Nyetimber: The Pioneer of English Sparkling Wine
Discovering Nyetimber: England's Sparkling Wine Pioneer
Set in the rural heart of West Sussex and Hampshire, with vineyards that trace a direct lineage to a valley first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, Nyetimber is widely regarded as the pioneer of premium English sparkling wine. The estate crafts traditional-method wines from estate-grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and its 2013 1086 by Nyetimber was the first ever English prestige cuvée. Today the brand is sold in luxury retailers from Fortnum & Mason to Harrods, is served at embassy receptions and fashion weeks in Paris, and is the official sparkling wine of England Rugby and Richmond Rugby Club.
A Site With a Thousand Years of History
The story of Nyetimber stretches back almost a millennium. The peaceful valley of Nitimbreha, believed to mean "a newly timbered house" or "small timber plantation", first appeared in recorded history in 1086, when William the Conqueror's great survey of England documented it as a recognised estate. The land subsequently passed through monastic ownership, then to the Crown under Henry VIII, and through the hands of figures such as Thomas Cromwell and Anne of Cleves.
The second great milestone came in 1988, when Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the holy trinity of traditional-method sparkling wine grapes, were planted for the first time on these south-facing greensand and chalk soils, in the lee of the South Downs. Eric Heerema, Nyetimber's owner and chief executive, acquired the estate in 2006 with a long-term vision of producing world-class sparkling wine on English soil. He recruited Canadian-born Head Winemaker Cherie Spriggs and her husband, Senior Winemaker Brad Greatrix, who joined in 2007 and have since become central to the estate's identity.
Winemaking That Combines Art and Science
Every Nyetimber wine is made using the méthode traditionnelle, with extended lees ageing and generous post-disgorgement time to build complexity. The estate insists on a minimum of three years on lees before release for its flagship cuvées, with the prestige 1086 wines aged considerably longer. Cellar temperatures are held between 12 and 13°C, and dark amber glass protects the wine from UV damage, a practice Nyetimber was the first English producer to adopt.
Each handpicked parcel of grapes is pressed and vinified separately, allowing Cherie Spriggs to study the subtle character of every vineyard and craft the blends the following spring. Bottling, riddling (now performed on state-of-the-art gyropalettes) and disgorgement all take place on site, and each bottle carries a precise chronology of bottling, riddling and disgorgement dates, a level of transparency that remains rare in the sparkling wine world.
The Lie of the Land: Soils Made for Sparkling Wine
The Nyetimber vineyards span West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent, on gentle south-facing slopes that maximise exposure to the English sun while sheltering the vines from damaging winds. The chalk and greensand soils here are geologically continuous with those of the Champagne region across the Channel, giving the wines their hallmark freshness, minerality and ageing potential. Around 30% of the total estate is non-productive hedgerows, wildflower meadows, ponds and woodland, and drones are used to map vine health block by block so that interventions can be precisely targeted.
Sheep from a neighbouring farm graze some of the vineyard rows in winter, reducing tractor use and contributing natural nutrients to the soil. Pruning waste and pressed grape skins are composted and returned to the land. Cold-stabilisation energy is recycled through a heat-exchanger, fermentation heat is partly captured, and rainwater is harvested at the West Chiltington Pressing Centre. The bottles themselves are lighter than the industry standard, 835g instead of 905g, saving an estimated 10% in transport emissions since 2008.
The Nyetimber Wine Range
Nyetimber's core range of seven wines is built around the classic Champagne varieties. Each cuvée is made entirely from estate-grown fruit, with bottles carrying a precise bottling, riddling and disgorgement date for full transparency.
Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage: The Flagship
The signature Nyetimber is a blend of 55 - 65% Chardonnay, 30 - 40% Pinot Noir and 5 - 15% Pinot Meunier, with 20 - 35% reserve wine drawn from several vintages. Aged more than three years on lees, the wine shows a pale-gold hue, a fine bead, and toasty, spicy aromas layered with honey, almond, pastry and baked apple. It is intense yet delicate, complex yet elegant, the definitive aperitif and reception wine. £42 for a 750ml bottle with gift box from the Nyetimber shop, and £85 for a magnum.
Rosé Multi-Vintage
A textured and generous rosé blending 45 - 75% Chardonnay, 25 - 55% Pinot Noir and a small proportion of Pinot Meunier. It opens with aromas of British summer fruits and shortbread, leading to a creamy, round palate of redcurrant, raspberry and cherry with a silky, elegant finish. £47 per bottle with gift box. The English Summer Rosé Limited Edition is also released seasonally for around £47.
