Sussex and Kent are the major players in English wine, with small producers focusing on quality wines. Head to the countryside to tour the vineyards, tasting creamy sparklers and flinty whites born of the very land you’re standing on. Carr Taylor, just outside Hastings, is open daily for tours and tastings of its award winning wines. Sedlescombe Organic in Robertsbridge is the oldest organic vineyard in the UK, with a range of gluten-free and vegan-friendly red, white and sparkling wines. Charles Palmer just outside Winchelsea produces a small range of excellent sparkling wines with tours available on request. Oxney Organic in Beckley also focuses on sparkling wine, with tours available on Fridays and every other Saturday.
Or, you can let someone else do the planning (and driving) for you, with a privately hosted Vine & Country tour.
