Hidden Spring Vineyard: Award-Winning English Wines in the Heart of East Sussex
Tucked into the rolling countryside of the Weald near Horam in East Sussex, Hidden Spring Vineyard is one of the most exciting boutique English wine estates to emerge in recent years. With 13 acres of carefully tended vines across five classic cool-climate varieties, a hands-on family team and a packed calendar of tours, tastings and food-truck collaborations, Hidden Spring is a name worth getting to know.
What follows is a complete guide to the vineyard: its history, its people, the wines it produces, the experiences on offer and how to plan a visit.
About Hidden Spring Vineyard
Hidden Spring Vineyard sits on a 23-acre smallholding just outside Heathfield, in the heart of Horam, East Sussex. The estate was originally established in 1986 and went on to enjoy many years of successful, award-winning wine production. In the mid-2000s the original vineyard was converted to a campsite, but the land always wanted to make wine again.
In 2015 the vineyard was expanded and re-planted. The campsite was removed and more than 24,000 vines of five different varieties were planted across 13 acres, creating the Hidden Spring that visitors see today.
Richard and Sara Asman took ownership of Hidden Spring in early 2022, returning to the UK from South Africa so that their adult children could continue their university studies in England. Both passionate about the English wine industry, they have set about expanding the range of fine wines the estate produces and opening the vineyard up to more visitors through tours, tastings and a wide programme of events.
The People Behind the Wines
Hidden Spring is a true family and team endeavour.
- Micaela - Head Winemaker & Vineyard Manager. Micaela is the estate's viticulturist and winemaker. A graduate of Plumpton College, she has been with Hidden Spring since 2019 and brings both international and local experience to the role. She tends the vines herself (look out for her on her trusty blue tractor) and coordinates harvest and production.
- Richard & Sara Asman - Owners. Richard spent 30 years building businesses in pharmaceutical manufacturing, while Sara runs her own art psychotherapy practice. Together they are committed to developing Hidden Spring as a destination for English fine wine.
- Conrad - Director of Operations. Richard and Sara's son, Conrad heads up logistics, data and content management. Outside Hidden Spring he is an internationally performed composer whose work has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Arts Centre, Wigmore Hall and Alice Tully Hall, among many others.
- Henry & Isla - The Dogs. Two Golden Retrievers who patrol the vines. Dogs are very welcome at Hidden Spring, so feel free to bring your own along.
Location, Terroir and the Sussex PDO
The vineyard's position on the Weald gives it the classic combination of free-draining soils and a long, cool ripening season that Sussex is famous for. Sussex's climate gives still wines from Bacchus, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir their bright, aromatic character.
Under Sussex PDO rules, every grape at Hidden Spring is hand-picked, with yields capped at 14 tonnes per hectare. Lees-ageing, pressing, fermentation, bottling and labelling of Sussex PDO wines must all take place within the demarcated region, and the team proudly abides by those rules throughout the entire winemaking journey.
The Still Wine Journey: From Budburst to Bottle
Every still wine at Hidden Spring follows an eight-stage "Sussex: From Vine to Wine" journey:
- Budburst (April): The dormant vines awaken and the first green shoots break from the bud. Growers watch nervously for late-May frosts, which in a bad year can claim most of a crop.
- Flowering (June): About eight weeks after budburst, tiny self-pollinating flowers appear. A warm, dry flowering quietly decides the size of the vintage to come.
- Véraison (August): Berries soften and colour, sugars rise and acidity falls. This is where Sussex's cool ripening season begins to work its magic.
- Harvest (October): Hand-picked bunches are selected row by row for the press.
- Pressing (November): Grapes are pressed and the juice is run into tank or barrel. Yeasts convert sugar to alcohol over days to weeks, creating the base wine.
- Maturing (months to years): The young wine rests on its lees, in stainless steel for freshness or oak for depth and complexity.
- Bottling: Once the winemaker judges the wine ready, it is filtered and bottled.
- Labelling & Release: Bottles are labelled, often after further cellaring, and the finished still wine is finally released to the public.
The Wines
Hidden Spring produces three distinct ranges: a Still Wines collection, a Sparkling Wines collection and a small, hand-crafted Alchemy Limited Editions range. All are available to buy online through the Hidden Spring shop, and the Mix & Match case offers 10% off when you build your own selection of six bottles.
