Lone Farm Vineyard

Nestled in the rolling chalk and flint of the Itchen Valley on the edge of the South Downs National Park, just minutes from Winchester, Lone Farm Vineyard is one of Hampshire's quiet success stories in the new wave of English winemaking. Planted in 2014 and dedicated exclusively to 100% Pinot Blanc, the vineyard produces the still, sparkling and orange wines sold under the BSIXTWELVE label, a name drawn from the asteroid B-612 in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince. Everything at Lone Farm, from the soil beneath the vines to the bottle on your table, is shaped by a deeply personal philosophy of organic, biodynamic and regenerative agriculture, low-intervention winemaking and respect for the terroir.

The Story Behind Lone Farm Vineyard

Lone Farm Vineyard is the work of Balbina Leeming, a half-Spanish, half-Venezuelan vigneron who turned a Hampshire field into a single-variety estate producing some of England's most distinctive white wines. Balbina's romance with wine began at 19, on a visit to a vineyard in La Rioja, where she watched strangers and family members share happiness over a glass of wine made from lovingly tended vines. From that moment, a lifetime of travel and tasting across Argentina, Australia, France, Italy and Spain laid the groundwork for the dream that finally took root in 2014.

After years of research, soil analysis and meticulous preparation, two acres of 100% Pinot Blanc were planted in May 2014 with the loving help of her husband David. The vineyard now thrives in chalk and flint Hampshire soil under principles of organic, biodynamic, no-till and regenerative agriculture. Mentoring from Simon Woodhead and Thomas Bartlett, together with David's unwavering support, has helped Balbina turn what was once a field into a living, breathing vineyard ecosystem.

The Meaning of BSIXTWELVE

The name BSIXTWELVE is a deeply personal one. Balbina is known as "B", and her obsession with The Little Prince runs through every aspect of the project. In the book, the Little Prince's home is asteroid B-612, a precious refuge of joy, just as the vineyard is for Balbina. The three words that guide the brand, Passion, Love, Life, are a direct homage to the Little Prince's meticulous care for his Rose, mirroring the care given to every vine, from planting to the renewal of each year's growth. From the book: "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eyes."

The Vineyard

The vineyard sits in the Itchen Valley on the edge of the South Downs National Park, in the heart of Hampshire. Two acres of Pinot Blanc were planted in 2014 and continue to be managed with what Balbina describes as "an almost obsessive love and dedication". The vineyard's approach is built around four interlocking philosophies:

• Organic agriculture, no synthetic chemicals or fertilisers, nurturing vines naturally.
• Biodynamic principles, sprays of nettle, dandelion, equisetum and lavender teas used to strengthen vine immunity.
• No-till farming, preserving soil structure and biology.
• Regenerative agriculture, cover crops, composting, use of sheep and an active effort to build biodiversity, water retention and carbon sequestration.

The vineyard's solar panels provide up to 15 kW of power, reinforcing the project's wider sustainability ethos. Cover crops, careful canopy management and an integrated ecosystem all contribute to the health of the soil that gives the wines their sense of place.

Terroir and Climate

The chalk and flint soils of the Itchen Valley are central to the character of BSIXTWELVE wines. Hampshire's relatively dry, sunny microclimate, influenced by its position on the edge of the South Downs, has proved ideally suited to Pinot Blanc, an aromatic white variety more commonly associated with Alsace. Balbina's choice of a Single Guyot pruning system, with vines spaced at 1 metre in the row and 2 metres between rows, has been fine-tuned over the years to optimise canopy architecture, airflow and sunlight, all in pursuit of the cleanest, most expressive fruit possible.

The Seasons at Lone Farm

The vineyard's What's News updates document each season in remarkable detail. In February, the focus is on pruning using the Simonit & Sirch method, a precision technique that respects the vine's organic growth, maintains sap flow continuity and significantly reduces wood disease. In a February 2020 entry, Balbina described this method as a revelation: small cuts, leaving extra wood to allow desiccation, treating each vine as an individual. Budburst typically follows in April, bringing what Balbina calls "joy that I cannot even describe".

