Ridgeview Wine Estate

Ridgeview Wine Estate: Pioneers of English Sparkling Wine in Sussex

A Family Estate That Helped Put English Sparkling Wine on the World Map

Tucked into the South Downs National Park at Ditchling Common, a stone's throw from Brighton and within an hour of London by train, Ridgeview Wine Estate is one of the most influential English sparkling wine producers of the modern era. Planted in 1995 by Mike and Christine Roberts on the conviction that the chalk seam beneath the Sussex Downs could rival Champagne, Ridgeview has spent three decades quietly redefining what is possible in a British glass. Today the estate is run by the second generation, with Simon Roberts as Head Winemaker, and the wines are poured at Buckingham Palace state banquets, at Downing Street, and at the Royal Opera House. The estate's flagship Blanc de Blancs 2006 was named Best Global Sparkling Wine by Decanter in 2010, and Simon Roberts became the first English International Winemaker of the Year at the IWSC in 2018.

What sets Ridgeview apart is the combination of conviction, place and craftsmanship. The home vineyard sits on the same chalk subsoil that runs under Champagne a hundred kilometres to the south, planted with the classic trio of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and farmed to the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) standard, with both vineyard and winery holding Gold awards. Every bottle is made by the traditional method, with secondary fermentation in bottle and patient lees ageing, and every glass is meant to mark a moment. As the team puts it themselves: a glass of Ridgeview is "never easily forgotten and always best enjoyed in the company of friends and family".

The Setting: Fragbarrow Lane, Ditchling Common

Ridgeview's home is Fragbarrow Lane at Ditchling Common in East Sussex, postcode BN6 8TP, set among gentle south-facing slopes that drain freely into the chalk beneath. From the top of the vineyard, the panorama takes in the rolling Downs and on a clear day the towers of Brighton, while the working winery, cellar door shop, tasting room and the alfresco Rows & Vine restaurant all share the same uninterrupted view over the Chardonnay block. The estate is within the South Downs National Park and has been part of the South Downs Cyclists and Walkers Welcome scheme since long before wine tourism became fashionable in England.

Visitors can find the estate easily from London or Brighton. Regular Thameslink and Southern Rail services run from London Bridge and Victoria to Burgess Hill in under an hour and from Brighton in about fifteen minutes; from there Ridgeview is a five-minute taxi ride, a thirty-minute walk, or a ten-minute cycle through lanes and onto a footpath. There is ample on-site parking including EV chargers in partnership with Porsche, Pod-Point and ChargeYourCar, dedicated accessible bays, and step-free access across the vineyard, shop, tasting rooms, restaurant and bathrooms.

Opening Hours

The estate runs a year-round welcome across three distinct venues, with opening hours as follows:

• Office & Winery: Monday to Friday, 8am - 4.30pm
• Wine Bar & Shop: Sunday to Thursday, 10.30am - 4pm; Friday and Saturday, 10.30am - 5pm
• The Rows & Vine Restaurant: Monday to Saturday, 10am - 9pm (last sitting 7pm, kitchen closes 7.30pm); Sunday, 10am - 7pm (last sitting 5pm, kitchen closes 5.30pm). Brunch is served from 10am to 12pm. The Rows & Vine is open as an alfresco restaurant in spring and summer only.
• Tours and Tastings: run as per your booking confirmation, year-round.

The general enquiries line is 01444 242040, open Monday to Friday 8am to 4.30pm, and email is [email protected]. For specific enquiries: [email protected] for tours and tastings, [email protected] for the restaurant, [email protected] for corporate, [email protected] for trade sales, and [email protected] for the OurView wine club.

Family Roots: How a Bold Bet Became a National Icon

Ridgeview's story begins with a piece of geological intuition. In 1995, Mike Roberts (an accountant turned software entrepreneur who had gone back to college to learn winemaking) and his wife Christine planted their first vines on the South Downs, convinced that the chalk seam beneath their feet was the same seam that runs under Épernay. While most of the country planted German varieties, they planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and committed to the traditional method. "We planted our vineyards at a time when many believed that producing English wine just couldn't be done", the estate recalls.

