Rathfinny Estate

Home
United Kingdom
Alfriston
Rathfinny Estate

The Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex is dedicated to producing world-class sparkling wines.

23/10/2026

W**e, dine and walk at the Estate this Autumn and Winter.

From November to April, combine a tour and tasting with lunch at the Flint Barns, before stretching your legs on the Vineyard Trail. Dogs welcome!

Fridays & Saturdays:
→ Tour & Tasting (Fri: 12:00 & Sat: 10:30, 13:00)
→ Lunch at the Flint Barns (until 15:00)
→ Explore the Estate and Vineyard Trail

Sundays
→ Tasting of six Rathfinny w**es (11:00, 13:00)
→ Sunday lunch at the Flint Barns (until 15:15)
→ Explore the Estate and Vineyard Trail

The Vineyard Trail is open seven days a week, offering a unique way to explore the Estate at your own pace. Dogs are welcome, although they should be kept on a lead as we are a working Estate.

Find out more:
→ Tour & Tasting: https://bit.ly/3TF9fI0
→ Lunch at the Flint Barns: https://bit.ly/4sXkp9S
→ Vineyard Walk Trail: https://bit.ly/3QGXE8R

22/10/2026

We might be best known for our sparkling w**es, but those who know Rathfinny well will also be familiar with our Cradle Valley still w**es.

Named after the valley Rathfinny calls home, the Cradle Valley portfolio is our collection of small-production still w**es, each capturing a recent vintage in a characterful expression.

The exceptional Sussex summer of 2025 inspired our w**emaking team to do something new: create the first Cradle Valley Reserve Chardonnay.

Using the finest fruit, predominantly from our Upper House block, the w**e was fermented and aged in French oak, resulting in just 2,500 bottles of Cradle Valley Reserve Chardonnay 2025.

This first Reserve release is a special milestone for the Cradle Valley collection and a wonderful expression of a remarkable Sussex vintage.

Discover the w**e: https://bit.ly/4jAuaJO

15/10/2026

That's a wrap: the 2026 harvest is complete!

Over 24 days, more than 130 people grabbed secateurs and took part in the great modern Sussex tradition of the annual grape harvest.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and played a part in this year's pick.

While the vineyard has grown a little quieter, the focus has shifted to the w**ery. Tanks are bubbling away as the first fermentations begin; the next stage in a long, patient journey to becoming Sussex Sparkling.

Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to visit the Estate. On Fridays & Saturdays we are now serving a Harvest Set Lunch: three courses for £35 per person.

Pop up and see what's going on. Find out more: https://bit.ly/4sXkp9S

___

10/10/2026

“When you know the place, and the people, a w**e will never taste the same again. It can only taste better.” — Oz Clarke, W**e Writer

Just outside the historic village of Alfriston, in the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park, Rathfinny offers a range of Tour & Tastings year-round, allowing visitors to discover how Sussex Sparkling w**e is made in the place that it comes from.

Our guided vineyard tours take you behind the scenes of our single-site Estate, where grapes grown on chalk soils are transformed into world-class Sussex Sparkling w**es.

Along the way, you'll learn how our unique landscape, climate and craftsmanship shape every bottle before enjoying a guided tasting in the place where the w**es are made.

Our Sussex vineyard tours typically last 1 hour 45 minutes and run from Friday to Sunday throughout the year, with additional dates during the summer months.

If you'd prefer to focus on tasting the w**es, you can opt for an extended tasting of six Sussex w**es spanning both our Sussex Sparkling range and Cradle Valley still w**es.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3TF9fI0

07/10/2026

Volunteer Opportunity: Scrub Clearing Taster Days at Rathfinny

Help care for one of the South Downs' most valuable habitats!

Working alongside the South Downs National Park, we're looking to establish a volunteer Conservation Crew to help protect the rare and nationally important chalk grassland habitat on our Estate.

If you enjoy spending time outdoors and would like to play a part in caring for the South Downs, you're invited to join one of our upcoming volunteer taster days:

→ Tuesday 13th October, 10:00am - 15:00pm
→ Wednesday 18th November, 10:00am - 15:00pm

The day begins at the Flint Barns with an introduction to the project before heading out to experience the work first-hand.

Scrub clearance is practical, hands-on conservation work using hand tools. It's physical work and a great way to meet people who share an interest in preserving the ancient grasslands of the South Downs.

Places are limited to 20 volunteers per session and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

To register your interest or ask a question, please contact Yvette Flynn at [email protected]. Let her know which day you would like to join, and she is also available to answer any questions you may have.

Do you know someone who would enjoy getting involved? Please share this post with them.

03/10/2026

Snip, snip, snip… the Rathfinny harvest continues.

The team of pickers move from one block to the next, seeking out the finest, ripest fruit to send up the hill to the W**ery.

📷

___
**e

01/10/2026

Enjoy a night away at the Estate this autumn with our Harvest Escape Package for two.

Autumn is one of the most exciting and beautiful times of year at our working vineyard and you're invited to experience if for yourself through this unique overnight package.

Your stay includes a welcome glass of Classic Cuvée 2020, followed by a Dosage Tasting & Tour at the Cellar Door, where you will have the chance to step into the shoes of the w**emaker.

In the evening, enjoy a three-course dinner in the Flint Barns Dining Room Restaurant, before an overnight stay and a freshly prepared breakfast the following morning.

Available Wednesday - Saturday from 23rd September to 24th October 2026, subject to availability. Packages start from £318 for two.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/457I5PT

28/09/2026

Discover our new set lunch menu (£35pp) in the Flint Barns Dining Room starting this Friday.

As autumn arrives in the South Downs, Culinary Lead Paul Aitchison has created a new Harvest Set Lunch that celebrates the season's flavours.

Available on Fridays and Saturdays from 2nd October, the three-course menu for £35pp includes dishes such as cured pork & walnut terrine with Pinot Noir prune and braised lamb with confit potato terrine.

Whether you're catching up with friends or looking for something to eat before or after a tour, our new relaxed menu is a great way to savour the best of the season.

Set Lunch menus will be served on Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 - 15:00, with light bites and Sussex Sparkling also available.

And of course, the Flint Barns Dining Room remains open for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday, alongside our much-loved Sunday lunches.

See the menus: https://bit.ly/4sXkp9S

23/09/2026

Today is the autumn equinox, a moment of perfect balance between day and night.

As the seasons change, remember to slow down and enjoy the everyday moments that matter!

22/09/2026

From the Norman invasion to the modern day English grape harvest, the art of falconry lives on!

On Sunday's episode of BBC One's Countryfile, presenter Joe Crowley visited the Estate on the first day of harvest to explore elements of the Bayeux Tapestry that still live on in modern Sussex.

The famous tapestry features both w**e and falcons, and nearly 1,000 years later, falconry remains an important part of life at Rathfinny. During harvest, a team of trained raptors help protect the vineyard from birds that can take tonnes of fruit from the vines. One Harris Hawk took a particular liking to the programme's sound operator!

Their work has helped save more than 300km of plastic netting and forms part of our long-term B Corp sustainability strategy.

Co-founder Mark Driver also shared some insight into the history of w**e in southeast England, which was revitalised by the Normans.

Countryfile remains one of the BBC's most popular programmes, attracting millions of viewers each week.

If you missed Sunday's episode, you can watch the Rathfinny feature on iPlayer here: https://bit.ly/4rtzRew

Address

RATHFINNY WINE Estate
Alfriston
BN265TU

Website

http://rathfinnyestate.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rathfinny Estate posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Rathfinny Estate:

Want your business to be the top-listed food & beverage service in Alfriston?