Wiston Estate: Award-Winning English Sparkling Wine from the South Downs
Wiston Estate: A Living Sussex Vineyard, Winery and Rural Meeting Place
Set in 6,000 acres of ancient chalk downland in the heart of West Sussex, Wiston Estate is one of England's most respected sparkling-wine producers. The Goring family have cared for this landscape since 1743, and it is they who, in 2006, finally realised Pip Goring's long-held dream of planting a vineyard on the South Downs. Today, the estate combines a working winery, a Michelin-listed restaurant, a self-catering cottage, weddings, walking trails, and a calendar of tours and events - all rooted in the chalk and the soil that make this stretch of inland Sussex so distinctive.
Location and Setting
Wiston Estate lies between the iconic hills of Chanctonbury Ring and Cissbury Ring, two Iron Age and Roman landmarks that have watched over the South Downs for thousands of years. The winery, restaurant and cellar door are based at North Farm, Washington, West Sussex, RH20 4BB, with the estate office in nearby Steyning (BN44 3DD). From central London, the estate is around two hours by car, or an hour and a half by train to Worthing or Horsham followed by a short taxi ride.
The chalk subsoil and south-facing slopes have much in common with the Côtes des Blancs in Champagne. Twelve hectares of vines now root deeply into this challenging terrain, where the harsh conditions force the vines to produce fruit that carries the unmistakable mineral precision of English sparkling wine. The moderating influence of the Sussex coast - just four kilometres further south - softens the climate, while flint-scattered topsoils sit above the chalk that gives the wines their hallmark freshness.
The Goring Family Story
The estate takes its name from the family that has stewarded it since 1743, when Elizabeth Fagge, heiress of Wiston House, married her neighbour Sir Charles Matthew Goring. Sixteen years later, their son Charles planted a circle of beech trees on Chanctonbury Hill - the famous copse that still crowns the skyline above the estate. The family grew the estate to around 20,000 acres during the nineteenth century, but the twentieth brought upheaval: death duties in 1905 and 1924 forced the sale of 40% of the land, and in 1926 the family moved out of Wiston House, which today is leased to the Foreign Office (FCDO).
In 1972, Harry Goring returned from South Africa with his new wife, Pip, to take over the management of the estate. Pip arrived with a dream inspired by her childhood in the Western Cape: to plant vines and make wine at Wiston. That dream had to wait, but in 2006 the first 16-acre vineyard - Findon Park - was planted on a south-facing slope with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. In the same year, Harry and Pip's son Richard moved back to the estate with his wife Kirsty, fresh from working on small-scale organic farms in western Canada.
The estate's winemaking team has been led by Dermot Sugrue from 2007 until the 2022 vintage, when the reins passed to husband-and-wife team Marcus and Megan Rayner-Ward. A Coquard press - the first to be imported to the UK - was installed at North Farm in 2008. A second vineyard, planted exclusively with Chardonnay, followed in 2017, the same year the estate became the first of its kind to have a Whole Estate Plan endorsed by the South Downs National Park.
Award-Winning Wines
Wiston has been named Winery of the Year by WineGB in 2018 and 2021, and Decanter awarded its Blanc de Blancs 2011 the first-ever English sparkling wine 'Best In Show' trophy in 2019. The current trophy cabinet is a reflection of the consistency across the range. At the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026, the Blanc de Blancs 2018 scored 96 points and the Blanc de Noirs 2018 scored 95 points, while the Brut NV received an outstanding 96 points in Decanter's UK Sparkling Wine Panel Tasting. At the International Wine Challenge, the Vintage Cuvée Magnum 2009 took both the English Sparkling Classic Blend Trophy and the English Sparkling Trophy with 97 points.
The Classic Range
The Classic Range pays homage to the great traditional-method sparkling wines of the world, focusing on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
- Wiston Brut NV - the best-selling introduction to English sparkling, ideal for celebrations, parties and gifts. From £38.
- Wiston Estate Rosé NV - selected by sommeliers as the Best Sparkling Wine of 2025. From £38.
- Wiston Blanc de Blancs NV - 100% Chardonnay, four years in the making. From £42.
- Wiston Estate Cuvée 2020 - the flagship blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. From £50.
- Wiston Estate Rosé 2018 - a vintage rosé with vibrant red fruit, citrus, brioche and a long elegant finish. From £54.
- Wiston Estate Blanc de Noirs 2018 - single-vineyard Pinot Noir with five years' ageing in the cellars. From £58.
- Wiston Estate Blanc de Blancs 2018 - 100% Chardonnay from the chalkiest slopes of Findon Park. From £60.
