Wildwood Vineyard - A Family-Run English Vineyard in the Heart of East Sussex
Nestled in a fold of the East Sussex countryside just outside the village of Eridge, southwest of Tunbridge Wells, Wildwood Vineyard has quietly established itself as one of the most interesting boutique English wine producers of the last decade. Planted in 2016 and producing its first harvest just two years later in 2018, Wildwood is an off-grid, multi-award-winning, family-owned estate that pairs hand-tended vines with a remarkable ancient woodland, and pours the result into award-winning bottles sold direct from its own Cellar Door and online shop.
The Story Behind Wildwood Vineyard
Wildwood Vineyard is owned by three families - Paul and Andrea Olding, Paul's mum Enid Olding and Andrea's parents Carol and Vic Greenway. It is, in every sense, a family business. Paul Olding is the vineyard manager, having trained at Plumpton Wine Division and gone on to take further qualifications at NIAB EMR East Malling and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. During the week, Paul works as a television writer and director, and has also previously taught viticulture and wine business as a Lecturer at Plumpton Wine Division.
The adventure started in 2014 with the purchase of a barren plot of grassland and a shaw of ancient woodland. The team worked to ameliorate the site both nutritionally and physically before planting in 2016. That first year, the vines burst into life and the journey began. Two years later, in 2018, the inaugural harvest was picked, and in 2023 the vineyard expanded into the neighbouring field, adding a new plantation that includes Pinot Meunier alongside the existing varieties.
From Grassland to Glass
The Wildwood estate is small but produces a wide range of premium-quality, award-winning still and sparkling wines. From the aromatic Bishop Odo Bacchus white and its gastronomic cousin, the Barrel Aged Bacchus Reserve, through the mouth-watering Eagle Ridge and Saxonbury Pinot Noir rosés, the characterful, lighter-bodied Thieving Badger Regent red, the Blanc de Noirs and Rosé de Noirs Traditional Method sparkling wines, and a cheeky Pink Vermouth. All Wildwood wines are made under contract by Defined Wine of Canterbury, a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain initiative.
Location and How to Find Wildwood
Wildwood Vineyard sits off the A26 Eridge Road, southwest of Tunbridge Wells in East Sussex. The vineyard is around six minutes by car from Tunbridge Wells and roughly 45 minutes from Gatwick Airport. By rail, it's a 56-minute journey from London Bridge with Southern Trains to Eridge station, followed by a 12-minute walk. The vineyard also has a special arrangement with the Spa Valley Railway, allowing visitors to arrive in style on a heritage steam or diesel train. By bus, the vineyard is a three-minute walk from stops served by the 228/229 and 28/29 services between Eridge and Tunbridge Wells. Cyclists can reach the vineyard directly via National Cycle Network Route 21, which runs from Greenwich to Eastbourne. If you're using a sat nav, the owners recommend setting Google Maps rather than relying on the postcode, which can lead drivers astray; the official what3words reference for the parking layby is conceals.lavender.dentures.
The Wildwood - The Ancient Woodland at the Heart of the Estate
As well as the vineyard, the family looks after and manages a small shaw of ancient woodland - the inspiration behind the Wildwood name. According to local legend, William the Conqueror's half-brother Bishop Odo once hunted through these very woods. The woodland is made up of a wide variety of native trees, particularly oak and ash standards with a hazel coppice, and at its bottom runs a narrow stream populated by tiny trout washed down from the trout lake at Eridge. The wood is rich in wildlife, including roe deer, badgers and rabbits, plus buzzards and kites, a barn owl, pheasants, voles, shrews, slow worms, frogs and toads. One visiting peacock from the nearby estate has even been spotted strutting through the trees.
Things to Spot and Do in the Woods
- A cosy cabin for shelter on cooler days
- Edible hedgerow walks
- Eco-toilet facilities
- A campfire area
- A children's nature trail
- Orchard, physic garden and bluebell woods
- Sustainable experiences and solar shower
- Volunteer opportunities throughout the year
Dip your toes into the stream and tiny trout will nibble your feet. Whether the bluebells are in full bloom in late April or the canopy is at its golden peak in October, the woodland offers a different experience every visit.
