The grapes that define Sussex: the canonical varietals and how the region expresses them.
The grapes that define Sussex: the canonical varietals and how the region expresses them.
The backbone of Sussex traditional method sparkling. On chalk it gives the lean citrus frame that carries long lees ageing, and it is also bottled as a still barrel fermented white.
In the glass: Green apple, lemon and chalk when young, moving to brioche and hazelnut with time on lees.
Shows best in: Blanc de blancs, Classic cuvee blends
The structural red grape of the county's sparkling blends and, in warmer years, of still reds and rose. It ripens on the chalk scarp and on the greensand around Pulborough.
In the glass: Red cherry and redcurrant with a savoury edge; adds weight and grip to a sparkling blend.
Shows best in: Classic cuvee blends, Blanc de noirs, Still Pinot Noir
The third Champagne variety, planted across Sussex as insurance against spring frost and late flowering. It fills the middle of a blend and softens the acidity of the other two.
In the glass: Orchard fruit and a soft, rounder palate that fleshes out Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Shows best in: Classic cuvee blends
The still white workhorse of Sussex, a German crossing of Silvaner and Riesling with Mueller Thurgau that ripens reliably through a cool English autumn and is bottled dry.
In the glass: Elderflower, grapefruit and cut grass, dry and aromatic, usually made in stainless steel.
Shows best in: Dry still white
A still white speciality on the free draining sands around Pulborough, where it holds acidity better than it does further south and is bottled dry rather than off dry.
In the glass: Pear, white peach and a faintly waxy texture, dry and mid weight.
Shows best in: Dry still white
A hybrid from the first wave of English planting that still anchors the sparkling wines at Breaky Bottom and Oxney. It ripens early and takes years on lees without tiring.
In the glass: Bramley apple and lemon, low in aroma when young, taking on toast and honey with age.
Shows best in: Traditional method sparkling
Peak wine-travel season in Sussex is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Sussex rewards trust.