A recently formed group of local wine producers – Vineyards of the Sussex Weald, will be showcasing their delicious wines at a wine tasting event hosted by Cuculo, High St, Heathfield. The event takes place on Sunday 1st September with Sessions at 13:30-16:00 and 16:30-19:00 it is an excellent opportunity to taste a selection of still and sparkling white and rose wines. The wines will be accompanied by delicious Italian inspired food from the Cuculo kitchen, expect a selection of cheeses, cured meats, salads, pasta, meat and fish, desserts and chocolates. There will be plenty of vegetarian options.
Although winemaking in East Sussex is a long-established tradition, in recent years a new bunch of adventurous souls have set forth, secateurs in hand, to make their own mark on the local ‘terroir’ and reinvigorate the industry with high quality, beautifully presented produce. As their vineyards have come into maturity and their fruit undergone the magic of fermentation, so has the Weald become a centre of excellence for English wine.
Come and support this exciting new facet of our local identity on 1 September by buying a ticket to the Vineyards of the Sussex Weald tasting at Cuculo. The winemakers will be there to pour their wines for you and to answer questions about their vineyards and produce. All the wines will be available to purchase from Cuculo, with generous discounts and cash-back against the ticket price for orders placed on the day.
Tickets are £20 and include all wine and food. Spaces are limited so booking is essential. As a self-service event, ticket-holders can come any time during the booked session. We recommend allowing 60 to 90 minutes to properly explore the wines and enjoy the food. Please note that times may be changed to accommodate a third session if necessary.
For any further information or clarification contact James MacNay on 01435 862596 or 07743 899338 or via email to enquiries@cuculo.co.uk.
The wine makers partipating are:
Originally planted in 1986 Hidden Spring Vineyard has been a pioneer of English wine production for over 30 years. The vineyard is located within the High Weald area of outstanding natural beauty between the villages of Horam and Vines Cross.
Hidden Spring sits between 60 and 80m above sea level perfect for capturing the maximum sunlight and providing protection against spring frosts. The terroir is rooted in the iron rich clay on free draining sand that is perfect for varietals such as Bacchus, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
New owners David and Chris took the opportunity in 2015 to re-imagine Hidden Spring as a high quality visitor attraction where guests could experience first hand the activities in the vineyard and winery.
25,000 new vines were planted in 2016 and a new purpose built winery constructed to enable the entire grape to glass process to happen on site. A new Tasting Room welcomes visitors throughout the year with the opportunity to experience a tour and tasting, try fantastic English wines and enjoy a glass on the terrace overlooking the vines.
The name, Off the Line Vineyard was chosen because the vineyard is located beside the Old Cuckoo Line, a branch railway line that once ran between Polegate and Edridge. The steam trains once passed through Heathfield where folklore has it that spring is heralded by the release of a cuckoo from an old woman’s basket.
Off the Line produce three excellent, award winning still rose wines.
The vineyard’s owners, Paul and Al Pippard planted nearly 10,000 vines in May 2015 and they have thrived on the sandstone slopes and Sussex sunshine. Their first harvest in October 2017 produced two vibrant still white wines – a Bacchus and a Pinot Gris with sparkling wines planned.
They been growing vines since 2004 and producing wine since 2009.They make limited quantities of Award winning quality Sparkling Wines with a unique English twist.