It’s very thrilling to see the growth of vineyards in East Sussex, and to learn that some of the great houses like Taittinger and Moet & Chandon have uncorked plans to move into English sparkling wine.
The largest proportion of UK vineyards and wineries are in East Sussex and Kent as these dry sunny counties provide good growing conditions for high-quality cool-climate grape growing. Grape varieties that would have struggled to ripen a hundred or even fifty years ago, such as pinot noir, chardonnay and meunier, now produce fantastic award winning English wines which rival the best in the world.
Close to Bodiam, nestled off the beaten track and set in outstandingly beautiful countryside is Oastbrook Estate. A small boutique vineyard and winery owned and run by two enthusiastic wine lovers, America and Nick Brewer. The estate, a former Guinness hop garden complete with three chimney oast house, produces exceptional still and sparkling wine.
On a hot sunny afternoon what could be better than a gentle informal tour of a beautiful vineyard followed by wine tasting and nibbles next to the pool?
Not a crusty old Frenchman
On arrival at Oastbrook Estate we could immediately see we were in for an exceptional experience. The vintner, America Brewer, an amazingly glamorous Brazilian lady, gave us the warmest of welcomes and completely dispelled all our conceptions of what wine growers are like having only ever met somewhat crusty old Frenchmen before.
America explained the beginning of Oastbrook Estate and described the work involved to establish the existing vines. We couldn’t help but admire her enthusiasm, determination and entrepreneurial flair. America does all the heavy work herself.
What is established at Oastbrook now is an amazing achievement with more to come. America conducted a really interesting and informative tour of the vineyard, her guests learned about the wine making process as we went along.
The estate includes a fabulous terrace by the swimming pool and after the tour of the vineyard we were looking forward to sampling the wine. The experience then became truly idyllic. The setting is breathtakingly lovely and matched by the wine.
Distinctive strawberry notes
The first of three was a vintage sparkling rose from 2015’s harvest. It’s a blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier with distinctive strawberry notes. We loved it.
We were then poured a second version of the sparkling rose, a different vintage, it was lighter and preferred by some, but opinions within the group were divided as to which people preferred. I thought it was all gorgeous.
We then tried Oastbrook’s first Pinot Gris, made in partnership with winemaker Simon Woodhead. A light subtle version of Alsation Pinot Gris, a Grey Burgundy. A fruity taste with peppery notes and the finish is very cleansing.
The wines were accompanied by a plate of cheese and biscuits, with a wooden fork prettily tied with a sprig of rosemary and lavender. This little touch gave insight into the care that America takes to provide a quality experience. We thought the cost of £25 was very reasonable.
You can find out more about Oastbrook Estate and book a wine tour from the website https://www.oastbrook.com. Oastbrook also offers accommodation in a distinctive Hobbit House and is an impressive wedding venue.