Spring can bring frost. In May 2026, a sudden sharp frost on 12 May caused an estimated 50% loss of new growth, a setback Balbina shared openly in her Resilience Update. Through summer, canopy management, leaf removal, hedging and cluster thinning prepare the fruit for harvest. The grapes are normally hand-harvested in mid-October, with a small, focused team of friends, family and Tribe members bringing in the crop, traditionally rewarded with a long, leisurely lunch in the rows.

The Wines

BSIXTWELVE is one of the very few English producers to focus single-mindedly on Pinot Blanc, and one of the first to experiment with orange and ancestral-method sparkling wines from the same grape. The flagship wines include:

Classic Pinot Blanc

First released with the 2017 vintage, the Classic Pinot Blanc is the wine that put Lone Farm on the map. The 2017 vintage, described by Balbina as the most exciting vintage, "our first", opens with blossom on the nose, citrus peel on the palate and a finish of tropical passion fruit. Later vintages, notably 2018 (which Balbina calls "the Vintage of the Century in the UK" thanks to the near-perfect growing season) and the 2022 release, have built on that reputation with clean, floral aromatics of citrus blossom and red apple, and a palate laden with white peach and nectarine, lifted by a precise lemon acidity and a harmonious, solid finish.

Lola's Tipple, Ancestral Method Sparkling

Lola's Tipple is BSIXTWELVE's ancestral-method sparkling wine, named in tribute to Balbina's beloved vineyard dog Lola. The first release was the 2022 vintage, bottled in a tiny run of around 200 bottles, with the 2025 vintage also producing a limited 200-bottle run according to the 2025 Vintage for the Ages post. The ancestral method captures the pure essence of the fruit and terroir, producing a sparkling wine of great purity and individual character.

BWILD Orange Wine

BWILD is Lone Farm's skin-contact Pinot Blanc, an orange wine made from white grapes with extended skin contact. As Balbina explains in her 10-year retrospective, BSIXTWELVE is among the first English wineries to produce orange wines, embracing the style with the same minimal-intervention ethos that guides the rest of the range. Volumes are tiny, typically fewer than 200 bottles per release.

BFREE, Pinot Blanc Amphora

Teased in Balbina's End of Year 2023 report, BFREE is the inaugural release of Pinot Blanc Amphora, made from the 2022 vintage. Amphora fermentation is yet another experiment in expressing the versatility of Lone Farm's single grape variety.

The Limited Edition Celebration Mixed Case

To showcase the versatility of Pinot Blanc, BSIXTWELVE periodically releases a Limited Edition Celebration Mixed Half Case containing 4 bottles of Classic Pinot Blanc, 1 bottle of Lola's Tipple Ancestral Sparkling and 1 bottle of BWILD Orange. The 2023 release retailed at £180.00 (free delivery on orders of 12 bottles or £9 on orders of 6+ bottles), with a 10% Tribe discount available.

Winemaking Philosophy

Winemaking at BSIXTWELVE is just as respectful of the fruit as the viticulture is of the soil. As Balbina puts it, "the wine is made in the vineyard", and the winemaker's role is to preserve what the season has given. All Lone Farm wines are made using:

• Fully spontaneous (wild) fermentation, initiated by the yeasts naturally present on the grapes, with no pied de cuve and no cultured starters.
• No filtering, wines are bottled with their natural texture and character intact.
• No fining, preserving the purity of the fruit and terroir.

Early vintages were made at Stopham Estate under the watchful eye of Tom, with later experimental styles including the skins and orange wines made at Charlie Herring in the New Forest with Tim Phillips. As Balbina wrote after the 2020 harvest, "wine is alive and can have infinite permutations", a philosophy that continues to drive the small, experimental portfolio forward.

Recent Vintages and Vintage Notes

2025, A Vintage for the Ages

The most recent harvest at Lone Farm produced what Balbina describes as "one of the finest vintages in the 10 years since we first planted our vines". In her November 2025 vintage report, she shares that the must showed outstanding sugar levels balanced by vibrant acidity, the hallmark of an exceptional, long-lived wine. The yield was the second-best ever, just behind 2018. The vintage also produced a tiny 200-bottle run of Lola's Tipple Ancestral Sparkling, captured at optimal sugar levels.

