The vineyard at Oxney Organic Estate is located in the south east corner of East Sussex, in Beckley, six miles north of Rye. The area is becoming a new wine region with several vineyards planted along the old Rother river delta. The vineyard is part of the founders’ – Kristin Syltevik and Paul Dobson – vision of modern farming that’s environmentally sound, natural and sustainable. The estate is organic and certified by the Soil Association. The winery is located in an old converted grade II listed oast house.

The organic system at Oxney – under vine tillage for weed control and a natural approach to disease control – produces healthy, balanced and natural fruit. This approach is replicated in the winery where the organic low intervention regime is focused around small batch winemaking where each variety and clone is pressed and fermented separately, followed by careful blending decisions.

The first vines were planted in 2012. With the latest planting in May 2018, Oxney is the largest single estate organic vineyard in the UK with a planted area of just under 14 hectares. The vineyard, 17 meters above sea level and six miles from the English Channel, surrounds the winery and from a south-west slope stretches out towards a wood with giant oak trees, creating a warm and protected microclimate. The top soil is Tunbridge Wells Sand, a fine sand and silt loam, above clay. The vines are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc.