Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard: England's Oldest Organic Wine Estate in East Sussex
Nestled in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the edge of 1066 Country in East Sussex, Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard is England's oldest organic wine estate. Independent and family-spirited, the 22-acre estate has been farmed without synthetic chemicals since 1979, producing an award-winning range of organic and biodynamic white, rosé, red and naturally sparkling wines, all certified suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
A brief history of England's oldest organic vineyard
Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard was originally founded by Roy Cook in 1979 in the Rother Valley between Robertsbridge and Hawkhurst, an area now home to a thriving cluster of English vineyards known as the Rother Wine Triangle. From the outset, Roy's vision was rooted in working with nature rather than against it: no chemical fertilisers, no herbicides, no systemic fungicides or insecticides, and a careful focus on building soil life through composts and green-manure cover crops.
That pioneering ethos continues today. The estate is now run as part of MDCV UK Limited (parent) / South East Wineries Limited (trading company, registered in England and Wales, company number 10985726), and the wines are still certified organic by the Soil Association and the Biodynamic Association UK, with the biodynamic range additionally certified to Demeter standards.
Location, hours and how to find the vineyard
The vineyard address is:
- Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard, Hawkhurst Road, Sedlescombe, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5SA, United Kingdom
It lies in the High Weald AONB, with the south coast and Hastings just a short drive south. Free parking is available on site.
The estate, café, tasting room and wine shop are open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00. No pre-booking is needed to drop in: you can simply turn up for self-guided walks, wine flights, paired cheese and wine flights, hot and cold drinks, charcuterie and cheeseboards, or to browse the on-site shop.
For customer service, the team can be reached on 0330 122 5290 or info@sedlescombeorganic.com. Wedding and private-hire enquiries go to weddings@sedlescombeorganic.com or 07504 219531.
Sustainability baked into the building
The estate's striking visitor building was erected in 2018 with sustainability at its core. It uses reclaimed materials wherever possible, is heated by a state-of-the-art ground-source heat pump, and harvests rainwater from the roof for the toilet cisterns and plant watering. The team has phased out unnecessary paper (text and email receipts are offered by default), uses washable fabric hand towels and napkins, and the wines themselves are labelled minimally with natural cork, with no plastic wrapping or unnecessary wax. The café kitchen sources organic produce within a 30-mile radius and makes its own sausage rolls, cakes and ploughman's boards with local organic cheese.
Visiting the vineyard: tours and tastings
Sedlescombe's signature experience is a guided walk through the vines with a tutored tasting of five wines along the route. Tours run every Friday and Saturday through the autumn and winter months, and on additional days in peak season. Children are welcome at no charge, and well-behaved dogs on a lead are welcome in the wine shop, tasting room and gardens, though, for food-hygiene reasons, dogs are not permitted in the vineyards or on the tours themselves.
Three giftable tour-and-tasting vouchers can be bought online and redeemed against a future visit:
- Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting at £25.00 per person. The classic guided walk plus tutored tasting of five wines; extra refreshments can be bought on site.
- Tour & Tasting with Cream Tea at £31.00 per person. Adds a home-made cream tea.
- Tour & Tasting with Lunch at £37.00 per person. Adds a home-made, seasonal lunch.
If you prefer to keep things flexible, an impromptu in-house Guided Tasting is available seven days a week at £20.00, with no booking required. Private tours and group bookings (hen/stag dos, corporate events, work outings) can also be arranged by calling the team on 0330 122 5290.
For visitors with reduced mobility the vineyard offers disabled access and the team is happy to help; just call ahead. Cancellations made at least 48 hours in advance are fully refundable or rebookable; tours only run in extreme weather, so wellies and an umbrella are recommended on rainy days.
The wines of Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard
All wines are certified organic, with the top cuvées also biodynamic (Demeter). The current release range spans still whites, rosé, red, traditional-method sparkling and Pét-Nat (natural méthode ancestrale) sparklings. Single bottles are available in the on-site shop and the online store, with case-of-six discounts of around 5% on most lines.
Still white wines
- Old Vine 2017, £24.00 per bottle (currently sold out). Made from 32-year-old Rivaner vines, biodynamic and organic, with elderflower aromas and a fresh, Riesling-like palate at 11% vol.
- White Solaris 2019, £24.00 per bottle / £136.80 per case of six. An aromatic blend of Solaris, Reichensteiner and Johanniter at 10.5% vol., with orange-pith and fresh citrus notes.
- Pinot Auxerrois 2015, £35.00 per bottle / £199.50 per case of six. A vibrant, ever-so-slightly-sweet white at 12% vol., bursting with juicy orange, shortbread and honey.
Rosé and red
- Pinot Noir Rosé 2019, £24.00 per bottle / £136.80 per case of six. A blend of Pinot Noir, Regent, Rondo and Seyval Blanc, brimming with red summer berries and a candy-floss lift (10.5% vol.).
- Regent Red N.V., £24.00 per bottle / £136.80 per case of six. A lightly spiced, easy-drinking red from Regent and Rondo, with pepper, smoked bramble and soft tannins at 9.5% vol.