Sustainability at Wildwood
Wildwood is proud to call itself an off-grid vineyard. A wide range of sustainable practices are employed on the estate, from hand-tending the vines and managing the canopy through the summer to volunteer-led winter pruning and harvest weekends in October. The winery partner, Defined Wine of Canterbury, is a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain initiative, and the vineyard itself is an active member of both WineGB and the Explore Wealden Wine Trail. The 2025 Tunbridge Wells Business Awards for Food & Drink recognised this commitment when they awarded Wildwood the top prize.
The Wildwood Wine Range
Still Wines
Bishop Odo Barrique 2025 - £26.50
The newest release in the Wildwood portfolio, this barrel-aged evolution of the flagship white takes the aromatic Bishop Odo Bacchus and matures it in oak. Named after Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William the Conqueror's half-brother who legend says once hunted these woods, it is the gastronomic cousin of the vineyard's classic white.
Barrel Aged Bacchus Reserve MV - £30.00
A multi-vintage reserve blend, this is the premium expression of Wildwood's barrel-aged Bacchus programme. Available online with a 20% discount on orders of three or more bottles.
Thieving Badger Regent 2023 - £22.50
A characterful, lighter-bodied and fruity red made from Regent grapes - a variety well suited to the English climate. The name, like so much at Wildwood, draws on the woodland fauna. Available with the same multi-bottle discount.
Saxonbury Pinot Noir Rosé 2023 - £20.62 (currently sold out)
A delicate, mouth-watering rosé made from Pinot Noir, currently sold out at the Cellar Door. Sign up to the mailing list to be notified when the next release lands.
Sparkling Wines
Blanc de Noirs 2021 'The Final Cut' - £37.50
The third and final release of the Blanc de Noirs Traditional Method sparkling, made from Pinot Noir and produced in the classic méthode traditionnelle style. A serious English fizz with real pedigree.
Rosé de Noirs
Joining the Blanc de Noirs in the Wildwood sparkling line-up, the Rosé de Noirs is the pink Traditional Method fizz. Availability varies by release.
Cellar Door Exclusives
Pink Vermouth
A cheeky, off-dry pink vermouth - one of the more unusual products in the Wildwood portfolio. Ask about availability at the Cellar Door or via the online shop.
Buying Direct from the Cellar Door
Wildwood wines are available to buy direct from the vineyard during the summer months from the fully licensed Cellar Door at special Vineyard Prices. Cards, bank transfers and cash are all accepted. As a licensed premises, the vineyard can sell wine by the bottle or by the glass for consumption on or off the premises, so visitors are welcome to enjoy a glass or two while wandering among the vines or sitting down by the stream before taking a few bottles home.
Tours and Tastings
For visitors who want to understand what they are drinking, Wildwood runs guided tours and tastings throughout the summer season. Led by Paul Olding himself, each tour takes in both the vineyard and the wildwood, followed by a guided tasting of three of Wildwood's premium still wines.
Tour & Tasting - £20 per person
Tours and tastings take place most Saturdays and Sundays from May to September at 12:00 and 14:00, with a maximum of 22 guests per sitting. All tours take place outside, so guests are advised to come dressed for the weather. A voucher version for two people is also available from the online shop for £40.00, valid indefinitely. Private tour experiences are available on request, subject to minimum numbers and vineyard availability.
Sussex Cheese Pairing Platter - £12 per person
Wildwood has teamed up with the award-winning Traditional Cheese Dairy Company from Waldron in East Sussex to offer expertly paired cheese plates. Four of their cheeses are served - Burwash, Rose, Olde Sussex, Lord of the Hundreds and Goodweald Smoked - each chosen to complement the Wildwood wines. A voucher for a Tour & Tasting plus the cheese pairing platter for two people is available for £64.00.
Adopt a Vine
For those who want to feel a closer connection to the vineyard, Wildwood offers an Adopt a Vine scheme. Members receive:
- A Certificate of Adoption
- A free tour and tasting voucher for two people
- Discounts on wine purchases for the year
- Invites to events and tastings at the vineyard
- A bottle of the chosen still wine
- An engraved name plaque attached to their specially selected vine
Vines can be adopted from Bacchus (white), Pinot Noir (rosé) or Regent (red) at £71 for the year. A special edition Sparkling Wine Adoption, including a bottle of the current Traditional Method sparkling, is available for £81.
