Verse Rosé 2025, Sunken Stones Sauvignon Blanc 2025 and Guiding Light Pinot Gris 2025 each took Silver Medals at the WineGB Awards. The 2024 vintage wines, including Tumbledown Hill Pinot Noir and Four Fables Chardonnay, followed soon after. Today the estate is recognised as a WineGB 2026 Best Newcomer Trophy winner.
Visit Abingworth
From summer 2026, Abingworth is welcoming visitors to the vineyard through a programme of tours, tastings and special events. The estate sits just outside the village of Thakeham, in the heart of the West Sussex countryside, and the easiest way to find it is via what3words (///fidgeting.tailors.glider). Some sat navs using the postcode may direct visitors to a nearby industrial estate - in that case, simply continue along Storrington Road until you see the sign for Abingworth Hall Hotel. The vineyard entrance is directly opposite the hotel.
Tours, Tastings & Events
Upcoming events include:
- Relax, Restore & Rosé - 7 August 2026, 18:30 - 21:00, £32.00 per person.
- Tour & Tasting - 8 August 2026 at 10:30 - 12:00 and 13:30 - 15:00, £27.50 per person.
- Vineyard Experience Day - 19 August 2026, 10:00 - 16:00.
- South London Wine Fair - 22 August 2026, 12:00 - 18:30.
Tours begin with a welcome glass, followed by a walk amongst the vines and a guided tasting in the winery, where the wines come alive against the tanks, concrete eggs and oak barrels in which they were crafted. Private tours and events can also be arranged by contacting the team directly.
Step-free access is available throughout the vineyard, winery and bathrooms. Dogs (apart from assistance dogs) are not currently permitted on site, and under-18s must be accompanied by an adult.
Sustainability
Sustainability is central to everything Abingworth does. The team works to many of the same principles as organic and biodynamic viticulture, with minimal tillage, data-driven decisions, Integrated Pest Management (including pheromone traps), sustainable pruning and careful canopy management. Soil health is tracked through annual sampling and earthworm counts, and rainwater harvesting is used for washdowns and treatments.
Biodiversity is actively protected through wildflower meadows, uncut hedgerows, naturally evolving woodland and the winter sheep grazing between the vines. In the winery, the building is highly insulated and naturally ventilated, with solar power running the winery, offices and electric vineyard equipment. Pressings (marc) are composted and returned to the vineyard, and packaging uses lighter-weight bottles, recycled cardboard and eco-conscious labels.
Every bottle carries a QR code linking to ingredients, allergens, nutritional information, winemaking methods and packaging materials, part of a commitment to full transparency.
The Shop
The Abingworth shop offers the full wine range alongside a small but considered collection of branded merchandise:
- Where Vine Meets Verse Corkscrew - £8.95.
- Abingworth Wine Key (two-step corkscrew with foil cutter) - £15.95.
- AV Sparkling Wine Stopper - £11.50.
- The Abingworth Everyday Set (organic cotton T-shirt and recycled cotton tote) - £53.99.
- Abingworth Map Tote (featuring an illustrated map of the vineyard) - £32.99.
- Relaxed Abingworth Harvest T-Shirt - £34.99.
Standard UK delivery takes 3 - 5 business days, and a Click & Collect service is available from the vineyard office.
The People Behind the Wine
Abingworth's small but dedicated team reflects the family's ethos of care, creativity and pride. Beyond the Stedman family and Head of Viticulture & Winemaking Dominic Travers, the team includes:
- Will Pegler, Vineyard Supervisor, focused on growing healthy, sustainable vines.
- William Sanders, Winery & Vineyard Assistant.
- Joe Whitehouse, Vineyard Apprentice (studying at Plumpton College).
Plan Your Visit
Whether drawn by the history, the wines, or the chance to walk the South Downs in good company, Abingworth offers a beautifully considered introduction to English wine. Tours can be booked through the What's On page, the wines are available through the online shop, and the vineyard's story continues on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn.
Contact
- Email: info@abingworthvineyard.com (general) / support@abingworthvineyard.com (orders & returns)
- Phone: 07444 492483
- Address: Champions Farm, Storrington Road, Thakeham, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 3EF
- what3words: ///fidgeting.tailors.glider
- Office hours: 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday
By Car & Train
Limited parking is available on site. The nearest train stations are Pulborough and Billingshurst, both around a 12-minute taxi ride from the vineyard.