Cuvee Chérie Multi-Vintage
A 100% Chardonnay demi-sec and the first of its kind to be made in England. Light golden in hue with delicate effervescence, it combines lemon, mineral, honey and a hint of tangerine on the nose, with a lively sweet-lemon start offset by crisp acidity on the palate. Pair it with strawberries and cream, fruit tarts, meringue, spiced Asian cuisine or foie gras. £42 per bottle.
Blanc de Blancs 2017
A pure Chardonnay aged for an extended period on lees to develop classic brioche and vanilla aromas. Pale gold with a delicate mousse, it shows lemon curd, greengage, clotted cream and shortcrust pastry on the nose, with gooseberry, apple crumble and a flinty, mineral finish. The 2016 Magnum of this wine made history at the 2025 International Wine Challenge as the first non-Champagne ever to win the Champion Sparkling Wine trophy, scoring 97 points. £58 per bottle, £130 for a magnum.
Tillington Single Vineyard 2016
A rare 73% Pinot Noir / 27% Chardonnay cuvée from one of Nyetimber's most celebrated vineyards, aged approximately 60 months on lees on its greensand soils. Pale gold with very fine bubbles, it reveals raspberry, red apple skin, rose petal, orange zest and apricot on a long, mouth-watering finish. £110 per bottle, one of the most distinctive single-vineyard sparkling wines in England.
1086 by Nyetimber: The Prestige Cuvée
Named after the year the estate first appeared in the Domesday Book, 1086 by Nyetimber is England's first prestige cuvée. The 2013 vintage is a blend of 51% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 9% Pinot Meunier, with rich red apple, peach and white rose petal layered over almond and clotted cream in a long, refined finish. At £150 per bottle, £325 for a magnum and £725 for a jeroboam, the 2013 is the rarest of Nyetimber's bottlings, with the 2014 (£150) now also released and the 1086 Rosé 2016 available at £175.
1086 by Nyetimber Rosé
The pinnacle of rosé winemaking at the estate: 36% Chardonnay and 64% Pinot Noir from the finest parcels of exceptional years. Wild strawberry, red apple and floral notes meet Chantilly cream and freshly baked brioche in a long, luxurious finish. The 2013 magnum at £375 and 2013 jeroboam at the top of the range complete a remarkable prestige collection.
Large Format Bottles and Gift Cases
Magnums and jeroboams are ideal for ageing and for centrepieces on a celebration table. The Classic Cuvee Magnums case (3 x 1500ml) is £239; Classic Cuvee Vintage 2010 Magnum £95; 1086 by Nyetimber 2013 Jeroboam £725.
Curated gift cases in the Nyetimber shop include:
- The Classic Case (3 x Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage) - £118.50
- The Icons Case (Classic Cuvee, Blanc de Blancs & Rosé) - £138
- The Birthday Case (Classic Cuvee, Rosé & Cuvee Chérie) - £123
- The Connoisseur Case (Tillington, Blanc de Blancs & Cuvee Chérie) - £197
- Luxury Celebration Case (all six core wines) - £321
- Collector's Case (Classic Cuvee + Nyetimber bottle stoppers) - £252
- 1086 by Nyetimber Duo (White 2014 + Rosé 2016) - £305
- 1086 by Nyetimber 2014 Trio Case - £425
- 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé 2016 Trio Case - £490
- Halves Case (12 x 375ml Classic Cuvee) - £276
Personalised engraving on a golden metal plaque, applied to the cream gift box, is available on every bottle in the core range at no extra cost, ideal for weddings, christenings and milestone birthdays. Nyetimber also offers the Nyetimber Gift Set (one bottle of your choice plus two branded glasses) from £64, the Nyetimber Six Glass Gift Set at £60, and physical or digital Gift Cards from £100 to £250, valid for 12 months across the online shop, Open Days and dining experiences.
Visiting Nyetimber: Tours, Dinners and Weddings
Although the estate is not open to casual visitors, Nyetimber welcomes guests for a small number of carefully curated experiences, most of them tied to the seasonal calendar.
Open Day Tours
The flagship visitor experience, priced at £50 per ticket, runs for around two and a half hours. After a welcome in the White Barn and a short history of the estate, guests walk through the historic Sussex vineyards (home to some of the oldest vines in England) before returning to the 15th-century Medieval Barn for a guided tasting of Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage, Rosé Multi-Vintage, Cuvee Chérie Multi-Vintage and Blanc de Blancs 2017. The ticket price is fully redeemable against a case of six bottles purchased on the day at cellar-door prices. Open Days run on selected weekends from May to September, with up to four tickets available per order on a first-come, first-served basis.
