It’s such a joy to see a new venture succeed – and when it involves countryside and fine wine, it’s a double pleasure.
A few years ago we dropped in at Hidden Spring Vineyard in East Sussex at the very start of its life. The vines were newly planted, nowhere near ready to harvest, yet the place was full of promise.
Fast-forward seven years and, with a smidgin of sun, a drop of rain, much patience, technical skill, a touch of alchemy and time, something rather wonderful has happened.
On a temperamental July day, we went back to Hidden Spring to discover how an old, abandoned vineyard has been brought back to life.
Hidden Spring Vineyard history
Chris Phipps and David McNally got the bright idea of starting a vineyard in the UK while on a trip to New Zealand. They’d been daydreaming about buying a holiday home somewhere away from their busy city lives, but the thought of making wine hadn’t crossed their minds until they saw the vineyards on the South Island.
That set them searching for a location where they could build a business together that combined great wine and beautiful surroundings.
They found Hidden Spring in the tiny village of Vines Cross in East Sussex, an old campsite and orchard which was ripe for development.
On their first visit they discovered it had once been a vineyard – a very successful one back in the 1980s and 90s – whose vintages graced the shelves of Fortnum and Mason and the Houses of Parliament.
They took that as a good omen and went ahead in 2015.
Within a few years they’d re-planted the fields and built their own winery, producing both sparkling and still white wines.
Today the 27 acre vineyard grows, harvests and produces delicious sparkling and still white and rosé wines.
David and Chris are no longer involved in the day-to-day running of Hidden Spring, having sold the business in 2022 to Richard and Sara Asman, but their legacy of fine wines in beautiful, natural surroundings continues.
And Hidden Spring’s history is not forgotten. In the balcony above the winery you can find a display of the vineyard story from orchard, to vineyard, to campsite then back to vines again.
Hidden Spring wines
Since our previous visits in 2016 and 2018, the range of Hidden Spring wines has continued to grow.
In addition to the light, crisp and refreshing Bacchus we enjoyed previously, they now produce several sparkling wines, a Bacchus Fumé (a revelation of smooth complexity), an award-winning Pinot Gris, and a fabulous rosé under the Here Be Dragons label, where they try out new blends.
The vineyard now grows a mixture of Bacchus, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir grapes which are blended in oak or stainless steel to give the wines their various characteristics.
See their online shop for what they currently have available.
Time to taste
The Tasting Room at Hidden Spring has been a feature from the very beginning and is a perfect place to linger.
Undercover if the weather is unkind, but with views out over the rolling vines and outdoor seating under the old oak tree, you can watch the sun go down on long summer evenings.
It’s become a popular stopping off point for walkers who pass by on the public footpath that runs through the vineyard. What better than a glass of cool, crisp wine to give your legs a little extra boost!
And here was our chance to settle down to some serious tasting of their newer wines with Alex, the Tasting Room Manager, on hand to guide us. You don’t need to be an aficionado to enjoy the experience. It’s relaxed, fun, and you’re free to sniff, taste and discuss to your heart’s content.
Which we did!
First a clean, crisp Classic Cuvee – it’s what English sparkling wine is all about. Light and refreshing without the heaviness of some champagnes.
The favourite from our last visit, Bacchus, is still available with the 2017 being fruity and fresh with a flinty minerality, courtesy of the chalky Sussex downland. But this time we sampled their Bacchus Fumé, a more complex version – a wine Alex offers to people who don’t usually like white wine!
Then my personal choice, a dry rosé with a soft and fruity aroma and a light touch on the tongue.
See what we mean when we say you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy a wine-tasting experience!
Have we enticed you with the thought of some truly delicious English wine? The Bacchus Fumé is our all-round favourite.
Maybe you live in or are visiting East Sussex and feel the need to stop by! Or maybe, just maybe, you know someone who would love it as a gift.
If so – why not enter our latest competition?
This competition has now closed and we’re contacting the winner.
Thanks for taking part
Win a Hidden Spring Vineyard tour and tasting voucher for 2 people, worth £40
Hidden Spring have very kindly given us two vouchers to giveaway as part of the Rosemary and Pork Belly tenth birthday celebrations.
Picture yourself sipping fine wines in a fabulous location, surrounded by the vines that produce them.
The experience includes:
• A tour of the vineyard, seeing the vines, how they grow and produce grapes
• A tour of the winery, seeing the press, tanks and other facilities used to make the wine
• Tutored tasting of four still and sparkling wines
Enter now, just use the Gleam widget below to answer a question.
Win a wine-tasting experience for 2 at Hidden Spring
Competition closes midnight UK time Saturday 19 August 2023.
Open to UK residents aged 18 and over.
Full terms and conditions can be found here.
More about Hidden Spring Vineyard
The Tasting Room is open seasonally, so check the website for details.
Hidden Spring also runs special events – cheese and wine pairings, guided tours and tastings and the very popular Field and Flame BBQs.
It’s also licensed to hold wedding ceremonies.
All the grapes are harvested by hand and if you’d like to help out, drop them a line, and they’ll put you on their list of volunteers!
It’s something we’ve done before at both Bluebell in Sussex and Woodchurch in Kent, and we highly recommend the experience.
Where next?
• 5 reasons to try English wine
• How to harvest English wine
• Tips for beginners wine-tasting in France
Looking forward to spending time on Friday 30 August with friends for the Tapas Meal.
Can’t wait.
Hope you have a wonderful time. It’s a great venue and their award-winning wines are delicious.