Ridgeview

Wine estate · Ditchling Common, East Sussex · planted 1995

Ridgeview is a family sparkling wine estate at Ditchling Common in East Sussex, where Mike and Christine Roberts planted their first vines beneath the South Downs in 1995.1,2 Its first bottling was released in 2000.1

History

In 1995 Mike and Christine Roberts planted their first vines at Ditchling Common, beneath the South Downs.1 They chose the three Champagne varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (Meunier).1 The estate's first bottling was released in 2000.1

Second generation

Tamara Roberts joined the business in 2004, became Chief Executive in 2013 and stepped down in 2026. Simon Roberts became Head Winemaker in 2014.1 The estate says it was among the founder members of Sustainable Wines GB.1

Place

The estate is at Fragbarrow Lane, Ditchling Common, East Sussex.2 Its wines fall within the area of the Sussex designation and of English quality sparkling wine, made by the traditional method with second fermentation in bottle.3,4 An older planting in the same part of England is Nyetimber, whose first vines date from 1988.5

See also

SussexRegionsEnglish Quality Sparkling WineRegionsUnited KingdomRegionsNyetimberProducersChardonnayGrapesTraditional methodMethods

Sources

  1. Ridgeview Wine Estate (official site). Our Story
  2. Ridgeview Wine Estate (official site). Home page
  3. GOV.UK (Defra). Sussex: protected food and drink names register (PDO) (2022-07-05)
  4. Defra. English Wine PDO specification (December 2011), Part 2 Quality Sparkling Wine (2011-12)
  5. Nyetimber. Our story

Facts checked on 2026-10-20