Vineyard Tours & Wine Tastings Sussex

Steeped in history and farmed for generations, the Rathfinny Vineyard occupies 600 acres of land, encompassed by the South Downs National Park and the English Channel. During our tours, you will understand how our sense of place grounds Rathfinny to its core through the combination of our coastal geography, chalk soil, state of the art winemaking facilities and local community workforce that work together to produce our high-quality, vintage Sussex Sparkling wines.

Now is a particularly exciting time to enjoy a Sussex Vineyard tour as the provenance of Sussex Sparkling wine has recently been recognised with official legal status – awarded a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This is a momentous time in our history as it establishes a gold standard for Sussex wines, in the same vein as other protected products like Champagne, Jersey Royal Potatoes and Cornish clotted cream, well-known for their quality guarantee.

Rathfinny offers incredible experiences that can be enjoyed as a gift in the form of a voucher or booked in advance. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or anniversary or you’re taking time to indulge in what you love, Rathfinny Wine Estate is the perfect place to explore at your leisure.

Following your winery tour, you can enjoy a guided tasting session. You can even purchase your favourite wines to add to your own wine collection at home.

Vineyard tours in the UK are a special experience due to the unique climate which our experienced tour guides will explain. This is an ideal trip whether you’re a wine expert or this is your first introduction to viticulture and winemaking.

Following your vineyard tour, why not try one of our restaurants.

Rathfinny has been named among the best vineyards to tour in Sussex, by the likes of Tatler, Condé Nast Traveller and Hot Dinners, to name a few.

Our Estate tours are perfect for wine enthusiasts, visitors to Sussex and for those who wish to learn about the winemaking process whilst enjoying a stroll through our beautiful Estate. We have an enthusiastic team of tour guides, each with their own style and perspective to bring our story to life. Many have also worked in the Vineyard so have first hand experience of the hard work it takes to care for each vine.

From grape to glass, our tours walk you through the entire winemaking process as we divulge the secrets of producing English Sparkling Wine, including our English Sparkling Rosé, which is experiencing rising popularity. The Sunday Telegraph described our 2017 vintage as “Ravishing”. The wine tasting aspect is a great opportunity to sample our Sussex wine portfolio and try something new. Your tutored guide will showcase the range and talk you through the tasting notes.

Please note, tours and wine tastings are not suitable for children. Summer tours always include a short walk around the Vineyard unless the weather is poor, whereas winter tours are kept indoors with an exclusive visit to our Bottling building instead where you will see the production line.

Due to the alcoholic nature of our product, we advise against bringing children on our vineyard tours. However, children are more than welcome to explore our Cellar Door Shop, enjoy a meal in our restaurants or stay at the Flint Barns when accompanied by an adult. We strictly prohibit the serving of alcohol to minors and will request proof of age if we suspect an individual is below the age of 25.

Dogs are not permitted on tours, unless they are assistant dogs.

We welcome disabled people with their Assistance Dogs. We ask that you let us know beforehand if you are bringing an Assistance Dog and we will do everything we can to accommodate your needs, but there may be certain areas where, or certain times when, a dog cannot visit, but in these circumstances, we will ensure the dog is safe and secure, and we will support you as our visitor to the best of our ability. We reserve the right to refuse entry to dogs that are not well behaved.

Our vineyard and winery tours vary in price due to the different experiences we have on offer. You can check the booking calendar to see prices for the dates that suit you.

Although there is no formal dress code at Rathfinny Wine Estate, we always advise comfortable clothing and shoes as Vineyard tours often involve walking on uneven terrain.

We always do our best to accommodate anyone with mobility issues. Our Cellar Door shop and restaurants are easily accessible for wheelchair users. Please leave a note on your booking form or contact us directly if you have any mobility concerns so we can make arrangements in advance of your tour.

Yes, if you wish to dine at the Tasting Room prior to, or following your tour, this must be booked separately in advance. The Hut is open 10am – 5pm in the summer and until 4pm in the winter for drop-in light bites and drinks.

Yes, we offer Vineyard tours all year round. Take a look at our booking calendar to find availability that suits you.

Our Vineyard wine tour lasts approximately 1.45 hours. You will be led by an experienced guide who will tell you all about the Rathfinny Wine Estate and the winemaking process. All tours conclude with a tutored tasting session.

For a guided tour and tasting session, we recommend booking your space online. However, there is no booking required for our self-guided tours where you can explore and learn about our location, vines, and wildlife by yourself. Simply pick up a map from The Hut or Cellar Door and explore at your leisure.

Amendments and Cancellations

If you need to either amend or cancel your tour booking, please notify us by sending an email to cellardoor@rathfinnyestate.com stating the date of your booking, the name that your booking was made under, and whether you wish to amend your booking or require a refund.

Bookings can be changed to an alternative date if a request is received 7 days or more prior to the date of the tour. Bookings can only be moved once.

Refunds

Payments will be refunded in full if a cancellation request is received 7 days or more prior to the date of the tour. For requests received between 48 hours and 6 days’ notice, a partial refund of 50% of the total payment will be issued. For requests received with less than 48 hours’ notice no refund will be offered; however, the Estate will be happy to transfer the original booking into another name.

We welcome walkers to the Estate. Please be aware of your safety and remember that we are a working vineyard, with heavy machinery, and it is really important that you:

• Keep to the path
• Follow the signs at all times
• Keep dogs on leads and clear up their mess
• Take care when crossing roads
• Follow the countryside code

Please park only in designated car parks and not in lay-bys, which are constantly in use.