A September morning at The Weyborne Estate saw 60 guests from across the trade, press and media gather at Blackdown Park for a day of discovery, wine and a first look at what’s new at Weyborne.The day began with glasses of Oriana Golden Spur before we set off across the Estate.Our journey started at the horse statue, overlooking the Estate and the South Downs beyond. From here, we headed into the vineyard, getting closer to the vines and the landscape that sits at the heart o

The harvest countdown is over. Harvest has now come to a close at The Weyborne Estate, with the final grapes gathered last week. After an incredible summer, the vines have now given us their final fruit of the 2026 growing season, marking our earliest harvest to date and a record-breaking season for the estate. At the top of the vineyard, our Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier performed particularly strongly. This plot is home to some of our slightly older vines, which are no

The High Slopes of Excellence: Inside Weyborne Estate High on the South Downs, Weyborne Estate looks across the Sussex countryside from slopes that rise towards a thousand feet above sea level. Its history reaches back to around 1600, when an early ironmaster used local ore to forge axes and spikes. By the mid seventeenth century, the estate was held by William Yaldwin, a Parliamentarian who hosted Oliver Cromwell during the Civil War. Victorian owners added a residential win

WineGB: Indies are "Real Advocates" for Local People Independent retailers are “powerful ambassadors” for the English and Welsh wine sector and stocking a selection of these wines can also help draw in a slightly younger demographic, according to WineGB’s CEO, Nicola Bates. Speaking to Drinks Retailing at the annual WineGB trade tasting event in London, Bates said: “Each wine retailer has a chance to be a real advocate for certain local producers and to be able to really dr

Just a few days before his death on 6 August 2026, Matthew wrote this column for Vineyard, which we are publishing in his honour and as a tribute to his talent, warmth and generosity. I love old phrases and use them often. But I realise I sometimes have no idea of their origins. While preparing this month’s column, I described this trio of wines to my wife as those that push the envelope. But what does this actually mean? The word ‘envelope’ originally referred to the pe

"The world of elite sommeliers demands unparalleled precision, a skill exemplified by the notoriously difficult 'Champagne Pour' challenge. Emma Denney, director of wine at Claridge’s London, understands the exacting standards of sommelier-specific wine competitions, which feature rigorous technical tests and blind tastings. Trophy winners on the world stage, and with England recording the highest Gold success rate among major producers at the International Wine Challenge 20

Weyborne Estate sits at the highest point of the South Downs National Park, at the source of the River Wey – a setting with a history that stretches back to 1640. Owner Nick Clark planted the first vines in 2007, recognising the exceptional terroir of this high-altitude site. What began as 1.2 hectares has grown to 10 hectares on a rare mix of clay, greensand and chalk soils. Committed to sustainable viticulture, Weyborne produces just two cuvées using the traditional method

We are delighted to share that Oriana Golden Spur Brut NV has been awarded a Silver Medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC). Widely regarded as one of the world’s most respected blind tasting competitions, the IWSC brings together leading international producers alongside some of the wine industry’s most experienced judges, sommeliers, and wine experts. Following last year’s medal success with our 2019 vintage, Golden Spur 2022 was entered into this

Weyborne Estate is situated at the highest point of the South Downs in West Sussex, on a terroir of mixed clay, greensand and chalk. The site enjoys a micro-climate that offers protection from frost to their south facing slope, as well as natural drainage and early ripeness. This is a single site of 25 acres planted to around 50% Chardonnay, plus Pinot Noir and a little Pinot Meunier. I met up recently with William Sharpley, Commercial Manager, and Benjamin Abric, Winemake

"Weyborne in Sussex has achieved a lot in a little time. Just a year after the first-ever vintage in 2018, its Weyborne Oriana 2019 this year won a cluster of gold and silver medals. Miranda Long joined the producer's team for lunch at the restaurant Clarette in London's Marylebone to see the latest English sparkling wine that the estate has in store. It is an early release from their 2022 harvest called Oriana Golden Spur. Destined to become the 2023 vintage to be launched n

Oriana is a name that signals the creative side of English sparkling—winemakers experimenting with varietal composition and dosage to craft distinctive house styles. Oriana Golden Spur is a pre-release of the 2022 vintage - which is showing great maturity relative to its 2 years on lees. The 2022 vintage was a spectacular year marked by the hottest and driest summer in recent history. This led to high quality, clean fruit with exceptional flavour and high yields. Condit

Named after Tennyson's The Ballad of Oriana, discovered in a 1905 edition within the Estate's own library, Weyborne is justifiably proud of this wine, which romantically embodies the spirit of love, loyalty and fate. In fact, Golden Spur is an early release of a 2022 vintage wine which will see the light.

The Weyborne Oriana Golden Spur Brut 2022 Sussex, England 12% alcohol. This is an early release from 2022, and it’s made in a more oxidative style, fermented in an open tank for the first part with 3% in barrel, then full malolactic fermentation. A blend of 46% Chardonnay, 53% Pinot Noir and 1% Pinot Meunier. This is a really rich style, with peach, ripe pear, baked apple and honey notes, as well as a fine spiciness. Lovely depth and richness to this wine, with a sense of har

"Talking of Harrods… I visited their wine cellar for the first time – rather embarrassingly – this week. I was thrilled to see they are taking English wine seriously, spotting a few favourites on the shelves. This included new kids on the block, Weyborne, whose estate sits in the beautiful South Downs. They produced a great wine called Oriana (well worth a try), enjoyed over the last, lovely summer in 2019. If only we knew then, we'd have stocked up on a few more bottles."

Weyborne’s new Oriana Golden Spur is all about precision, place, and a little bit of magic and it was a privilege to be at the launch at Clarette restaurant last week, hearing Ben Abric and William Sharpley lift the veil on how this wine is made.

Situated at the highest point of the South Downs National Park, the Weyborne Estate just south of Haslemere offers stunning views alongside exceptional English sparkling wines. The vineyards and estate are part of historic Blackdown Park, where the River Wey begins its journey to the sea and where green pastures, undulating hills and lush valleys stretch as far as the eye can see. The first vines, planted in 2007, are a classic combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pin

West Sussex’s Weyborne Estate has released its third sparkling wine, Oriana Golden Spur, following the award-winning success of Oriana 2019, which picked up an IWSC Trophy, three Golds and two Silvers along the way. The new release is a pre-release of the 2022 vintage, which already shows surprising maturity despite just two years on lees. Winemaker Benjamin Abric describes 2022 as “a spectacular year” for the estate. It was one of the hottest and driest summers in memory,

Impress the in-laws: WEYBOURNE ESTATE: ORIANAGOLDEN SPUR At the highest point of West Sussex’s South Downs, this winery is elevated not only geographically but also in its aim to create premium English wines for the fine wine sphere. Oriana is their flagship, stocked at Harrods, and has picked up a number of trophies.However, they have just released Oriana Golden Spur (£45, weybourne. com) in celebration of the 2022 harvest. It is rich and savoury, with notes of baked golden

Born in Languedoc, Benjamin Abric ditched his native France to literally put roots down in Sussex’ chalky soils. Now head winemaker at Weyborne Estate, he tells db why “England is becoming the new Champagne”, and warns French producers to watch their backs: “With England coming up, they’re going to have to keep their game up if they don’t want to be toppled over by some newcomers.” Amelie Maurice-Jones in The Drinks Business, 7th November 2025

WineGB's Golden 50 List has once again celebrated the UK’s top wines, underscoring the growing strength and sophistication of the English wine industry — with The Weyborne Estate named among the “Top producers dominating multiple competitions.” James Bayley in The Drinks Business, 22nd October 2025.