The Library Collection
Since their first vintage in 2008, the Wiston team have held back small parcels of their favourite wines to revisit in the future. The result is the Library Collection - a series of limited-edition releases that demonstrate the remarkable ageing potential of English sparkling wine.
- Library Collection Cuvée 2009 - Wiston's first commercial release, aged for many years in the cellars. From £60.
- Library Collection Blanc de Blancs 2009 - the longest Wiston has ever aged a wine, bottled in 2010 and disgorged in 2024. From £130.
- Library Collection Blanc de Blancs 2010 - the first ever Library Collection release and winner of multiple trophies. From £130.
- The Library Collection Set - two wines aged for over a decade, presented together. £190.
- The Library Collection 2009 Comparative Tasting Set - a side-by-side tasting of two Blanc de Blancs 2009 wines with different disgorgement dates, presented in a double gift box with a sparkling wine stopper and an exclusive virtual tasting led by Marcus Rayner-Ward. £250.
Still Wines: Tank Five and Fifty Summers
While Wiston is best known for its sparkling wines, the team also make small parcels of still wine in vintages where conditions allow. Two new releases are at the heart of the current range.
Tank Five Chardonnay is Wiston's first still wine made from 100% estate-grown fruit. It is a blend of two harvests: Chardonnay from the Broadwoods site (planted 2017), picked in 2022 and aged on its lees in stainless steel, combined with Chardonnay from Findon fermented and aged in oak for nine months in 2023. Aromas of lemon peel, crushed oats and salinity lead into a fresh palate of peach and wild fennel, with a creamy smooth finish. From £27.
Fifty Summers Rosé is the new iteration of Wiston's still rosé and the Wine of the Month this August. Made from 100% Pinot Noir from the Wiston vineyards, it is named after the dream Pip Goring had over fifty summers ago when she first came to Sussex. Aromas of ripe cherries, red summer fruits, peach and white pepper give way to a creamy yet refreshing palate. Buy six bottles and pay for five when purchasing a case. From £27.
Also available: The Twenty Six Pinot Noir 2022, a still red made in tiny volumes from the estate's first rows of Pinot Noir (currently sold out), from £29.
Magnums and Mixed Cases
Wiston's Magnums are made for celebrating - the Magnum of Brut NV (£78), Rosé NV Magnum (£78), Wiston Blanc de Blancs NV Magnum (£84) and the prized Wiston Estate Cuvée 2009 in Magnum (£140) are the estate's larger-format classics. A curated Celebration Magnums Case offers three magnums for £210 (reduced from £236).
The Mixed Cases are the easiest way to explore the breadth of the range:
- The Wiston NV Collection - three non-vintage bottles for £99, including shipping.
- The Wiston Blanc de Blancs Set - two expressions of Blanc de Blancs in a gift box. £90.
- The Wiston Discovery Case - a selection of non-vintage and vintage wines. Reduced from £280 to £240.
- The 2018 Vintage Case - world-class vintage sparkling wines from the same single vineyard and vintage. Reduced from £168 to £150.
- The Wiston Estate Vintage Mixed Case - a selection of vintage wines from a single vineyard. Reduced from £318 to £280.
Spirits, Gifts and Homewares
Beyond wine, the Wiston Cellar Door offers a small range of complementary products. Wiston Estate Gin (£43) is crafted with carefully selected botanicals and is perfect for classic G&Ts and cocktails. Wiston Apple Juice (£6) is made from the 2025 harvest at Wiston House gardens. The estate's gift boxes, including the Oxide Blue (£3.50) and Pink (£3.50) options, add a finishing touch for any bottle. Other homewares include the Sparkling Wine Stopper (£10), Jute Bag with Bottle Dividers (£12), Wiston Estate Apron (£25) and the Wiston Estate Cuvée & Glasses Set (£56).
Memberships: The 1743 Club and Wiston Wine Club
Wiston offers two memberships, named in honour of the year the Goring family arrived at the estate.
The 1743 Club is the premium vintage membership at £75 per month. Members receive a six-bottle case (or equivalent magnum quantities) every quarter, an annual Drinks & Canapés event hosted by the Goring family, preferential pricing, 15% off all wine purchases, 10% off at Chalk Restaurant for up to four guests, a free 'Wiston Tour and Tasting' for four guests, a complimentary glass of Brut NV for up to four guests at Chalk, priority booking for events, early access to new release wines, and exclusive Wine Club Harvest Days.
