The agricultural landscape of the south-east of England is changing. There are now far more vineyards, about 2,370 hectares across Kent and Sussex, according to the latest WineGB industry report. Due to the requirements of vines (slopes and open spaces), vineyards often offer wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. In addition, many vineyards are more accessible than traditional agricultural land. Most vineyard owners want visitors on their properties, as a source of income, yes, but almost more so, to share their story and love of wine. The Drinks Business magazine recently published an article suggesting that wine tourism accounts for about 25% of global winery income. In the UK, direct sales to the consumer either at the cellar door or online amount to about 30% of sales. What could be more enjoyable than visiting a vineyard in England or Wales on a sunny day?
An example of how wine tourism is developing in the UK can be quite nicely illustrated by Ambriel vineyard in West Sussex. The road leading to the vineyard is quite narrow as one would expect in a rural West Sussex setting. However, on turning into the vineyard you find yourself at it’s highest point, the vista opens out and you have an enormous sense of freedom and space. It makes you want to breathe deeply and experience the fresh Sussex air.
Wendy and Charles Outhwaite, a barrister and a banker, spent five years searching for, what they would regard to be, the ‘right site’. “No site is perfect but this gets quite close to it!” is how Wendy sums it up as she surveys the autumn yellow-leafed vines. Views are one thing, how the grapes respond to a particular site is quite another. Success! the vines seem to like the setting as well. The majority are planted on greensand which offers excellent drainage and retains warmth in the soil, helping to restrict the effects of day and night temperature variation. Wendy also suggests the position of the vineyard and the soil are reasons why they are fortunate enough not to suffer the ravages of spring frosts. The vineyard is at about 90m above sea level and slopes towards the south east, offering long hours of sunshine, warming the soil and helping to protect and invigorate the vines. Exposure to breeze helps limit disease pressure.
It was an advert in the Chichester Observer, spotted by Charles’s father, that led Wendy and Charles to the plot that had previously been used for grazing and orchards. The land wasn’t adequately fertile for crops but the fruit trees offered a clue to the possibilities of successfully cultivating grapes for wine production. Following the lengthy search, vines were planted in 2008 and the winery built in 2010, in time for the first vintage. The intention had always been to grow grapes and make wine on the same site and, in addition, to have a laid-back approach to the new project. As the saying goes, “two out of three ain’t bad”! Grapes are grown and wine is made on site, however, as Wendy says “it is difficult to change your personality” and the laid-back approach has not developed quite as quickly. Care and attention to detail are at the heart of everything done at Ambriel. Care for the landscape and local environment; and detail in how the vines are cared for and wine is made.
The site is, indeed, almost perfect not only for Wendy, Charles and the vines but also for visitors. As with many vineyards ‘hospitality’ hadn’t been a consideration at the outset. After the production of the first vintage Charles and Wendy moved to live at the vineyard permanently. It was their home and they weren’t sure quite how comfortable they would be with, what might have been, the intrusion. However, they took the plunge and initially invited wine critics. The net was cast slightly wider and fellow vineyard owners and winemakers visited. Eventually, tours and tastings were opened up to the public with a reservation. Wendy explained that they are far more involved with hospitality than ever before and “I love seeing people enjoying the wines, asking questions and enjoying their visit, we have made friends with people we would never have met if it weren’t for wine”. The enthusiasm for the product is palpable. As Wendy says “the whole point about wine is that people taste it, it is nothing until the bottle has been opened”. The joy of watching people’s response to the wines, that Charles has made in the winery from grapes grown only yards away, is an element of their new life that Wendy and Charles had perhaps not anticipated, but relish.
Owning and running a wine production business in the UK can throw up huge challenges. There are the initial capital costs, buying land, vineyard materials and machinery. Throw in the money being tied up for years whilst waiting for the vines to develop, add the cost of production and the financial challenge is evident. Whilst climate change has increased average annual temperatures, it has also introduced more dramatic weather. Downpours of rain, hail, strong winds and additional disease pressure can all be challenging, illustrated by the contrast in overall national production between 2023 (the equivalent of 21.6 million bottles) and 2024 (10.7 million bottles). Hospitality at vineyards can be a very helpful to promote the product and as an additional income stream to supplement production and sales, particularly in bad years.
At Ambriel the focus is solely on quality and not quantity. Charles keeps a tight rein on the finances to ensure that the business is sustainable. Hospitality and sales directly to the consumer account for something in excess of 15% of income. Exports to Japan and Scandinavia have flourished. Whilst care and attention to detail are at the heart of everything in production, Charles and Wendy are painfully aware that, for the enterprise to succeed, it must be successful commercially.
Wendy and Charles are rightly very proud of the wines that they produce and are very happy to share their experiences and wines whether you are visiting the vineyard or buying in Japan. The warmth of welcome and quality of wines will ensure that it is not only the outstanding setting that makes your visit memorable.
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