A WINE estate has revealed plans to transform their onsite hospitality, offering a complete experience from vine to glass.
Ridgeview’s new all-weather, outdoor venue will take pride of place alongside Ridgeview’s Chardonnay vineyard in Ditchling.
The new venue is set to open in late summer and will offer wine tastings, on-site dining, tours and retail.
The space will be landscaped in harmony with its natural surroundings, crafted by RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winning designer Andy Sturgeon.
Tamara Roberts, Ridgeview’s second-generation CEO said: “Our philosophy of ‘Life is for Celebrating’ will be experienced throughout the whole destination.
“We want to create a place where visitors feel welcome time and time again, to simply pop in for a glass, to celebrate together with friends and family or to spend the day with us enjoying a tour and tasting too.
“Our focus will also be on championing locally grown seasonal Sussex food, showcased alongside our portfolio of sparkling wines to highlight the best that our gorgeous county produces, where you can eat and drink the South Downs.”
All of Ridgeview’s new investments and growth will have sustainability in mind after the vineyard and winery have been accredited under Wines GB Sustainability scheme and will deliver net gains for biodiversity across the estate.
This significant investment comes after 25 years in business and thanks to a very successful 2021 with record visitor numbers and sales across all channels.
This was as the market recovered from the pandemic in 2020, due to the first wave of the pandemic.
The onsite development also includes an extension to its winery facilities and is the start of additional visitor experiences planned for the next few years.
The new visitor destination is only 50 minutes by train from London and 30 minutes from Gatwick airport.
Ridgeview says it will work with other like minded Sussex producers and local hospitality to put the county on the world wine tourism map as a destination to “enjoy, stay and play” whether just for the day, the weekend or a longer staycation trip.
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