The Wiston Wine Club at £37.50 per month is the more accessible entry point. Members receive a three-bottle case every quarter, 10% off single-bottle purchases, 15% off case purchases, a free 'Wiston Tour and Tasting' for four guests, a complimentary glass of Brut NV for up to two guests at Chalk, priority booking, and early access to new release wines. Both memberships make a thoughtful gift and can be purchased as such.
Tours, Tastings and Experiences
Wiston Estate offers one of the most accessible winery experiences on the South Downs, with tours running throughout the year. All tours are fully accessible, with lifts and accessible toilets, and operate indoors during the winter months.
The Wiston Winery Tour & Tasting (£30 per person, 1.5 hours) takes guests through the story of the estate, the vineyards, the traditional Coquard press, the tank and barrel halls, and finishes with a tutored tasting of four award-winning wines in the new tasting room. The tour operates on Wednesdays at 11am, Thursdays at 2.30pm, Fridays at 11am and 2.30pm, Saturdays at 11am and 2.30pm, and Sundays at 11am and 2.30pm. Midweek tours are available at a 2-for-1 offer.
The Vintage Tour & Tasting (£37.50 per person, 1.5 hours) is an upgraded version that focuses on Wiston's vintage wines. It runs on Wednesdays at 2.30pm and Thursdays at 11am. The tour won the Gold Medal for Experience of the Year at the 2023/24 Beautiful South Awards and is recognised by the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards.
Vineyard Explorer Tour (£75 per person, approximately 4 hours) runs through the summer months on selected Saturdays from May to September, including lunch. Sundowner Safari Tour, Tasting & Dinner (£130 per person) is the popular summer experience that combines a winery tour, a tractor ride over the downs to the vineyard, and a meal at Chalk. Top Drawer Tasting & Dinner (£125 per person) returns during the winter months. Off-Road Bike Tour & Lunch lets visitors explore the South Downs on two wheels with local experts before a meal at Chalk.
Gift vouchers are available for The Wiston Tour & Tasting for Two (£60) and for Four (£120), and a flexible Wiston Estate Gift Voucher that can be spent on wines, tours, Chalk or the cellar door shop. To book using a gift voucher, contact [email protected].
Events at Wiston
Beyond the regular tour programme, Wiston hosts a calendar of one-off dinners, estate tours and special events throughout the year. Two events are scheduled in the coming weeks:
- Power Yoga & 3 Course Lunch with Aanya - Saturday 5 September 2026. A restorative summer occasion in the vines. £100 per person. View details.
- Trophy-Winning Magnum Celebration - Thursday 17 September 2026. Raise a glass to Wiston's Trophy-winning Vintage Cuvée 2009 Magnum with an evening of magnums and canapés at Chalk. £35 per person. View details.
Other past and ongoing event themes include harvest days, wine club dinners, library collection release tastings, winemaker dinners, cocktail workshops, wreath-making and breathwork.
Chalk Restaurant
At the heart of the estate sits Chalk, a six-course tasting restaurant that draws together fresh local produce from the estate and its Sussex neighbours. Chalk is currently listed in the Michelin Guide 2026, was named Restaurant of the Year at the Beautiful South Awards 2025-26, and was placed in the top 1% of restaurants worldwide in TripAdvisor's Best of the Best 2025.
The Estate Menu changes regularly with the seasons, showcasing produce grown, farmed and foraged on Wiston Estate and the Sussex coast. Suppliers include the Wiston Estate walled garden, Goodwood Home Farm, Knepp Estate, HG Walter butchers, The Bee Butler (Findon), Flying Fish Seafoods, The Wild Room, The Cheese Man and HOLOS kombucha.
Chalk is open Wednesday to Sunday for coffee and pastries from 9.30-11.30am, lunch Wednesday to Sunday (A La Carte), dinner on Friday and Saturday (Set Estate Menu), and on Fridays the Sundowner Safari dinner-and-wine-tour combo. The Courtyard at Chalk is open Friday to Sunday from 12pm-5pm for relaxed drinks and nibbles - no reservation required, well-behaved dogs welcome. Chalk is cashless, fully wheelchair accessible, and charges £25 per person for no-shows (or £45 for dinner). Corkage is £25 per 75cl bottle. For bookings for more than 8 guests at lunch or more than 6 at dinner, contact [email protected] or call 01903 877845.
Sustainability and the Land
Wiston Estate is a member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB), both in the vineyard and in the winery. The estate's 2017 Whole Estate Plan, endorsed by the South Downs National Park, places nature, people and enterprise at the centre of every decision. In the vineyard, sheep graze between the vines in winter, bees are kept for honey (which is used at Chalk), cover crops of clovers and radish improve the soil, and prunings and grape skins are composted back into the land. In the winery, solar panels help power the buildings, the storage sheds are insulated rather than refrigerated, used corks are recycled by Recorked UK, packaging uses paper tape rather than plastic, water use is minimised through steam cleaning, and surplus grape juice is distilled into Wiston Estate Gin.