They were proved right almost immediately. England's first underground wine cellars were built on the estate in 1999, and the first bottling was released the following year - winning English Wine of the Year. In 2005, Bloomsbury 2002 won the IWSC Best International Sparkling Wine. A year later, the Queen celebrated her 80th birthday with Ridgeview's Blanc de Blancs 2004 served at her banquet. The estate began exporting in 2008, the Decanter Trophy for Best Global Sparkling Wine followed in 2010 with Blanc de Blancs 2006, and in 2011 Mike was awarded an MBE for services to the English wine industry.

The second generation now leads the business. Tamara Roberts joined in 2004 from a career in law and finance, became Chief Executive in 2013 and grew Ridgeview from around fifty thousand bottles a year to close to half a million, overseeing the building of a new winery in 2020, the opening of the Rows & Vine restaurant, and the founding membership of Sustainable Wines GB. Outside Ridgeview she served as a director of WineGB and as President of the IWSC, before stepping down as Chief Executive in 2026. Her brother Simon Roberts, who grew up alongside the vines and learned them row by row, has been Head Winemaker since 2014. His tenure has brought the IWSC International Winemaker of the Year title in 2018 - the first ever for an English producer - and a steady stream of platinum, gold and trophy medals.

From Grape to Glass: A Philosophy of Cool-Climate Precision

Ridgeview is unapologetically a cool-climate, traditional-method specialist. Only the finest, perfectly balanced grapes are used, hand-picked in bunches and gently pressed. From fermentation through to ageing, blending and bottling, Simon Roberts and the winemaking team combine centuries-old Champenois technique with contemporary expertise. The estate sources from select vineyards across southern England as well as its heritage home site, giving the winemaking team access to fruit with subtly different characters - the philosophy being that each vineyard "contributes something special".

The winery itself was expanded in 2020 to celebrate Ridgeview's 25th anniversary, with capacity for a million bottles in the underground cellars. Because the cellars rely on natural, ambient temperature control, they need no energy to maintain the cool, stable conditions essential to lees ageing. This is one of the many quiet sustainability choices that underpin the operation, and the winery currently holds Gold under the SWGB scheme, having joined as a founder member.

The Wine Collection: Signature, Limited and Beyond

The Ridgeview range is split into three broad collections - Signature, Limited Edition and Exclusive - with a handful of still wines and magnums added in recent years. All wines are vegan and vegetarian friendly, contain sulphites, are bottled at 75cl (or 150cl for the magnums) and have an ABV of 12%.

Signature Wines

The Signature collection is the everyday face of the estate: fresh, fruit-driven, traditional-method blends crafted in the classic Ridgeview style.

• Bloomsbury NV - £34: the bestselling wine in the range and the official sparkling wine of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. A Chardonnay-Pinot Noir-Pinot Meunier blend with notes of lemon zest, fresh pear and toasted almond. Silver Outstanding at the IWSC, Decanter and Harpers Star of Sussex.
• Cavendish NV - £36: the UK Government's most-poured sparkling wine in 2024 and a food-lover's dream. Red-berry and toasted-almond aromas with raspberry frangipane and bergamot on the palate.
• Fitzrovia Rosé NV - £40: a delicate cherry-blossom rosé with wild raspberry, honeyed redcurrant and a creamy long finish. Served to Barack Obama at the Buckingham Palace State Banquet.
• Magnum Bloomsbury NV - £85: 150cl format of the classic, with slower ageing bringing biscuity complexity and a creamy mousse.

Limited Edition Wines

The Limited Edition wines are made only in the very best vintage years, often in very small quantities, and showcase Ridgeview's pinot and chardonnay at their most expressive.

• Blanc de Blancs - £75: 100% Chardonnay from the home vineyard. Currently the 2020 vintage, with orchard fruit, honeyed apricot and a hallmark coastal salinity. Served at King Charles's first State Banquet.
• Blanc de Noirs - £60: a unique expression of English Pinot Noir at its finest, made only in stellar vintages. Currently the 2016, with black cherry, liquorice and warm spice.
• Rosé de Noirs - £65: a saignée-method sparkling rosé made from the finest pinot, currently 2020. Peach-gold, with strawberry, cherry and a long elegant finish. Platinum at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023.
• Still Chardonnay - £27.50: Ridgeview's first-ever still Chardonnay. Vibrant fruit, elegant florals and food-friendly structure.
• Still English Rosé - £27.50: a refreshing, fruit-driven still rosé with delicate floral notes and a vibrant, complex palate.

