Newsells Park Winery: Where Centuries of Thoroughbred Heritage Meet English Sparkling Wine
Set in the rolling chalk hills of north-east Hertfordshire, Newsells Park Winery is one of England's most ambitious and unusual new sparkling-wine ventures - a project that fuses centuries of thoroughbred breeding heritage with the rapidly maturing craft of English wine. The estate has bred Group 1 winners of the calibre of Waldgeist, Enable and Desert Crown, and now the same obsessive standards that made its name in bloodstock are being applied to a fleet of traditional-method sparkling wines whose names pay homage to the horses that built the stud.
A Royal Estate with a Millennium of History
Although the Newsells Park estate is best known in racing circles as a stud farm, the land itself has a far longer story. It is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and the present stud was established in 1926 by Sir Humphrey de Trafford. Sir Humphrey's most successful homebred was arguably Alcide, the St Leger and King George winner of 1960, and the last top horse bred under his ownership was Approval, a Dante Stakes winner trained by a young Henry Cecil.
After the de Trafford family sold Newsells in 1972, the property passed through several hands before being acquired in 2000 by Jacobs Holding AG, the family office of the late Klaus J. Jacobs. Under his ownership the stud was extensively renovated and rebuilt into one of northern Europe's premier bloodstock operations, producing the likes of Waldgeist, Legatissimo, Masked Marvel, Japan, Mogul, Ylang Ylang, Lightning Spear, Secret Gesture and Librisa Breeze.
In 2021 the stud and its bloodstock were purchased by Graham and Marcela Smith-Bernal. It was during Graham's due diligence that he and his advisors discovered that the 1,200-acre estate contained around 175 acres of south-facing chalk land - exactly the kind of geology that the great Champagne houses covet. By the spring of 2022, 41,000 vines had been planted across 25 acres of that chalk, in the three varieties that define Champagne itself: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The inaugural harvest followed in September 2025 - the first vintage from estate-grown fruit - with the resulting wines expected to be released from 2028/29 onwards.
Why Hertfordshire? The Climate-Change Opportunity Behind the Venture
The choice of varieties is no accident. As the climate has warmed, Professor Steve Dorling of the University of East Anglia's School of Environmental Sciences has noted, UK viticulture expanded almost 400 per cent between 2004 and 2021, with yields and quality of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay improving markedly. The Champagne region itself has begun to look uncomfortably hot for its traditional varieties, and respected houses such as Taittinger and Vranken-Pommery have already crossed the Channel into Kent. Newsells Park is part of the wave of English producers - including the new project by Vranken-Pommery mentioned in the UEA research - riding that shift on home soil.
A £6 Million Winery in the Making
The vines are only half the story. In November 2023 planning permission was granted to build a £6 million state-of-the-art winery on the estate, designed by London-based specialist firm DesignCubed. The 1,855-square-metre building will include 1,530 sq m of production and storage space alongside 325 sq m of hospitality, with private tasting rooms and larger social areas for events. Its clean black-barn exterior is a deliberate echo of the agricultural vernacular of the Hertfordshire countryside, and it will sit sympathetically in the landscape with views back across the vineyard and on towards the paddocks where the foals graze. Groundbreaking is expected in 2026/2027.
The Wines: Four Cuvées Named After Four Horses
Until the estate-grown wines are ready, Newsells Park is producing its sparkling wines in collaboration with leading English vineyards and winemakers. The portfolio is built around four traditional-method cuvées, each named after one of the stud's most celebrated equine residents.
Nathaniel - Blanc de Blancs 2016 - £45.00
The flagship Nathaniel Blanc de Blancs is 100 per cent Chardonnay with six years on lees, sourced from East Sussex. Golden in colour with delicate bubbles, it offers ripe citrus alongside a flinty, saline minerality, with further notes of toasted brioche, shortbread and hazelnut. The stallion Nathaniel - winner of the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2011 and the Coral-Eclipse in 2012, and sire of champions Enable, Desert Crown, You Got To Me and Channel - retired to Newsells in 2013 and remains a leading sire in Europe.
Shastye - Classic Cuvée 2018 - £35.00
The Shastye Classic Cuvée is the truest expression of the house style: 55 per cent Pinot Noir, 40 per cent Chardonnay and 5 per cent Pinot Meunier, with six years on lees from Sussex fruit. Bought in 2005 for 625,000gns by the late Klaus J. Jacobs and John Warren, the mare Shastye went on to produce three Group 1 winners - Japan, Mogul and Secret Gesture - and her yearlings alone generated more than £15 million at public auction.