The estate also participates in the Weald to Waves initiative with the South Downs National Park and other landowners to create nature corridors across Sussex. The wider 6,000-acre estate includes woodland, arable farmland, downland, vineyards and the Walled Garden, with 58 kilometres of footpath and bridleway open to walkers.
Visiting the Estate
Wiston Estate is easy to reach from London and the south coast.
- Cellar Door - Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm. A complimentary counter tasting of up to four people at a time. No booking required.
- The Pump House - a renovated self-catering cottage for 2-4 guests, hidden away at the foot of the South Downs with views up to Chanctonbury Ring, a wood-fired hot tub, and a complimentary bottle of Wiston Brut NV on arrival. Sleeps 2-4, two dogs welcome. Silver Medal at the 2024/25 Beautiful South Awards for Best Self-Catering Holiday Accommodation.
- Walks and Trails - five recommended walking routes from 1.3km to 9.6km, ranging from an easy 20-minute stroll to the Crossroads Viewpoint to longer loops over Chanctonbury Ring.
- Weddings - Findon Park Vineyard and the Wine Barn (up to 120 seated or 18 in the Barn) are available for wedding receptions in the heart of the South Downs.
- Corporate Offer - corporate memberships, bespoke gifting, business away days in the Buddington Room, the Wiston Experience away day, and drinks receptions in Chalk and the courtyard (£950 for two hours, canapés from £15 per head).
- Private Bookings - the Private Dining Room at Chalk (up to 10 guests), Chalk Restaurant and Courtyard (up to 50 seated), the Buddington Room, the Wine Barn (up to 20 seated) and Wiston Estate Park are all available for private hire.
The Team
Wiston Estate employs over 70 people across the vineyard, winery, restaurant and wider estate. The winery team is led by Head Winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward and Assistant Winemaker Megan Rayner-Ward, supported by Winery General Manager Oliver Marsh, Production Team Leader Tom Walker and Production Assistant Chris Penwarden. In the vineyard, Travis Salisbury manages 12 hectares of vines. Estate Ecologist Penny Green oversees biodiversity and the Weald to Waves initiative, and Matthew Thomas manages the Steyning Downland Scheme. The Goring family continues to lead: Richard Goring as Chairman and Kirsty Goring as Brand Director. In the kitchen, Head Chef Jordon Powell leads the team at Chalk; Tom Flint is Retail Manager; and Elaine Cummings-Hall and Candace Bugden manage tours, tastings and the shop.
Practical Information
- Address: Wiston Estate Winery, North Farm, London Road, Washington, West Sussex, RH20 4BB.
- Registered Office: Wiston Estate Office, Wiston Park, Steyning, West Sussex, BN44 3DD.
- Telephone: +44 (0) 1903 877845.
- Email: [email protected] (general), [email protected] (winery/contracts), [email protected] (private events).
- Delivery: Free UK mainland delivery on wine orders over £95; £10 below that. Scottish Islands and Isles of Scilly may take up to five working days and incur extra charges.
- Membership and Tour Enquiries: [email protected].
Wiston Through the Decades
A snapshot of the estate's modern milestones gives a sense of how quickly the project has grown. In 2007 Dermot Sugrue joined as winemaker; the Steyning Downland Scheme was launched with 165 acres of the estate gifted to the community. In 2008 the original Coquard press was installed and the first vintage produced. The Gorings took over management of the estate in 2011. A nebuchadnezzar of Wiston Estate Brut NV was used to 'christen' the royal yacht Britannia in 2015. The second, all-Chardonnay vineyard was planted in 2017. The estate won Winery of the Year in 2018 and again in 2021, when Chalk also opened. In 2022 the Rayner-Wards took over the winemaking, and in 2023 the Cellar Door team won 'Experience of the Year' for the Wiston Wine Tour & Tasting. Two decades on from that first planting, the 2026 English Wine Week marked twenty years in the vines.
A Final Glass
Few English estates combine so convincingly the elements that matter: ancient chalk downland, a passionate family team, a patient and gentle winemaking philosophy, an extraordinary restaurant, and an estate-wide commitment to nature and community. Whether visitors arrive for a tour, a tasting flight in the courtyard, a six-course dinner at Chalk, or simply to walk one of the chalk trails to Chanctonbury Ring, Wiston is a place that takes time to reveal itself - which, as the team will tell you, is exactly the point.