Still Wines
Hidden Spring's still range is built around the grape varieties that thrive on the South Downs.
- Bacchus - £20.00 per bottle. Bright and vibrant with aromas of elderflower, nectarine, pear and peach, with lively minerality and flavours of fresh lime zest, grapefruit and stone fruit. 11.0% ABV, total acidity 6.4 g/l. Tasting notes describe it as "British summertime in a glass".
- Chardonnay - £22.50 per bottle. Packed with tropical fruit, a floral honeysuckle nose and a flinty minerality. Aromas of pear and citrus work harmoniously with flavours of pear, apricot, honey and grapefruit, finishing with creamy complexity. 11.0% ABV, 6.9 g/l acidity.
- Pinot Gris - £20.00 per bottle. Tropical fruit and a floral honeysuckle nose with a flinty minerality; pear, citrus, apricot, honey and grapefruit on the palate, with a creamy complexity and exuberant finish. 11.0% ABV, 6.2 g/l acidity.
- Here Be Dragons Still Rosé - £20.00 per bottle (Limited Edition). A blend of Bacchus, Pinot Gris and Cab Noir, celebrating summer with aromas and flavours of strawberries and cream, morello cherries, raspberries and marzipan. 11.0% ABV, 7.1 g/l acidity. Only 1,000 bottles produced.
The Still Wines collection is currently sold out in bottles but can be enjoyed by the glass at the vineyard.
Sparkling Wines
The sparkling collection is made in the traditional method, the same technique used in Champagne, and showcases the Burgundian varieties Hidden Spring grows.
- Sparkling Rosé - £32.50 per bottle. A blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Crafted from Burgundian Pinot Noir grapes, with small bunches of beautifully ripe fruit producing a delicate salmon-pink rosé with persistent bubbles. Soft on the palate, brimming with summer fruits, raspberries and strawberries and a touch of cream. 12.0% ABV, 6.8 g/l acidity.
- Classic Cuvée - £35.00 per bottle (Independent English Wine Awards: Gold 2024). A blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. An explosion of lemon and lime with a hint of Apple Danish and aromas of raspberry. Rich texture, crisp fruit and a toasty finish. 12.0% ABV, 6.3 g/l acidity.
- Blanc de Noirs - £35.00 per bottle. A Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier blend. Toasted brioche on the nose, with a subtle salinity, fine bubbles and a persistent mousse. Flavours of fresh raspberry and Morello cherry alongside pastry and toasted almonds. 12.0% ABV, 6.6 g/l acidity.
- Blanc de Blanc - £37.50 per bottle. 100% Chardonnay. A complex, balanced wine revealing many layers: toasted almonds, hazelnuts and orange blossom on the nose, with baked red apples, orange peel and brioche on the palate and a long finish. 12.0% ABV, 8.4 g/l acidity.
The whole Sparkling Wines collection can be explored online.
Alchemy: The Limited Editions
The Alchemy (ˈælkɪmi) range is Hidden Spring's signature collection of limited-edition wines. Just as the ancient art of alchemy focused on creating gold from lead, the Hidden Spring Alchemy range pays tribute to those masters by showcasing the transformation of the humble grape into exquisite fine wine. Only the finest grapes are hand-selected, and each wine is meticulously handcrafted with minimal intervention.
- Alchemy: The Catalyst - £37.50 per bottle. 100% Cab Noir. Light-bodied, 11.0% ABV, 4.7 g/l acidity. Only 1,000 bottles produced.
- Alchemy: The Barrel Factor - £24.50 per bottle. Hidden Spring's new Bacchus Fumé. 100% Bacchus, the grape often called "England's answer to sauvignon blanc" for its elderflower, grass and apple character. The juice undergoes malolactic fermentation in a mix of new and old American and French oak barrels, and is further aged for three months in barrel before bottling. Only 1,025 bottles produced.
Building Your Own Case
The Mix & Match case of six is priced at £120.00 and offers a 10% saving on Hidden Spring's award-winning wines when you build your own selection. It is the perfect way to discover the full range.