Exclusive Wines

The Exclusive Range includes Ridgeview's most esoteric and sought-after bottlings, produced in tiny parcels.

• Sparkling Red Reserve - £55: 100% Pinot Noir, the first English sparkling red to win WineGB's inaugural Pioneer Trophy. Wild blackberry, vanilla and pomegranate.
• Oak Reserve - £85: a late-disgorged, oak-barrel-fermented Chardonnay from the Head Winemaker's personal portfolio. Currently out of stock; Silver at Decanter 2022.
• Blanc de Blancs 2010 Magnum - £195: 150cl format, aged on lees for over 12 years. Presented in a luxury gift box and considered the prestige cuvée of the range.

Duos, Trios and Cases

For those looking to compare styles, Ridgeview offers curated selections and cases of six:

• Rosé Duo - £105: Fitzrovia Rosé NV and Rosé de Noirs 2020.
• Limited Release Duo - £135: Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs.
• Ridgeview Signature Trio - £110: Bloomsbury NV, Cavendish NV and Fitzrovia Rosé NV.
• Limited Release Trio - £200: Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé de Noirs.
• Signature Mixed Case - £198 (was £220): an introduction to the Signature range.
• Ridgeview Mixed Case - £279 (was £310): three Signature and three Limited Release bottles.
• Individual cases of six are also offered across every Signature and Limited wine, all with 10% off the per-bottle price - for example Bloomsbury NV 6 at £183.60, Cavendish NV 6 at £194.40, Fitzrovia Rosé NV 6 at £216, Blanc de Noirs 6 at £324, Blanc de Blancs 6 at £405 and Rosé de Noirs 6 at £351.

Gifts and Personalisation

Ridgeview has built a full gift programme around the wine range. Every online order can be accompanied by a free personalised gift note at checkout. The Ridgeview Gift Set, priced from £64 to £105, packages a chosen bottle with two opale flutes and a sparkling bottle stopper in a smart presentation box. The Personalised Engraved Wine Bottle Gift, from £50 to £110, allows full bespoke engraving for personal or corporate gestures. Non-wine gifts include the Ridgeview Bottle Stopper (£7.50), available in a range of colours, and the Ridgeview Umbrella (£38.75) in two cheerful shades with a hidden message inside. Gift vouchers in any value can also be purchased at ridgeview.newbridgevouchers.co.uk.

Tours and Tastings: A Hands-On Introduction to English Sparkling Wine

The tours and tastings programme is one of the most respected in the country, run year-round from the dedicated tasting room and winery. Visitors must be over 18, and the estate operates a Challenge 25 policy. Tours and tastings tickets are non-refundable but can be rescheduled once with at least two weeks' notice.

Classic Tour & Wine Tasting - £35pp

A relaxed 90-minute journey through vineyard and winery, starting in the vines and finishing with a guided tasting overlooking the Chardonnay block. The tour covers the estate's pioneering history, its traditional-method winemaking, and the sustainable journey from grape to glass, with approximately four 50ml measures of wine served. Spittoons are available, and the team are happy to look after your car overnight if you want to enjoy a glass without rushing.

A Taste of Ridgeview - £20pp

A 30-minute hosted tasting in the dedicated tasting room overlooking the Chardonnay vines. Six 25ml measures cover the Signature and Limited Release collections, with the option to add limited-edition pours, local cheese or light bites along the way. Available on the hour from 11am to 3pm, advance booking is recommended but walk-ins are welcome subject to availability. Non-drinking guests can be accommodated with a Holos Sparkling Tea flight.

Vineyard Walk

A free self-guided walk through the vines and woodland, with maps available from the Wine Bar and a glass of fizz as a reward at the end. The trail may be closed at any time because the vineyard is a working estate.

Private Tours and Tastings

Exclusive private experiences are offered year-round for a minimum of eight guests (or by arrangement for smaller groups), with optional Sussex cheese pairings, limited-edition wine flights, drinks receptions and dining at The Rows & Vine. Enquiries to [email protected].

