About us

Rathfinny is a family-owned Wine Estate with B Corp status in East Sussex, established in 2010 by Mark and Sarah Driver. The Sussex House grower-producer, specialising in low-intervention, traditional method, vintage sparkling wines with Sussex PDO status. Terroir-driven, the wines reflect the single-estate Vineyard in the South Downs of Sussex. Produced from hand-harvested grapes that are whole-bunch pressed and patiently matured on lees and in bottle to develop rich, autolytic notes, with a low dosage that emphasises the purity of the fruit.

History

Once a working arable farm, the first vines were planted in 2010 and today Rathfinny comprises over 200 acres of predominantly Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

Vineyard & Terroir

Rathfinny Wine Estate is located in the South Downs National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty in Southern England. It occupies the main part of Cradle Valley, on a south-facing slope close to the iconic Cuckmere Valley, just three miles from the sea and the famous Seven Cliffs, about half a mile south of Alfriston village.

As well as being a stunning site, the Rathfinny vineyard is perfect for growing sparkling wine grapes: The light, thin, clay loam soils over chalk are free draining and very similar to the Champagne region of France. The chalk provides a ready source of water for the vines during the drier summer months. The warm semi-continental climate and long summer days ensure perfect ripening, and the proximity to the sea helps mitigate frost risk, a major problem in cooler climate vineyards in Northern Europe.

Winemaking & Aging

Our low-intervention, Traditional Method, Vintage Sussex Sparkling wines are a true expression of our terroir. Produced from hand-harvested grapes that are whole-bunch pressed and patiently matured, on lees and in bottle to develop rich, autolytic notes, with a low dosage that emphasises the purity of our fruit. We aim to preserve the wonderful natural flavours of the grapes with as little intervention as possible.

At The Winery

DISCOVER THE SUSSEX WINELANDS

STAY

The Flint Barns are beautifully restored historic buildings set in the heart of our Vineyard. Quiet and remote, the Flint Barns offers home-away-from-home bed and breakfast accommodation with 10 en-suite bedrooms whilst the self-catering Rathfinny Cottage is perfect for group bookings for up to four guests. We offer seasonal packages all year round so guests can make the most of everything the Rathfinny Estate has to offer.

DINE

Our Vineyard is home to two restaurants. Experience fine dining in our Michelin- recommended Tasting Room or an approachable blend of modern classics in the cosy Flint Barns Dining Room. Throughout the year we offer seasonal dining dining experiences including alfresco summer events, picnics, harvest feasts and Sun­day lunches. The Hut is open for drop-in refreshments daily.

TOUR & TASTE

Tours and wine tastings run all year round in small groups. Led by one of our experienced guides, a tour is the best way to discover the history of Rathfinny and learn about the unique climate, viticultural methods and our Traditional Method sparkling winemaking process. Drop­in tastings are available at the Cellar Door daily.

SHOP

The Cellar Door shop is open daily for complimentary drop-in tastings and shopping. Visitors can sample and purchase our full range of Sussex Sparkling wines, Cradle Valley still wines, Seven Sisters spirits and a carefully selected range of gifts and vouchers. Our portfolio of wines can also be purchased through our website.

 

Our Wine Club

The Rathfinny Reserved programme offers customers, for a limited time only, an exclusive opportunity to reserve cases of our vintage Blanc de Noirs and/or Blanc de Blancs, the most prestigious wine in our portfolio, prior to general release.

Press & Awards

Awards:

International Wine Challenge 2023: Rathfinny 2018 Blanc de Blancs won a Gold Medal.

2019 Vintage Reviews:

2019 Blanc de Noirs: Big bubbles! A smoky and smouldering nose, a weighty and smouldering wine. Voluminous. Oranges, lime and stone. Beautifully ripe acidity sculpted into a curve. Rathfinny know how to deliver broad power with a burnish of magnificence. 17 points. Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com

 

2019 Blanc de Blancs: A lacy, chalk-dust and white-florals perfume. Dry and fine – exquisitely tiny bubbles and fine-boned structure. Marine-like salinity dominates the palate, although there is a trace of grapefruit to the flinty backbone, and a faint top note of something fragrant, even lavender-like. Very, very elegant with a long, understated finish. 17 points. Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com

 

2019 Rosé: Very pale pink. Smells like red apples and raspberries, but tastes more austere. Dry with baritone depth and elegance. Serious and sophisticated – a sparkling wine for the dinner table rather than aperitif sipping. 17 points. Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com

 

2019 Classic: Bergamot peel on the nose. Crisp and brisk, sorrel and citrus. Lovely stoniness, like rolling marbles in your mouth. Firm and bracingly clean. Mouth-watering finish. A great appetiser! I found myself hankering for cockles to go with it! 16.5 points. Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com