Tours and Tasting Experiences
Hidden Spring's Tours & Tastings run throughout the summer season and are designed to be informative, relaxed and interactive. Tours run on weekends during summer and are the perfect centrepiece for a weekend escape, a special celebration or a corporate away-day.
Tour & Tasting Experience - £20.00 per person
The signature Tour & Tasting is an immersive 90 - 120 minute journey that takes visitors from grape to glass.
- Walk the Vines: Join an expert guide for a stroll through the estate. Learn about the vineyard's terroir and microclimate, the sustainable viticulture practices and the grape varieties that thrive in Hidden Spring's Sussex soil.
- The Art of the Winery: Step inside the production facilities to see pressing, fermentation and the patient art of traditional-method sparkling wine production.
- A Guided Wine Tasting: The journey culminates in a tutored tasting of current releases, from still to sparkling, with guidance on identifying the subtle notes and aromas unique to the estate.
Book the Tour & Tasting Experience via Cowlendar.
Tour & Tasting with Cheese Pairing - £30.00 per person
The same immersive tour, but each wine is paired with a different cheese sourced from independent creameries around East Sussex and Kent.
Wine Flight - £12.50 per person
Available Thursdays through Sundays, the Wine Flight is the definitive way to discover Hidden Spring's range, with walk-ins welcome. It includes:
- Three artisanal still wines, progressing from bright, floral whites to textured, fruit-forward profiles.
- Two premium sparkling glasses showcasing the estate's signature English sparkling wines and the complex lees-ageing that has put Sussex sparkling on the global map.
An "Adult (no wine)" ticket option is available, and children are also welcome.
Gift a Tour
The Tour & Tasting Voucher starts at £20.00 and is available for one to six people, with or without cheese pairing. Delivered by email, it is the ideal gift for any wine lover.
Food & Wine Events
Throughout summer 2026, Hidden Spring is hosting a series of culinary collaboration events with leading food trucks and mobile caterers. Each adult ticket is just £5 and comes with a glass of still wine on arrival; children's tickets are free.
- Daccapo Pizza x Hidden Spring. Authentic, handcrafted Neapolitan-style pizza from Daccapo paired with Hidden Spring wines for the ultimate alfresco lunch. View event · Book dates.
- Amthuc Viet x Hidden Spring. An exclusive culinary takeover by Amthuc Viet blending authentic Vietnamese catering with the crisp, award-winning notes of Hidden Spring's estate-grown English wines. View event · Book dates.
- Firenze Pizza x Hidden Spring (9 August 2026). The sold-out collaboration returns: Neapolitan pizza alongside Hidden Spring's local award-winning still and sparkling wines. View event · Book dates.
Gift Cards and Accessories
Hidden Spring also offers a small but well-chosen selection of gifts and accessories, all of which can be found in the Accessories collection.
- Gift Card - from £25.00. Available in £25, £50, £100 and £200 denominations. Digital delivery by email, valid across the full range of wines and tours.
- Sparkling Wine Presentation Box - £5.95. A crafted wooden presentation box that elegantly displays Hidden Spring's wine; perfect for gifts, wine cellars and display cabinets. Available in single or double.
- Sparkling Wine Stopper - £6.50. A branded stopper designed to seal opened sparkling wine and keep it fresh and crisp.
- Tour & Tasting Voucher - from £20.00. A digital voucher redeemable against any Tour & Tasting or Cheese Pairing experience.
International Distributors
For those outside the UK, Hidden Spring's wines are available through a network of international partners.
Planning Your Visit
Hidden Spring Vineyard is located in the picturesque village of Horam, just outside Heathfield in East Sussex. It is a sanctuary for wine lovers and the perfect centrepiece for a weekend escape or a special celebration.
Opening Hours
- Monday to Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 12pm - 5:30pm
- Sundays: 12pm - 5:30pm (seasonal)
Bookings for tours and wine flights are taken via Cowlendar.
Getting There
The vineyard is at Vines Cross Road, Horam, Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 0HG. Get directions on Google Maps.
Contact
- Phone: +44 (0) 1435 512 111
- Email: info@hiddenspring.co.uk
Stay in Touch
Follow Hidden Spring on Facebook and Instagram for the latest releases, vineyard updates and announcements of seasonal events.
And, as the team politely reminds every visitor: please drink responsibly.