Shambolic - Rosé Reserve 2022 - £40.00
The pale-salmon Shambolic Rosé Reserve is a 43/27/30 blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from the Chilterns, bottled in 2023. It is named after the young elite broodmare whose first foal, Ylang Ylang by Frankel, won the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in 2023 and sold the previous year for 1.5 million guineas. The wine shows ripe strawberry, redcurrant and raspberry with a rich yet refreshing acidity and a long, textured finish.
Nathaniel Eclipse - Blanc de Blancs 2014 - £99.00
The flagship of the range is the Nathaniel Eclipse Blanc de Blancs 2014, a Chardonnay-and-Pinot-Gris blend with a full ten years on lees. Created to celebrate Nathaniel's victory in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes, it shows the zesty lemongrass, honey and ginger notes that mark mature fine fizz, with a creamy, luxurious texture and savoury brioche-like complexity. It is also sold in a bespoke gift box for £119.
The Centenary Offers
To mark 100 years since Newsells Park Stud was founded, the winery is running a special centenary pricing offer on Shastye, Nathaniel and Shambolic, available to Wine Club members until 31 August 2026. The prices shown reflect that centenary promotion.
Gifts and Accessories
Beyond the core cuvées, a small well-curated accessories range is also offered, designed to dress a bottle or dress a table:
- Gift Set with Wine - £110.00: a beautifully presented trio of Shastye, Shambolic and Nathaniel.
- Gift Set with Wine and Glasses - From £45.00 up to £105.00: two crystal tulip-style branded glasses paired with one bottle of your choice from the full library.
- Nathaniel Eclipse & Gift Box - £119.00: the 2014 Blanc de Blancs in a bespoke keepsake box.
- Sparkling Wine Flutes - Box of 6 - £35.00: 32cl crystal tulips with pulled stems, shock resistant and dishwasher safe.
- Gold-finished Bottle Stopper - £12.00: a branded clamp stopper to keep an open bottle fizzing.
The winery's wines are also stocked at Cambridge Wines and the Fox & Hounds pub in Barley, where diners can taste them over lunch.
The Wine Club - £995 Per Year
Most Newsells Park wines are sold primarily through the Newsells Park Wine Club, which costs £995 per year (a 12-month term from the date of confirmation, with renewal options sent prior to expiry). Membership is open to anyone aged 18 or over resident in the UK, and the benefits are deliberately weighted towards access rather than discounting.
What Members Receive
- Twelve bottles of English sparkling wine per year, allocated as 6 × Shastye, 3 × Shambolic, 2 × Nathaniel and 1 × Nathaniel Eclipse (specific breakdown subject to vintage availability).
- First access to new vintage releases and limited-edition wines at preferential pricing.
- One complimentary members-only event per year, for the member and up to two guests, plus priority booking on additional paid events and experiences.
- 10 per cent discount at the Fox & Hounds pub in Barley, Wednesday to Friday.
- Estate access to vineyard visits, stud tours, race meetings and tutor-led tastings throughout the calendar.
Delivery takes 3 - 5 working days across UK mainland, and members must be present (with valid ID if requested) to sign for parcels under the winery's Challenge 25 policy. Existing Founder Member Sonia described her year as a particular highlight: “Everyone at Newsells has been exceptionally welcoming and their sparkling wine is top quality. I have loved seeing the mares with their foals as well as attending some tremendous parties.”
A Calendar of Experiences That No Other Winery Offers
Wine Club membership is as much about access as it is about allocation. The events calendar weaves together the stud's racehorse operation, the vineyard and the new wines into a programme that is genuinely distinctive. Spaces are limited (typically capped at eight tickets per member, first come first served) and guests must be aged 18 or over; under-14s are not permitted at events.
Raceday Experience - £150.00 - Saturday 15 August 2026
A hosted raceday at the beautiful tree-lined July Course at Newmarket, where Newsells Park Stud Racing Manager Gary Coffey guides guests around the parade paddocks before lunch and English sparkling wine in one of the racecourse's first-class restaurants. Six races feature on the card, including the popular Grey Horse Handicap exclusively for grey runners. Bookings close on Tuesday 4 August.
Wine Tasting with Nick Lane - £150.00 - Friday 6 November 2026
The winery's inaugural tutored tasting at The Manor with Head Winemaker Nick Lane, formerly of Dom Perignon, who explains the alchemy of storage tanks, dosage trials and bottling. Vineyard Manager Scarlett Willson will be on hand to discuss vine care, and canapés will be paired from the award-winning Fox & Hounds gastropub. Limited to 12 guests, each of whom receives a gift set with two crystal glasses.
Harvest Experience - £25.00 - September or October (date TBC)
The most rewarding moment of the vineyard year. Guests are invited to hand-pick and taste grapes straight from the vine under guidance from Scarlett Willson and the team, with all equipment provided. After the picking, a glass of Newsells Park sparkling wine and a locally-sourced cheese board awaits among the vines, and each guest takes home a bottle of Shastye to continue the celebrations. Open to members and non-members, with the exact 2026 date confirmed only a week or two before.