For accessibility, the estate offers step-free access across all venues, dedicated disabled parking bays and adapted facilities throughout the tasting rooms, restaurant and shop. Any additional access or mobility requirements can be flagged in advance by emailing [email protected].

The Rows & Vine: Alfresco Dining Among the Vines

The Rows & Vine is Ridgeview's vineyard restaurant, set directly beside the Chardonnay vines with uninterrupted views over the South Downs. It is open in spring and summer only, with brunch served from 10am to 12pm and lunch and dinner served afterwards. Heated pavilions with retractable roofs and sides keep diners comfortable whatever the weather, and the stretch tent can host larger parties. The wine-inspired menu places Ridgeview's sparkling wines at the heart of every dish, with sharing plates and seasonal platters showcasing local producers. Sample menus covering brunch, food, Sunday, group, wine list and cocktail list options change with the season. Children are welcome when accompanied by adults, but only guide and assistance dogs are permitted, and a casual dress code is recommended given the working-vineyard setting.

Reservations are recommended and can be made online. For groups of eight or more, the team asks you to email [email protected] directly. While Ridgeview does not currently hold a wedding licence, the estate can host engagement parties, rehearsal dinners and post-wedding celebrations, with exclusive hire of the restaurant available for up to 150 guests. The space is also available for private venue hire, corporate away-days and birthday celebrations.

The Wine Bar & Shop: Glass-in-Hand Shopping

Overlooking the vines and set within the working winery, the Wine Bar & Shop is the most relaxed way to experience Ridgeview without a booking. Visitors can stop in for a glass or a tasting flight, browse the full range of wines by the bottle, pick up a gift, or relax on the terrace after a vineyard walk. The knowledgeable team is on hand to guide tastings and recommend bottles, and a small selection of wine gifts and accessories is available alongside the wines. The Wine Bar is family-friendly, with under 18s welcome when supervised, and offers a thoughtful menu of light bites alongside the wine list.

OurView Wine Club: An Insider Pass to the Estate

For anyone who wants to go deeper into Ridgeview, the OurView Wine Club is the estate's direct-to-door membership programme, named Decanter's Best UK Winery Wine Club in 2023. The annual membership costs £580, with a discounted renewal rate of £530 in subsequent years. Members receive:

• A welcome case worth £134, including a bottle of Bloomsbury NV, two bespoke Ridgeview flutes and a stopper.
• Two six-bottle cases of Ridgeview wine delivered each year, in May and November.
• A complimentary tour and tasting voucher for two (RRP £134).
• 20% off Ridgeview wine all year round, both online and on site.
• 10% off food and 20% off wine at The Rows & Vine restaurant.
• Complimentary next-working-day delivery on all orders and gifts.
• Exclusive access to the OurView Concierge for personal estate bookings, including the new South Lodge vineyard harvest events.
• Access to rare archive and limited-edition wines not available to the public, including the new Demi-Sec.
• Priority invitations to member-only experiences and masterclasses, plus the "Joy of the Unexpected" - spontaneous gifts and on-site surprises.
• Exclusive insight articles, behind-the-scenes news from the vineyard and partner offers with brands such as Antler.

Membership can also be purchased as a gift at the same £580 price point, with the Wine Club Gift Membership offered via the shop.

Sustainability: A Founder Member of Sustainable Wines GB

Ridgeview is a founder member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain, with both the vineyard and the winery independently certified, and both currently holding Gold awards. The estate's sustainability strategy covers everything from soil health and biodiversity in the vineyard to water, energy and packaging in the winery, and is rooted in the United Nations definition of sustainability - "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

In the Vineyard

The 17,000-vine home estate is farmed with cover crops for biodiversity, soil-improvement techniques that encourage natural pest control, and a careful pruning regime designed to balance yield, vigour and fruit quality. As Vineyard Manager Austin Ellis explains: "When the vine has foliage, you can only really view how it is performing in the present. But in Winter, you can see the vine's past and understand how to shape its future." The team began the 2025/26 winter prune in December and aim to complete it by mid-February 2026.

