Southcott Vineyard: A Family-Run English Sparkling Wine Producer Under the Pewsey White Horse
Tucked under the chalk figure of the Pewsey White Horse on the edge of Salisbury Plain, Southcott Vineyard is one of Wiltshire's most charming boutique wine producers. A small, family-run estate of just 2,000 vines, it has earned national recognition for its Classic Method English sparkling wines, including a Gold Medal at the prestigious WineGB Awards in 2023.
A Boutique Vineyard in the Pewsey Vale
Southcott Vineyard sits in the hamlet of Southcott, on the outskirts of the village of Pewsey in the heart of the Pewsey Vale, Wiltshire. The vineyard is tiny by international standards, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in focus. Only 2,000 vines are cultivated across a single block, and the land's terroir, a mixture of chalk and green sand typical of southern England's chalk streams, is perfectly suited to the cool-climate varieties that define the great sparkling wines of the world.
The climate of the Vale, set between the Marlborough Downs to the north and Salisbury Plain to the south, gives the grapes a long, gentle ripening season. The result is fruit with the crisp natural acidity that English Classic Method producers prize.
The Family Behind the Vines
The vineyard is run by the Ingram Hill family. Tim and Sarah Ingram Hill are the partners and founders; their son David is the marketing and IT manager. The family moved to Southcott in 2005, having previously run a hotel company together. The original property had already hosted a small vineyard of German grape varieties, but it had been grubbed up when the previous owner's ill-health forced him to step back. Replacing the vines, the Ingram Hills chose to focus on the three classic Champagne varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Tim trained in viticulture at Plumpton College in the 2005/06 academic year, the UK's principal centre for wine education. He subsequently served four years on the board of WineGB, the national trade association for English and Welsh wines, including ten years as Chairman of its Wessex Region. He is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, with a passion for classic cars that sees him and Sarah compete in European rallies such as the Tour Auto between Paris and Cannes.
Sarah met Tim while they were both studying hotel management in the 1960s. She managed the family hotel business from 1998 to 2003, sat as a Magistrate on the Wiltshire bench for 20 years (retiring in 2014), and is a fellow Liveryman of the Clockmakers. As well as navigating on the classic-car rallies, she provides the harvest lunches for the picking team and is a tireless worker on pruning days.
David Ingram Hill, the couple's son, has been involved since the very beginning, from helping with the original planting in 2005 to driving the quad and trailer at harvest and delivering the finished product to customers around the country. Trained as a commercial pilot and currently flying the Boeing 787 for British Airways, he brings his photography, IT and social-media skills to the family business.
And then there is Jenson the vineyard dog, now ten years old, who keeps the team company in the rows and likes nothing better than beating the children to the seat of the tractor.
Grape Varieties and Viticulture
The vineyard is planted in the proportions that have become a hallmark of the very best English sparkling-wine estates:
- Chardonnay: 60% of the planting
- Pinot Noir: 32%
- Pinot Meunier: 10%
This is, in essence, the same blend used in many of the great growths of Champagne, and it is the starting point for Southcott's award-winning Classic Method wines. The first harvest was in 2009, and the first wines, including the 2010 Southcott Rosé, were released in 2010, with the 2010 Rosé going on to take a Bronze at the UKVA wine tasting in 2013.
The Wines
Southcott Brut Vintage 2018 Classic
The flagship wine of the estate, the Southcott Brut Vintage 2018 Classic is a small-production traditional-method sparkling wine made from the classic Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier blend. It was awarded a Gold Medal at the WineGB Awards 2023, the national competition, and a Silver Medal and the Roger Marchbank Cup for the best sparkling wine from a vineyard under 2 hectares at the Wessex WineGB Awards 2021.
Judges at WineGB 2023 described the wine as:
"Full, juicy, fruit-forward on the palate, with an appealing autolytic character underpinning the crisp Granny Smith apples, soft elderflower and elegant mousse."
- Country: England, UK
- Region: Pewsey, Wiltshire
- ABV: 11.5%
- Single 75cl bottle: £32.00 incl. VAT
- Case of six 75cl bottles: £192.00 incl. VAT
Southcott Rosé 2021
The newest release is the Southcott Rosé Vintage 2021, a small-production traditional-method sparkling rosé made from the same classic Champagne varieties. It picked up a National Silver Award at WineGB 2025 and a Silver Medal at the Wessex WineGB competition. Like the Brut, it shares the same crisp, orchard-fruit profile with delicate autolytic character and an elegant mousse.
