Wiston Estate: Award-Winning English Sparkling Wine on the South Downs
Tucked into the chalk hills of the South Downs in West Sussex, Wiston Estate is one of the most decorated family-run vineyards in England. Best known for its traditionally made English sparkling wines made from grapes grown on the original Findon Park Vineyard, the estate stretches across some 6,000 acres of downland, woodland and farmland and is also home to the Michelin-listed Chalk Restaurant, a self-catering holiday cottage and a year-round programme of tours, tastings and seasonal events.
The Wiston Estate story
The Goring family has lived at Wiston since 1743, when Elizabeth Fagge, heiress of Wiston House, married Sir Charles Matthew Goring. Over the centuries the family has farmed this ancient chalk downland landscape, planted the iconic circle of beech trees at the top of Chanctonbury Ring in 1760, and slowly built the patchwork of meadows, woodland and arable fields that the estate is known for today.
The story of Wiston as a vineyard begins much later. After Harry Goring returned from South Africa with his new wife, Pip, in 1972, Pip dreamed of planting vines on the South Downs, echoing her childhood in the Western Cape. Inspired by the Romans - who grew grapes on these same chalk slopes two thousand years ago - and drawing on the perseverance of her Huguenot ancestors, Pip finally saw her vision realised in 2006, when a 16-acre south-facing site at Findon Park was planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
That same year, Harry and Pip's son Richard and his wife Kirsty returned to the estate from small-scale organic farms in western Canada, bringing with them a long-term approach to soil and community. In 2007, winemaker Dermot Sugrue joined to head up the winery, and in 2008 an original Coquard press - the first of its kind to be imported into the UK - was installed at North Farm. The estate's first commercial release followed in 2009, and a second vineyard was planted in 2017, bringing the total under vine to 12 hectares.
Key milestones since then have included a Decanter 'Best in Show' trophy for the Blanc de Blancs 2011 in 2019 (a first for English sparkling wine), three WineGB 'Winery of the Year' titles, the opening of Chalk restaurant in 2021, and a handover of the winemaking reigns to Marcus and Megan Rayner-Ward for the 2022 harvest.
The vineyards
Wiston's 12 hectares of vines are rooted in flint-scattered soils over a classic Sussex chalk base, very much in the tradition of the Côte des Blancs in Champagne. The aspect, the cool maritime influence of the coast just four kilometres to the south and the thin, free-draining topsoil force the vines to work hard, yielding fruit with the concentration, freshness and savoury minerality that have become the estate's signature.
The team is certified under Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) at both vineyard and winery. There are no herbicides; sheep are wintered between the rows to complete the nutrient cycle; cover crops of red and fescue grasses, clovers, phacelia and radish are sown each spring to improve soil structure and feed pollinators; pressed grape skins and prunings are composted back onto the land; and beehives have been introduced to support biodiversity - the honey is used in the Chalk kitchen. The estate is also part of the Weald to Waves network, working with neighbouring landowners and the South Downs National Park to create connected wildlife corridors.
The winery
The winery at North Farm is built around the estate's traditional Coquard press, with separate tank and barrel halls and a tasting room looking out over the vines. The philosophy is one of patience and minimal intervention: grapes are whole-bunch pressed extremely gently, base wines are fermented and aged in old French oak barrels and stainless steel, and the second fermentation takes place in bottle. Sparkling wines are matured on lees for years, not months, before being riddled and disgorged at the estate.
Sustainability is built into every part of the process: solar panels power the buildings, end-of-life barrels are repurposed for smoking food at Chalk or as water butts, used corks are recycled via Recorked UK, and leftover grape juice is distilled into Wiston Estate Gin. The winery is also a leading contract producer, having been named WineGB 'Contract Winery of the Year' five times, and supports dozens of small and medium-sized English vineyards with their own winemaking.
The wines
Wiston focuses on the three classic Champagne varieties - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier - producing a tight, traditional method range that has won trophies at Decanter, the International Wine Challenge, WineGB and beyond.
Classic Range
- Wiston Brut NV - the best-selling wine in the range and a friendly introduction to English sparkling, with four years on lees. From £38 per bottle.
- Wiston Blanc de Blancs NV - 100% Chardonnay aged four years on lees. From £42 per bottle.
- Wiston Estate Rosé NV - selected by sommeliers as the Best Sparkling Wine of 2025. From £38 per bottle.
- Wiston Estate Cuvée 2020 - the flagship blend of 57% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 10% Meunier, fermented in older French oak and aged three years on lees. From £50 per bottle.