Nathaniel Eclipse Party celebrating 100 years - £150.00
Held on Saturday 4 July 2026 on the Manor lawn, this is the marquee centenary event - a smart-casual afternoon of sparkling wine, fine canapés and live coverage from the Coral-Eclipse meeting at Sandown, including a charity sweepstake where the top ten won bottles of the Nathaniel Eclipse 2014. The event featured a personal visit to meet stallion Nathaniel himself.
Golfing with Legends Day - £300.00
An 18-hole four-ball at Hanbury Manor Golf Club hosted by Graham Smith-Bernal with Spurs Legends including Ossie Ardiles and Pat Jennings, followed by a three-course lunch at the Fox & Hounds. Open to players with a handicap of up to 28 (men) or 36 (ladies), with two days planned in 2026.
Gallops Experiences - Newmarket
A recurring series in which Racing Manager Gary Coffey takes members behind the scenes at the Newmarket gallops, watching Newsells Park Stud's horses canter up the famous Warren Hill. Mornings begin with coffee and croissants at a leading trainer's yard - Roger Varian, John and Thady Gosden, Marco Botti and others - and finish with lunch at a local pub. The first edition on 25 February 2026 was reported as the warmest, sunniest day of the year so far.
Spring Stud Tour and Drinks
Returning on 16 April 2026, this popular day pairs a morning tour of the stallion barn, mare-and-foal paddocks and the vineyard with afternoon canapés and Newsells Park sparkling wine on the Manor terrace, introduced by Head Winemaker Nick Lane.
Past Highlights
Earlier in the calendar, members enjoyed the Coral-Eclipse Summer Garden Party in July 2025 - the official launch of the Nathaniel Eclipse cuvée - and the Spring Tasting Party in April 2025, which doubled as the launch of the Shambolic Rosé. The first-ever estate harvest in late September 2025, with Spurs legend Ossie Ardiles among the pickers, was another watershed moment.
Estate Leadership and the Winemaking Team
The winemaking at Newsells Park is led by Nick Lane, formerly of Dom Pérignon, who oversees the dosage trials, blending decisions and ageing programme that will define the house style for decades to come. The vineyard itself is managed by Scarlett Willson, who joined the team after the 2022 planting and has seen the project through its first harvest. The stud side is run by General Manager Julian Dollar and Racing Manager Gary Coffey, while Membership and customer relations are looked after by Kristin Macdonald.
Centenary Year: 100 Years of Newsells Park Stud
2026 is the centenary of Newsells Park Stud, and the winery is marking the milestone throughout the year - from the July 2026 Nathaniel Eclipse Party to the May centenary discounts on Shastye, Nathaniel and Shambolic for Wine Club members. In the wider thoroughbred world, the stud celebrated an eighth consecutive year as leading consignor at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 in 2025, with a 3.7 million gns sale of a Frankel colt out of Aljazzi topping the draft.
Charity Work: EHAAT and the Racing Community
Newsells Park Winery has been an energetic fundraiser for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT), its Charity of the Year for 2025. Combined wine donations, sweepstakes at events and a contribution from membership proceeds raised a remarkable £5,219.75 in support of the charity's CPR Smart initiative. The winery also sponsors the drinks reception at the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Flat Breeders' Awards - guests at the 2025 ceremony at Chippenham Park were welcomed with the Shambolic Rosé - and previously supported the Retraining of Racehorses' Racing to Cricket fundraiser at Wormsley, where more than £50,000 was raised for the charity's vital work.
Visiting, Contact and Practical Information
Newsells Park Winery is based at the Estate Office in Barkway, near Royston in north Hertfordshire (postcode SG8 8DY). The estate is not currently open for casual drop-ins - most wines are sold via the Wine Club and most experiences are members-only - though enquiries can be sent by email to info@newsellsparkwinery.com or by telephone on +44 (0)7443 475358 (also 07969 140 077 for membership queries). Standard UK mainland delivery is 3 - 5 working days, and the winery operates a Challenge 25 age-verification policy on all deliveries. International shipping is not currently available.
Newsells Park Winery is active on Instagram, where it shares news of new releases and event photographs.
Final Sip
Few English wineries can claim a back-catalogue that includes an Eclipse Stakes winner, an Arc de Triomphe winner and the sire of Enable - fewer still can pair that with a sparkling wine made from 100 per cent Chardonnay grown on south-facing chalk and aged for a full ten years on its lees. Newsells Park Winery is, in every sense, a project where the past, present and future meet in the glass: a stud-led English sparkling-wine house where, as Dominic Lagan puts it, “a racehorse's grace and power only grow more magnificent with time” - and where, glass in hand, you can taste exactly why.