In the Winery

The underground cellars require no energy for temperature control, relying on natural ambient conditions instead. Solar energy, sensor-activated lighting, sustainable packaging, a Bio-Bubble wastewater treatment system that has cleaned 22 million litres of waste water since 2023 (equivalent to nine Olympic swimming pools), and rainwater harvesting for grey water across the estate all contribute to a smaller footprint.

As an Employer

Ridgeview is a certified B Corporation, a Real Living Wage employer, a member of Disability Confident, and runs annual staff health and well-being programmes alongside a positive mental health programme in the workplace. Around 40% of the team work part-time, with flexible and hybrid working patterns supported where possible.

Corporate Services, Weddings and Private Hire

Ridgeview runs a dedicated Corporate Services division that covers both corporate wine gifts and corporate hospitality. Bespoke gifting ranges from a single engraved bottle to large bulk orders, with next-working-day delivery, named account management and branding options including logo engraving and personalised gift notes. Sectors served include luxury brand partnerships, retail and in-store experiences, property and real estate, motor and automotive, and prospecting and partner appreciation.

On the hospitality side, the estate hosts client entertainment, company team-building, board meetings and strategy days (with HD screens, fast Wi-Fi and refreshments), business networking, product launches and brand activations, and full company celebrations. A vineyard-view meeting room is available for hire, and off-site strategy days can be combined with tastings and seasonal dining at The Rows & Vine.

For private events, the estate offers exclusive venue hire for up to 150 guests in spring and summer, with smaller indoor options available in the winery during the cooler months. While Ridgeview does not currently host wedding ceremonies, it is a popular setting for engagement parties, rehearsal dinners and wedding-weekend celebrations. Enquiries to [email protected].

Getting to Ridgeview

The estate sits at Fragbarrow Lane, Ditchling Common, East Sussex BN6 8TP. From London Bridge, trains to Burgess Hill via Thameslink and Southern Rail take under an hour; from Brighton the journey is about fifteen minutes. From the station, the estate is a five-minute taxi, a thirty-minute walk through lanes and footpaths, or a ten-minute cycle. There is ample on-site parking with EV chargers, and a Compass Travel 167 bus service stops within half a mile. Coach parking can be arranged for larger groups by emailing [email protected].

Awards and Recognition

Ridgeview's trophy cabinet reflects three decades of consistent quality. Highlights include:

• Decanter Trophy for Best Global Sparkling Wine, 2010 (Blanc de Blancs 2006).
• IWSC International Winemaker of the Year, 2018 - the first English recipient, awarded to Simon Roberts.
• WineGB's inaugural Pioneer Trophy, 2023, for the Sparkling Red Reserve.
• Platinum at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 for Rosé de Noirs.
• Decanter Best UK Winery Wine Club, 2023, for OurView.
• Official sparkling wine of Buckingham Palace state banquets (President Obama, 2011; President Xi Jinping, 2015; King Charles's first State Banquet, more recently) and of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, 2012.
• Only English sparkling wine poured at the Royal Opera House.
• Official sparkling wine of Downing Street, 2016.
• Official sparkling wine of the Goodwood Estate.
• Sustainable Wines of Great Britain Gold awards for both vineyard and winery.
• B Corp certification.

News from the Estate

Ridgeview publishes a regular news stream covering winemaking, sustainability, awards and visits from the team. Recent highlights include a first look at the maiden harvest from the new South Lodge vineyard - a partnership planted in 2022 with the Exclusive Collection that will be pressed and blended at Ridgeview - and the announcement of the estate's 2025 B Corp Impact Report. Earlier in 2025 the team launched the inaugural Still Chardonnay and Still English Rosé, made their debut at Gatwick Airport, and shared winter pruning insights from the vineyard team. The press releases page also covers trade milestones such as the acquisition by Quantum Beverage Company's investor consortium.

Careers at Ridgeview

As a growing purpose-driven business, Ridgeview regularly recruits across the winery, vineyard, hospitality, trade sales and marketing teams. The current vacancies include a 2026 harvest fork-lift driver and 2026 harvest cellar hands for the vintage intake. Staff benefits include generous wine and dining discounts, training and personal development plans, a health cash plan, an employee assistance programme, volunteering and payroll giving, and a vibrant social calendar. Around 40% of the team work part-time, and flexible working patterns are supported where possible.