Volunteering
The vineyard has many volunteer opportunities throughout the year, from winter pruning to summer canopy management and, most importantly, the harvest itself, which takes place over separate weekends in October. Volunteering is a great way to really experience what it is like to run and manage a vineyard.
Events at Wildwood Vineyard
Wildwood runs a varied programme of events through the summer season, from woodland walks and theatre nights to open-air concerts.
Summer Saturday Evenings
On Saturdays 15, 22 and 29 August 2026 from 5pm, Wildwood opens its doors after hours for evening sessions. Sit out on the vineyard or in the magical woods, decked with twinkling fairy lights, and listen to the sounds of the forest with a glass of wine in hand. Picnic suppers are welcome.
Bluebells & Wine - 26 April 2026
A free, no-booking-required walk through the wild Bluebell Forest in full bloom, with a glass of Wildwood wine at the finish. Bring a bag to take home some spicy wild garlic leaves (which make a great pesto) and warm up at the cosy campfire afterwards.
Midsummer Theatre - 20 June 2026
The Crooked Billets Theatre Company performs an evening of Poetry and Prose out in the wildwoods. Expect works by Shelley, Stevenson, Kipling, excerpts from Wind in the Willows, The Two Towers and Winnie the Pooh, plus choice snippets from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Tickets are £15 and include a complimentary glass of wine, with charcuterie, mezze and cheese platters available.
Concert in the Vineyard - 4 July 2026
The Bloomsbury Band of Flutes and Clarinets return to perform a free afternoon concert of crowd-pleasing tunes on the vineyard. Bring a picnic or pre-order a cheese platter.
Opening Times and Cellar Door
The vineyard estate is open 10:00 - 17:00 most weekends and some Bank Holidays from May to September. The 2026 weekend opening dates run from Saturday 16 May through Sunday 13 September, with special plus-Evening Saturdays on 15, 22 and 29 August and a Midsummer Theatre night on Saturday 20 June. Children and dogs on leads are welcome, and a high chair is available.
Picnics
During opening hours, visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic to enjoy on the vineyard or in the woods. Wine by the glass or bottle is available to enjoy alongside lunch, and a pre-ordered East Sussex cheese platter can be added.
Markets
During the winter months Wildwood is also present at various markets across East Sussex and Kent. Confirmed 2026 appearances include the Medway Market at Chatham Historic Dockyard (Saturday 2 May), Tonbridge Farmers Market on Sovereign Way (Sunday 10 May) and the Tonbridge Food & Drink Festival at Tonbridge Castle (Saturday 30 May and Sunday 31 May).
How to Get Here and Where to Stay
Wildwood is well connected for a day out or weekend adventure. The vineyard is directly on National Cycle Network Route 21 and is just six minutes by car from Tunbridge Wells. If you fancy making a weekend of it, nearby attractions include Tunbridge Wells, Bedgebury Arboretum, High Rocks, Pooh Corner, Standen House, Scotney Castle and Penshurst Place. A full accessibility guide is available through AccessAble.
Shop Online
All of Wildwood's wines and gift vouchers are available year-round through the online shop, with free weekend delivery to SE London postcodes (Lee SE12, Lewisham SE13, Catford SE6, Greenwich SE10, Eltham SE9) and to Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough, Tonbridge and nearby villages. Nationwide postal delivery is also available, with a 20% discount automatically applied on orders of three bottles or more. Discounts are available for large orders and weddings, and trade prices are offered on request. The online booking system uses PayPal; non-PayPal customers can email the vineyard direct to arrange payment.
Plan Your Visit
Whether arriving on a heritage steam train via the Spa Valley Railway, by Southern rail from London Bridge, by car along the A26, by bus, by bike or on foot, Wildwood Vineyard offers one of the most distinctive English vineyard experiences - a working family estate wrapped around an ancient Sussex woodland, pouring wines from grapes grown just metres from your glass.