Getting there: the estate is at Nyetimber Vineyard, Gay Street, West Chiltington, West Sussex RH20 2HH. The nearest stations are Pulborough and Billingshurst, and pre-booked taxis are essential. Visitors must be 18 or over; no dogs are permitted other than assistance dogs notified in advance.
1086 by Nyetimber Paired Dining Experience
An exclusive four-course seasonal dinner set against the backdrop of the historic estate, paired with Nyetimber wines including the prestige cuvée 1086. Priced at £195 per person, the experience is currently sold out but worth booking early when new dates are released. A sister experience, A Sparkling Celebration of Seafood at £220 per person, pairs the natural acidity of Nyetimber's wines with a luxurious seafood-led menu crafted by Executive Chef Steven Edwards.
Exclusive Brand Ambassador Tastings
For groups of up to ten, a Brand Ambassador will host a private tasting at a venue of your choice, covering the history of Nyetimber, traditional-method sparkling winemaking, a masterclass in tasting and a tutored flight of Classic Cuvee, Rosé, Cuvee Chérie, Blanc de Blancs and Tillington Single Vineyard. £1,700 for a 1.5-hour session within 1 - 3 zones of London; transport, glasses and tasting materials are sent in advance.
Weddings
Nyetimber offers a dedicated wedding wine service through a London tasting room at 21 Palmer Street and through virtual tastings by appointment. Wedding packages include The Sparkling Choice for intimate celebrations (60+ bottles) and larger parties (120+ bottles), each with personalised magnums and Nyetimber bottle stoppers; the Prestigious Choice for 1086 orders (with complimentary magnums and, from 60 bottles, a private estate tour for six); and Nyetimber Favours, a selection of 60+ half-bottles of Classic Cuvee with name tags and ribbons. The Nyetimber Bus can also be hired as a stationary proposal venue (price on application). The wedding team can be contacted at weddingwine@nyetimber.com, and the wedding brochure can be downloaded.
Sparkling News, Awards and Sponsorships
Recent accolades include Winery of the Year Great Britain 2026 from The Real Review (the first English winery to win this award two years running), Champion Sparkling Wine 2025 at the International Wine Challenge for the Blanc de Blancs 2016 Magnum, and a second Sparkling Winemaker of the Year title for Cherie Spriggs at the same ceremony. Nyetimber has also been named English Wine Producer of the Year at the IWSC a record eight times. In January 2026 Nyetimber was announced as the Official Sparkling Wine Partner of Richmond Rugby Club, following its long-term sponsorship of England Rugby. The Nyetimber Bus, a beautifully reimagined 1968 Routemaster, appears at British sporting events throughout the summer.
How to Buy Nyetimber
You can buy direct from shop.nyetimber.com, where complimentary standard UK delivery is offered on orders over £70 (Saturday delivery is £11.95, weekday delivery £5.95 for orders under £70). Nyetimber is unable to ship to the Channel Islands or anywhere outside the UK. New email subscribers receive a 10% Welcome10 voucher on first orders over £100 (excluding experiences, events and wedding packages).
For those who prefer to buy in person, Nyetimber is stocked by leading UK retailers including Fortnum & Mason (181 Piccadilly), Harrods (Knightsbridge) and Hedonism Wines (Mayfair). The estate also works with respected on-trade venues across Sussex, Hampshire and beyond, from The White Lion at Thakeham to Gravetye Manor's Michelin-starred restaurant and Amberley Castle.
Plan Your Visit
- Vineyard address: Nyetimber Vineyard, Gay Street, West Chiltington, West Sussex RH20 2HH. Telephone 01798 813989.
- London office: 7th Floor, Asticus Building, 21 Palmer Street, London SW1H 0AD. Telephone 020 7734 8490.
- Customer service: 0800 093 0243 (Mon - Fri 08.30 - 17.30) or customerservice@nyetimber.com.
- Open Day enquiries: opendays@nyetimber.com.
- Experiences: experiences@nyetimber.com.
- Press: press@nyetimber.com.
- Social media: @nyetimber on Instagram.
The combination of Domesday heritage, generational vision and meticulous craftsmanship makes Nyetimber the benchmark for English sparkling wine.