A glass of champagne or a glass of Sussex? 'Sussex' is given special protection.

[Lady Whistledown]

Ridgeview are guilty of this, based just north of Ditchling and clearly in the east side, they put West Sussex in some write ups, or diplomatically go for the "Sussex" option.

It's possible that some of their land falls in West Sussex, I'd have thought? As you leave Burgess Hill down Folders Lane, heading towards Ditchling Common, you pass the county boundary signs somewhere around the railway bridge as I recall. I know the entrance to their estate is on Ditchling Common Lane (East Sussex), but presumably the estate extends west of there, so it may well be that many of their vines are technically in Burgess Hill, thus in West Sussex (clearly they're not going to put Burgess Hill on their labels though ).

 

[Notters]

It's possible that some of their land falls in West Sussex, I'd have thought? As you leave Burgess Hill down Folders Lane, heading towards Ditchling Common, you pass the county boundary signs somewhere around the railway bridge as I recall. I know the entrance to their estate is on Ditchling Common Lane (East Sussex), but presumably the estate extends west of there, so it may well be that many of their vines are technically in Burgess Hill, thus in West Sussex (clearly they're not going to put Burgess Hill on their labels though ).

Looks like they go right up to the border! https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...ea9abe6ecb97dc2!8m2!3d50.9280143!4d-0.4617075

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Looks like they go right up to the border! https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...ea9abe6ecb97dc2!8m2!3d50.9280143!4d-0.4617075

So it does. Looking at their website, it only refers to "Sussex" anyway, no distinction between east or west. It was probably some newspaper article that got it wrong. Much like Kevin McCloud once spent an entire episode of Grand Designs in Lewes, and referred to it being in West Sussex at least four times.

 

[GOM]

There are various papers on this, but in essence it's a marketing tool! Champagne is a brand, and people buy wines purely because they're called "Champagne", even though there are excellent sparkling wines from other regions of France (Loire, Alsace, Burgundy, etc.). The same applies for Bordeaux, and indeed Cornish pasties. The trouble a lot of the English vineyards have had, as they're relatively small, is that they can't say what they're marketing, other than "wine". Now they will be able to market together as "Sussex"...

It's also supposed to be an indicator of quality as they have to meet certain standards. Obviously there will be good wines from other parts of England, but there will be crap ones too. However, this doesn't always work.

I'm no expert though!

From the OP seems quite restrictive if they want to use the word Sussex....

'The new status will limit the grape varieties that can be used to make Sussex wines and will insist upon hand harvesting and lower yields in vineyards, ensuring that only the best grapes are used. The stricter winemaking rules will also include a qualitative assessment and longer bottle ageing for sparkling wine.'

 

[Curious Orange]

Hang on! in terms of alcoholic beverages 'Sussex' is beer, and should be drunk by the pint - preferably whilst there is some sport on!

 

[beorhthelm]

Hang on! in terms of alcoholic beverages 'Sussex' is beer, and should be drunk by the pint - preferably whilst there is some sport on!

a very good point well made.

 

[Notters]

From the OP seems quite restrictive if they want to use the word Sussex....

'The new status will limit the grape varieties that can be used to make Sussex wines and will insist upon hand harvesting and lower yields in vineyards, ensuring that only the best grapes are used. The stricter winemaking rules will also include a qualitative assessment and longer bottle ageing for sparkling wine.'

I assume the grape varieties will be the same as for champagne - pinot noir, pinot meunier (sp?) and chardonnay.

For cornish pasties it's bloody silly though, as you can have flour, beef, swede and potato from all over the world, made in Cornwall, and it's a Cornish pasty. But if you have all the ingredients from Cornwall, by make it just over the border in Devon, it cannot be called a Cornish pasty.

 

[Norman Potting]

Hang on! in terms of alcoholic beverages 'Sussex' is beer, and should be drunk by the pint - preferably whilst there is some sport on!

Quite - I assumed this thread referred to Harvey's Sussex Bitter which I would also chose over a glass of champagne. It should be added that I would chose a flat glass of supermarket saver lager over a glass of champagne.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I assume the grape varieties will be the same as for champagne - pinot noir, pinot meunier (sp?) and chardonnay.

The better English growers use only those three varietals. Other, ahem, less good growers use Auxerrois, Reichensteiner and Seyval Blanc in varying percentages too.

 

[jakarta]

What is all this nonsense about Nyetimber being in Hampshire? West Chiltington is in West, West, West Sussex last time I looked (yesterday)...

 

[Pavilionaire]

Why would a Surrey vineyard or a Kent vineyard want to call their product Sussex wine ?

Further evidence of a need for Sussex 'lebensraum'?

 

[Notters]

What is all this nonsense about Nyetimber being in Hampshire? West Chiltington is in West, West, West Sussex last time I looked (yesterday)...

"Nyetimber is in the fortunate position to own one hundred percent of our vineyards and all of our wines are produced from the 170 hectares we have planted at the best sites in West Sussex and Hampshire."

 

[jakarta]

"Nyetimber is in the fortunate position to own one hundred percent of our vineyards and all of our wines are produced from the 170 hectares we have planted at the best sites in West Sussex and Hampshire."

A small amount may be grown just over the border in Pantshire but the vast majority comes from Gods Own County. And obviously all of it is made in West Chilts as well...

 

[Notters]

A small amount may be grown just over the border in Pantshire but the vast majority comes from Gods Own County. And obviously all of it is made in West Chilts as well...

See also: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodandd...-wont-catch-me-with-a-glass-of-Sussex....html

 

[jakarta]

See also: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodandd...-wont-catch-me-with-a-glass-of-Sussex....html

So that confirms most of their vines are in West Sussex then and that is before you consider the massive expansion they are currently undertaking North of West Chilts (have bought & closed down the local Golf Club to plant it with vines).

Anyway before we agree to disagree I'll just say I don't care what you call Nyetimber bubbly, it is blimmin lovely to drink whatever it is called...

 

[McTavish]

Looks like they go right up to the border! https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...ea9abe6ecb97dc2!8m2!3d50.9280143!4d-0.4617075

Ridgeview is definitely in West Sussex. The B2112 marks the border and they are West of it.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

"First it was Prosecco"?

Do people really drink this as a champagne substitute?

I guess not.

I haven't yet heard the expression "Prosecco Socialists"

 

[dazzer6666]

Broadly, from a philistine :

Champagne - good
Bolney Bubbly and Ridgeview - equally as good but relatively pricey
Cava - nice cheaper option as long as dry enough
Prosecco - ewwwwww, too sweet, definitely not a champagne substitute

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Done some work at breaky bottom vineyard between Kingston n Rodmell over the past few years

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

[beorhthelm]

Ridgeview is definitely in West Sussex. The B2112 marks the border and they are West of it.

only for a short stretch, mostly the boundry if over in the fields to the west of that road. to be fair they are so close to that the approach road probably strays across the border, but the winery building and vineyards look like they are all on the good side.

to settle it, the Post Office says East Sussex, and who's going to argue with them?