- Wiston Estate Blanc de Blancs 2018 - 97 points from Wine Enthusiast and a Gold at the International Wine Challenge. From £60 per bottle.
- Wiston Estate Blanc de Noirs 2018 - 100% Pinot Noir with five years of lees ageing. From £58 per bottle.
- Wiston Estate Rosé 2018 - an opulent vintage rosé with red fruit, citrus and rosehip characters. From £54 per bottle.
Library Collection
The Library Collection is a series of small, slow-aged releases from the cellar. Since the first vintage in 2008, the team has held back select parcels of its favourite wines, with the 2010 and 2009 Library Collection releases the most recent additions. The 2010 Blanc de Blancs has won multiple trophies; the 2009 Blanc de Blancs, bottled in 2010 and disgorged in 2024 after fourteen years on lees, is priced from £130 per bottle. For a deeper dive, the Library Collection 2009 Comparative Tasting Set (£250) puts two bottles of the same 2009 wine side by side - one disgorged in 2016, one in 2024 - so drinkers can taste the effect of extended lees ageing first hand. The set includes a double gift box, a sparkling wine stopper and an exclusive virtual tasting with Head Winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward.
Magnums
Magnums are a specialism at Wiston. The range includes the Magnum of Brut NV (from £78), Rosé NV Magnum (from £78), Blanc de Blancs NV Magnum (from £84) and the prized Wiston Estate Cuvée 2009 Magnum at £140. The Celebration Magnums Case is currently on offer at £210 (was £236).
Still wines
While the focus is on sparkling, the team also makes small parcels of still wine in vintages where the conditions allow. New releases include Tank Five Chardonnay (from £27), a 100% Wiston-grown Chardonnay blend of 2022 and 2023 fruit, and the new Fifty Summers Rosé (from £27), a 100% Pinot Noir still rosé celebrating Pip Goring's fiftieth summer at Wiston. The Twenty Six Pinot Noir 2022 is currently out of stock.
Mixed cases and gifting
A selection of mixed cases is available for those who want to compare styles. The Wiston NV Collection (three bottles, £99) puts a Brut NV, Rosé NV and Blanc de Blancs NV side by side. The Wiston Discovery Case - six bottles covering non-vintage and vintage styles - is currently on offer at £240 (was £280). The Wiston Estate Vintage Mixed Case is £280 (was £318) and the 2018 Vintage Case - featuring the award-winning Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé from the stellar 2018 harvest - is on sale from £150 (was £168).
For gifts, there are presentation sets in oxide blue, pink or turquoise gift boxes (£3.50), a sparkling wine stopper (£10), the Wiston Estate Cuvée and Glasses Set (£56), and a Jute Bag with Bottle Dividers (£12). The Wiston Spring Selection (£120) bundles the Blanc de Blancs NV and Fifty Summers Rosé with estate apple juice, Bee Butler honey, a Wiston apron and a tea towel.
Chalk Restaurant
Perched in the heart of the winery, Chalk draws together fresh produce grown, farmed and foraged on the estate and from the Sussex coast. The restaurant is set in a light-filled dining room with a soaring exposed roof, whitewashed walls and original artwork, and remains on the Michelin Guide 2026, has been named Restaurant of the Year at the Beautiful South Awards 2025 - 26, and was placed in TripAdvisor's Best of the Best 2025 - the top 1% of restaurants worldwide.
Dinner is a set six-course Estate Menu, served Friday and Saturday evenings, with a five-course lunch (A La Carte) running Wednesday to Sunday. Coffee and pastries are served from 9.30 to 11.30 Wednesday to Sunday, and the Chalk Courtyard - with a relaxed menu of local cheeses, cured meats, soft drinks and Wiston wine flights - opens Friday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm. Dogs are welcome in the courtyard but not in the restaurant. A Friday evening Sundowner Dinner & Wine Tour combo is also available. Chalk is fully wheelchair accessible and is cashless - a £25 per-person cancellation fee applies for no-shows.
The wine list is, of course, dominated by Wiston, and the restaurant is also a showcase for local producers, including HG Walter butchers, Goodwood Home Farm dairy, The Bee Butler honey, Flying Fish seafood, The Wild Room foragers and Holos kombucha. Bookings can be made via chalk-restaurant/bookings or by calling the team on 01903 877845.
Tours, tastings and experiences
Tours run year-round from the cellar door at North Farm. The estate is fully wheelchair accessible, with lifts and accessible toilets, and many tours operate indoors in the winter months.
- The Wiston Winery Tour & Tasting - £30 per person. A 1.5-hour tour taking in the story of the estate, the vineyards, the Coquard press, tank and barrel halls, and a tutored tasting of four award-winning wines. Runs Wednesday to Sunday, with a 2-for-1 midweek offer.
