West Sussex
Due to the increase in global temperatures, wine production in some regions of the world has significantly increased in areas with little or no tradition. This is the case for wine in the south of England, where high-quality sparkling wines stand out thanks to the chalky soils and the characteristic climate. Thus, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) recognized, on July 5, 2022, Sussex wine as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
West Sussex is a county in the south of England that borders East Sussex to the east, Hampshire to the west, Surrey to the north, and the English Channel to the south.
Still and sparkling wines can only be called ‘Sussex’ if they are grown in this area, which includes the counties of West Sussex and East Sussex, and also meet a series of well-defined requirements.
Currently, many of the same grape varieties as in Champagne (pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier) are cultivated in this region, in soils with similar characteristics to the renowned French region, composed of limestone and clay, on the slopes of the hills.
The sparkling wines are made using the traditional method, primarily from the classic French varieties mentioned above and cultivated in the area. Other varieties such as arbanne, pinot gris, pinot blanc, petit meslier, and pinot noir précoce are also used.
Each cuvée must be approved by the organization Wine Standards, an entity that is part of the Food Standards Agency of the UK Government.
Still wines can be made from Acolon, Auxerrois, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Dornfelder, Gamay, Huxelrebe, Muller Thurgau, Orion, Ortega, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Précoce, Regent, Regner, Reichensteiner, Riesling, Rondo, Roter Veltliner, Schonburger, Siegerrebe, Solaris.
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