2026, Slow Recovery

The 2026 season was set back by the May frost event described above, with around 50% loss of new growth. In her June 2026 update, "Slowly but Surely", Balbina reports that flowering is on its way, the canopy is balanced and the vines look incredibly healthy given the rough start. The hope is that a balanced mix of warm sunshine and timely rain will deliver another quality vintage.

Visiting Lone Farm Vineyard

Lone Farm Vineyard is open to visitors by appointment only. Anyone interested in visiting or tasting the wines in situ can join The Tribe, the vineyard's community of supporters who get first refusal on harvest days and other vineyard experiences. Enquiries can be sent to bsixtwelve@lonefarm.co.uk or by phone on 01962 217 450, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

The annual Harvest Day is a particularly special experience: a morning of hand-picking in the vineyard followed by a long, relaxed lunch. Spaces are limited and Tribe members have priority.

Where to Buy BSIXTWELVE Wines

Wines can be purchased directly from the BSIXTWELVE wine shop, where current pricing is:

• BSIXTWELVE Pinot Blanc 2017, £30.00 (sold out)
• 3 bottles of BSIXTWELVE Pinot Blanc 2018, £90.00 (sold out)
• BSIXTWELVE Pinot Blanc Half Case (6 bottles), £180.00 (2020 and 2022 vintages both sold out)
• Limited Edition Celebration Mixed Half Case (6 bottles), £180.00 (sold out)

Online orders are for UK residents only. Delivery is free on orders of 12 bottles, £9 on orders of 6+ bottles to most UK mainland addresses (with surcharges to Highlands, Islands and Northern Ireland, see the Terms & Conditions). Payment is processed securely via Stripe and PayPal. The team can be contacted directly for shipment quotations outside the UK.

On-Trade Stockists and Restaurants

BSIXTWELVE Pinot Blanc is listed at an impressive roster of UK restaurants and wine merchants:

• The Lecture Room & Library at SKETCH, 9 Conduit St, London W1S 2XG, three Michelin stars.
• Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa, Christchurch Road, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6QS.
• Lainston House, Woodman Lane, Sparsholt, Winchester SO21 2LT.
• The Chesil Rectory, 1 Chesil Street, Winchester SO23 0HU.
• The Milbury at Beauworth, Hampshire SO24 0PB.
• THE PIG Brockenhurst, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst SO42 7QL.
• The Globe Alresford, The Soke, Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9DB.
• The Naked Grape, The Old Exchange, Station Road, Hampshire SO24 9JG.
• Fab Wines (online).

It is a remarkable list for a two-acre Hampshire vineyard, putting BSIXTWELVE Pinot Blanc alongside some of the most respected names in British hospitality.

Awards, Press and Recognition

BSIXTWELVE has been profiled by The Write Taste, whose article on championing Pinot Blanc in England was highlighted by Balbina in February 2024 as one of the most humbling pieces written about the project. The wines have also been tasted and reviewed by Wine Cellar Door, with positive feedback shared across BSIXTWELVE's Instagram and Facebook channels. The vineyard regularly features in regional food and wine press, and BSIXTWELVE Pinot Blanc has been served at three-Michelin-star SKETCH.

Sustainability at the Core

Sustainability is not a marketing line at Lone Farm, it is a working ethos. The vineyard's electricity is largely generated by solar panels providing up to 15 kW of power. Cover crops, composting, the use of sheep for grazing, and the avoidance of synthetic chemicals all contribute to a regenerative cycle that builds soil biology and sequesters carbon. The winemaking philosophy of wild fermentation, no filtering and no fining means the finished wines carry a lighter environmental footprint too.

Contact and Practical Information

• Address: Lone Farm, Itchen Abbas, Hampshire SO21 1BX
• Email: bsixtwelve@lonefarm.co.uk
• Telephone: 01962 217 450 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
• Visits: By appointment only
• Website: www.bsixtwelve.co.uk

Whether you come for a glass of the elegant 2022 Classic Pinot Blanc, the playful ancestral sparkle of Lola's Tipple, or to lend a hand at harvest as part of The Tribe, Lone Farm Vineyard offers a rare chance to experience Hampshire terroir filtered through a single grape variety and a deeply personal winemaking philosophy. BSIXTWELVE is, in the words of its founder, a place where happiness is born to be shared.