- The Vintage Tour & Tasting - £37.50 per person. An upgraded version focused on the vintage wines. Runs on Wednesdays at 2.30pm and Thursdays at 11am.
- Sundowner Safari Tour, Tasting & Dinner - £130 per person. A summer-evening tour with a tractor ride over the downs to the vineyard, finishing with a meal at Chalk.
- Vineyard Explorer Tour - £75 per person. A four-hour summer tour on selected Saturdays from May to September.
- Top Drawer Tasting & Dinner - £125 per person. A premium wine and food experience, returning in winter.
- Off-Road Bike Tour & Lunch - explore the South Downs on two wheels with local experts before sitting down to lunch at Chalk.
Special events on the calendar include a Trophy-Winning Magnum Celebration on 17 September 2026 (£35), a Sundowner Vineyard Safari & Dinner at Chalk on 12 August, a Power Yoga & 3 Course Lunch with Aanya on 5 September, two Cocktail Workshops in mid-September and mid-October, and a Christmas Wreath Making Workshop on 6 December.
For those who would rather explore on their own, the estate has 58 kilometres of footpath and bridleway, with four self-guided walks ranging from the gentle 20-minute Crossroads Viewpoint stroll to the 9.6 km Monarch's Way loop. Cycling routes are also available.
Memberships
Two wine clubs offer regular bottles, discounts and priority booking.
- The Wiston Wine Club - £37.50 per month. A 3-bottle case of still and sparkling wines delivered every January, April, July and October, with 10% off single bottles, 15% off cases, complimentary Tour & Tasting tickets for four guests, and member-only events.
- The 1743 Club - £75 per month. The premium vintage membership, named for the year the Gorings came to Wiston. Members receive a 6-bottle quarterly case, 15% off wine, 10% off at Chalk for up to four guests, an annual drinks and canapés event hosted by the Goring family, priority booking for harvest days and new releases, and exclusive members-only wines.
Weddings and private events
The original Findon Park Vineyard and the secluded Wine Barn hidden among the vines are available for weddings, with the vineyard able to host a marquee for up to 120 guests and the Wine Barn seating up to 18. There is also a private dining room at Chalk (up to 10 guests), the Buddington Meeting Room above the winery, and the option of exclusive hire of the Chalk restaurant and courtyard. Larger events, from festivals to car rallies, can be hosted in Wiston Estate parkland. Enquiries should be directed to [email protected].
Stay at the estate
The Pump House is the estate's secluded self-catering cottage, tucked into the South Downs below Chanctonbury Ring. Sleeping 2 - 4 (with two dogs welcome), it has a king-size bed in the mezzanine, a sofa bed, a wood-fired hot tub and a bottle of Wiston Brut NV chilling in the fridge on arrival. The cottage won Silver at the 2024/25 Beautiful South Awards for Best Self-Catering Holiday Accommodation.
How to find Wiston
The winery, Chalk and the cellar door are at North Farm, Washington, West Sussex, RH20 4BB, around two hours from central London. Trains run from London Victoria to Worthing or Horsham in under 90 minutes, with a 20-minute taxi on to the estate. The team recommends booking taxis in advance with Arrow Taxi Group (01903 212121), South Downs Taxis (01798 874111) or AAA2B Cars (01403 242424). Uber is also available.
The cellar door is open 10am - 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday, with complimentary counter tastings (no booking required, maximum four people at a time). The team can be reached by email at [email protected] or on 01903 877845.
Recent awards and recognition
Wiston's wines have been on a remarkable run of late. At the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026, the Blanc de Blancs 2018 and Blanc de Noirs 2018 were both awarded Gold (96 and 95 points), with the Brut NV scoring an outstanding 96 in Decanter's UK Sparkling 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 - the highest English score of 97 points. The estate has also retained its place in the Michelin Guide 2026, won Restaurant of the Year at the Beautiful South Awards 2025 - 26, and placed in TripAdvisor's Best of the Best 2025 for Chalk.
Plan your visit
- Shop: wistonestate.com/shop
- Chalk bookings: chalk-restaurant/bookings
- Tours & Events: tours-experiences
- Private events: private-bookings
- Cellar Door: Wed - Sun, 10am - 4pm, North Farm, Washington, RH20 4BB
Whether you come for a morning cellar-door tasting, a long lunch at Chalk, a vineyard walk at golden hour, or a full harvest-weekend programme, Wiston Estate offers a remarkably complete picture of modern English wine - one made by a family, on one place, for the long term.