Sparkling wines (Pét-Nat)
Sedlescombe's sparkling wines are made in the Pétillant Naturel style: natural, unfiltered, with a gentle mousse and vibrant fruit.
- Pét-Nat Brut 2018, £35.00 per bottle / £199.50 per case of six. A four-variety blend of Solaris, Reichensteiner, Johanniter and Müller-Thurgau, with baked-apple spice and a sherbet-fresh finish (10.5% vol.).
- Pét-Nat Rosé Brut 2018, £35.00 per bottle / £199.50 per case of six. Adds Regent to the blend for "strawberries and cream" character and finely balanced acidity.
- The Pét-Nat Collection, £199.50 per case of six (3 × Brut + 3 × Rosé), 5% off individual bottle price.
Sparkling and other wines from the wider family
- Sedlescombe Organic Brut NV, from £39.00 per bottle (currently sold out), a traditional-method English sparkling.
- Silver Reign half-bottle (0.375L), £10.00, a small-format English sparkling, available in standard and Bodiam-distilled editions.
- SILVERHAND Solaris, £21.00, an English still white, again available in standard and Bodiam editions.
Provence wines from Château Saint-Roux
The Sedlescombe team also stocks wines from their sister estate, Château Saint-Roux, in Provence. The current Provençal list includes:
- Ultimate Provence 2023, from £12.00 (on sale)
- Ultimate Provence Rosé 2022, £49.00 (was £100.00, save 51%)
- Ultimate Provence Red 2019, from £19.00 (currently sold out)
- UP Rosé 2022 0.375L, £12.00
These are available through the Sedlescombe Organic wine shop and from sister brand www.thewinecaverns.com.
The Café Bar & Kitchen
Open during estate hours (Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00), the on-site Café Bar & Kitchen serves:
- Glasses of Sedlescombe and Provence wines
- Charcuterie boards and ploughman's platters with local organic cheese
- Hot and cold drinks, snacks and homemade cakes
- House-made sausage rolls and other seasonal bites
There's a sunny patio for warmer days and a cosy tasting room for the cooler months; board games are available to borrow. No booking is required, just turn up.
Stay at The Nest
For a full vineyard escape, the estate now offers The Nest, a three-bedroom detached house sleeping couples, walkers and families, surrounded by woodland and biodynamic vines in 1066 Country. It is listed on Airbnb; a short hop from Hastings and the south coast, it makes a natural base for a wine-tour weekend.
Weddings and private hire
Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard is a popular wedding and private-hire venue, offering indoor and outdoor spaces, a fully functioning commercial kitchen, dry-hire options, and add-on catering and entertainment recommendations. Every private-hire booking includes a complimentary wine tasting experience. For weddings, larger parties and corporate events, the team offers:
- An exclusive single-estate setting for ceremonies, receptions and evening celebrations
- On-site bridal accommodation
- Pre-booked private viewings of the iconic spaces
A recent July 2026 wedding review described the team as "exceptional" and the venue as "one of the most beautiful wedding venues" the couple's guests had ever attended. To enquire, email weddings@sedlescombeorganic.com or call 07504 219531. The wedding brochure (PDF) can be viewed directly.
The Rother Wine Triangle
Sedlescombe is one of six vineyards collaborating as the Rother Wine Triangle, a partnership offering a guided bus tour around three selected vineyards in the Rother Valley each week, a brilliant way to compare styles across neighbouring estates in a single afternoon.
Events calendar and how to book
Bookings are handled through an external What's On system powered by Bookinghound, where visitors can reserve tour-and-tasting slots, group visits and special-event dates. Tours and tastings run every Friday and Saturday through the autumn and winter, with additional days in the busier months. Cancellations made at least 48 hours in advance are fully refundable or rebookable.
- What's On & Booking page
- Tour & Tasting FAQs: book-a-tour-and-tasting
Buying wine online: shipping and returns
Standard UK Mainland delivery is £5.95 on orders under £75 and free on orders over £75, with a 3 to 5 working-day turnaround. Local collection is free and available next-day from Sedlescombe and other group retail locations. Surcharges apply to the Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man: +£12) and the Republic of Ireland (+£10). Orders are shipped with proof-of-age checks, as by law alcohol cannot be left with anyone under 18. Standard shipping, refund and terms-of-service policies set out the contractual basis under South East Wineries Limited.
Connect with Sedlescombe Organic
Stay in touch with the vineyard:
- Twitter / X
- A newsletter offers exclusive discounts.
Plan your visit
Whether you are a wine lover hunting for a clean, vegan English white, a couple dreaming of a vineyard wedding, or a family looking for a weekend in the Sussex countryside, Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard offers a complete, sustainable and deeply characterful experience. Pop in for an impromptu £20 guided tasting, book a £25 tour, upgrade with a cream tea or seasonal lunch, and stay the night at The Nest, all on one organic, biodynamic, family-run East Sussex estate.