David Pearce in IX Magazine “Shows surprising maturity”

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, producing clean, expressive fruit and generous yields – perfect for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The blend is 53% Pinot Noir, 46% Chardonnay and 1% Pinot Meunier, drawn from a patchwork of vineyards across Weyborne’s hillside estate, from the one-acre Diddy Field at 190 metres, planted in 2007, to the lower slopes established a decade later.

French viticulturalist Abric is clear about his ambitions: “We want to be world class.” That goal is shared by owner Nick Clarke, a geologist and entrepreneur who bought the historic Blackdown Park estate in 2010. Dating back to 1640, the property now holds 25 acres of vines spread over five plots, their south-facing slopes capturing the best of the South Downs’ sunlight. The combination of sand, clay, flint and chalk gives Weyborne’s wines their distinctive tension and depth.

Oriana Golden Spur (£45) is now available via weyborne.com. If the early signs are anything to go by, this may be another medal magnet for one of the South Downs’ rising stars.

David Pearce in IX Magazine, 17th November 2025