Blackdown Ridge

About Winery and Wines

Blackdown Ridge Estate sits at the highest point in the Sussex Weald, enjoying extraordinary views over the South Downs National Park. Here we have planted vines to create fine English wines, taking advantage of the superb location and conditions. The wines of Blackdown Ridge Estate are the result of the vision of owner, Professor Martin Cook, who has lived on the estate for 20 years. A passionate wine-lover, Martin was inspired to create his vineyard when an Italian family friend and winemaker, Antonio, suggested that the beautiful south-facing slopes of Blackdown would be perfect for growing vines. Antonio’s words inspired Martin to realize the potential of the estate and the first vines were planted in 2010. The soil of the Sussex Weald shares much with theterroir of the Champagne region of France, and this influenced our plantings of the classic sparkling wine varietals: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. These have been used to create our first sparkling wine, to be released in 2015. The grapes planted for our range of still wines include the aromatic Bacchus for our single varietal English white wine, as well as Rondo, Triomphe d’Alsace and, more recently, Sauvignon Blanc.