- Country: England, UK
- Region: Pewsey, Wiltshire
- ABV: 11.5% (single bottle listing) / 11% (case-of-six listing)
- Single 75cl bottle: £29.50 incl. VAT
- Case of six 75cl bottles: £177.00 incl. VAT
Add a Personalised Note
For anyone sending Southcott wine as a gift, the estate offers a complimentary personalised note service. Add the product to your basket with your message and the team will handwrite it for you, a thoughtful touch for teachers, business clients or family.
Classic Method Sparkling Wines
Southcott is one of the producers behind the Great British Classic Method, the WineGB campaign championed by Sarah Abbott MW and the Swirl Wine Group to position traditional-method English sparkling wine as the country's signature style. The Classic Method, the same approach used in Champagne with two fermentations and extended lees ageing, demands patience: on average, a bottle of Southcott's Classic Method wine will not be available to buy for around five years from the year the grapes were picked.
Wines that meet the highest quality standards are eligible to bear the Great British Classic Method PDO Hallmark, the quality mark that identifies the very best of Britain's traditional-method sparkling wines at point of sale.
Awards and Accolades
Southcott Vineyard's small but consistent medal haul reflects the quality of the wines:
- Gold Medal at WineGB Awards 2023 (National), Southcott Brut Vintage 2018
- National Silver Award at WineGB Awards 2025, Southcott Rosé 2021
- Silver Medal at Wessex WineGB Awards 2022 (Regional), Southcott Brut Vintage 2018
- Silver Medal at WineGB Awards 2021 (National)
- Silver Medal at Wessex WineGB Awards 2021 (Regional)
- Winner of the Roger Marchbank Cup for best sparkling wine from a vineyard under 2 hectares, Wessex WineGB 2021
Buying Southcott Wine
Wines are available direct from the vineyard via the online Southcott shop. Shipping costs are:
- Single 75cl bottle: £10.00 (UK only)
- Case of six: £20.00 (UK only)
- Click & Collect: Free
- Free local delivery in the Marlborough and Pewsey area
The wines are also stocked at selected local outlets, restaurants and independents around the Pewsey Vale. The vineyard is a member of WineGB's Wessex Region, which covers Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight.
Storing Your Southcott Wine
The team at Southcott recommends storing bottles at a consistent 13 °C, away from bright light, and avoiding kitchens and sheds where temperatures fluctuate. Sparkling wine can be stored upright for a short time, but for longer-term cellaring it is best kept on its side to keep the cork moist. Avoid the fridge for long-term storage; chill a bottle in the fridge only shortly before serving.
Events and Experiences
As a small family operation, Southcott does not run daily tours, but visits to the vineyard are available by appointment only.
The vineyard hosts a handful of seasonal events each year. Recent highlights have included:
- Harvest volunteering days, a chance to join Sarah, Tim and the team in the vineyard during Harvest week, with a light buffet lunch provided.
- Vintage Launch Day, when the team takes new releases to local outlets such as Lawn Farm Shop off the B3087 at Little Salisbury, where visitors can sample and buy the new vintage.
- Wassailing the Vineyard, a Twelfth Night tradition with the Pewsey Male Voice Choir coming to the vineyard to ward off bad spirits and bless the coming harvest.
- Local markets and fairs: Southcott regularly attends food, drink and Christmas markets in the area, including the Ramsbury Brewery Easter Market and the St Francis Christmas Fair in Pewsey.
Visiting Southcott Vineyard
Southcott Vineyard is at Southcott, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5JF, nestled under the Pewsey Downs on the edge of Salisbury Plain. The site is a short drive from the village of Pewsey, with its mainline rail service to London Paddington, and within easy reach of Marlborough, Devizes and the wider Wessex region.
Visits are by appointment only. Bookings can be made via:
- Email: enquiries@southcottvineyard.co.uk
- Telephone: 01672 569190
- Post: Southcott Vineyard, Southcott, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5JF, England, UK
Stay in Touch
Follow the vineyard on social media and use the hashtag #SouthcottVineyard when sharing your own #SouthcottMoment:
Whether you are looking for a Gold Medal-winning Classic Method sparkling wine to mark a special occasion, a bottle of crisp English Rosé to see in the summer, or simply a chance to step into a working Wiltshire vineyard under the White Horse, Southcott is a small estate with a very big story to tell.