Historic Sussex estate launches vineyard opportunity

By Hamish Graham

Published: 27 October, 2025

Sussex’s Firle Estate has announced a new 12ha vineyard opportunity for wine producers or partners to produce ‘co-branded’ wine with the historic landowners.

Wine consultancy Vinescapes, having conducted analysis of the land, detailed its high suitability for use as a commercial vineyard – perhaps no surprise given Firle’s proximity to leading East Sussex wine producers such as adjacent estate Rathfinny.

The unplanted land touts “free draining lime rich loamy soils over chalk”, with the slope facing southeast and east southeast.

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Agent Knight Frank explained that wine from the fresh venture has the potential to be marketed through Firle’s established events and wedding business, with aims for future brand expansion and distribution.

Will Banham, partner, viticulture team at Knight Frank, commented: “This opportunity offers a unique chance for a wine producer to establish a brand partnership with one of the most prestigious landed estates in the South Downs.

“It is a chance to add viticulture to a fine tradition of food, drink, art, and literature, while drawing on local links to the iconic Bloomsbury Group. The combination of Firle’s historic prestige, the South Downs’ exceptional terroir, and the estate’s vision for co-branded wine production positions this as one of the most exciting vineyard opportunities to emerge in the UK in recent years.”

To the east of the ‘Tower Fields’ vineyard site lies Charleston Farmhouse which Bloomsbury Group artists Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell once called home.

Head of viticulture at Knight Frank, Ed Mansel Lewis, believes that the collaborative nature of the project can help overcome some of the challenges faced by nascent English wine producers.

“The greatest challenge for the UK viticulture sector is growing sales, and particularly direct to consumer sales at higher weighted average sale prices”, he said. “Firle presents a unique opportunity for a new entrant or existing brand to partner with a prestigious and historic landowner at the heart of the South Downs National Park, and capitalise on existing tourism locally to create strong sales channels.”

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