How the sea affects our Sussex Sparkling wine

It is said that the Romans believed the best wines came from grapes grown close to the sea. As a grower-producer three miles from the English Channel, we can understand why ancient viticulturists held this belief.

Coastal breezes, warming influences and South Down chalk all create a unique coastal terroir for producing delicious sparkling wines. The sea shapes the grapes we grow and the wines we make, giving our sparkling’s a vibrant acidity, fruit-forward flavours, and a signature mouthfeel.

In this blog, we explore how our proximity to the coast helps us create terroir-driven Sussex Sparkling wines of exceptional quality and character.

Rathfinny by the sea - blog Rosé cliffs

Temperature Moderation Creates Characterful Wines

Being close to the sea gives us a longer growing season. A large body of water so close to the vineyards acts as a moderating influence on temperature, meaning that in the winter it keeps our vineyard warm on winter nights, and it keeps us cool on hot summers days.

At the beginning of the growing season, the warming effect of the sea means we evade the spring frosts, which can damage the buds on the vines. The lack of frost means that even if we do get an early budburst in March – which is becoming increasingly common due to milder winters – our vines remain protected and enjoy a good start to the growing season.

Throughout the summer, the sea reduces our diurnal range – meaning we have cool days and warm nights – which creates a balanced environment for our grapes to develop slowly and steadily. As we get into Autumn, our proximity to the sea adds a degree or two to the average temperature, giving the fruit a boost as it ripens into late September. The long and slower ripening allows the fruit to evolve rich, complex flavours, perfect for crafting fruit-forward sparkling wines.

Sussex Modern - Rathfinny by the sea - blog

Looking down the Cuckmere Valley towards the English Channel from the Estate.

Sea Breeze: Fresh Air Improves Vine Health

Cradle Valley, which is home to our grower-producer Estate, acts as a natural funnel for the breeze coming in off the channel. The fresh, breezy conditions sweep through the vines and keep the air circulated.

During the growing season, the breeze helps reduce disease pressure by circulating clean, moisture-free air, which makes it harder for mildew and other infections to thrive. The purity of our environment is evidenced by the abundance of lichen on the vines, a natural indicator of clean air.

The breeze keeps the vines well-ventilated, protecting them from humidity and creating healthier growing conditions meaning we can keep the grapes on the vines for longer which benefits the wines.

Coastal Expression: Sparkling Wines with a Unique Mouthfeel

The influence of the sea gives our wines a unique coastal expression. The air contains a small amount of dissolved salt from the sea, which settles on the skins of the fruit. This gives an intriguing dimension to our wine which is best expressed in our Blanc de Blancs.

Our naturally alkaline chalk soils contribute a fresh acidity to the wines which is perfect for making high-quality Sparkling Wines. The combination of salinity and acidity gives a unique mouthfeel, which we let shine through in our Sussex Sparkling with low-intervention winemaking that uses limited dosage.

Chalk Soils: Ancient Seabed Perfect for Grape Growing

Millions of years ago, the South Downs were a seabed of an ancient ocean. The calcium carbonate remains of organisms settled on the seabed and formed the chalk that rises out of the English Channel and forms the iconic Seven Sisters cliffs and the rolling landscape of the Sussex South Downs.

This chalk is free-draining, meaning that excess water is quickly whisked away into the nearby Cuckmere River and out into the English Channel. The ability of the chalk to drain so efficiently ensures that our vines experience just the right amount of stress during the growing season. The stress encourages the grapes to develop a perfect balance of acidity, ripeness, and aromatic complexity; key characteristics of the wines we produce.

The combination of a moderated coastal climate, fresh sea air, unique chalk soils, and a longer growing season results in wines that reflect our coastal terroir—bright, complex, and distinctive.

Each new vintage of Rathfinny tells a story about the land and sea, intertwined through the vines that grow along the coast. What we are discovering on our journey as an English grower-producer, is that Roman beliefs that the best grapes were grown close to the sea are as true today as they once were.