Anger as Sussex wine is given Champagne-style status

It might sound like a case of sour grapes, but England’s winemakers have fallen out over the awarding of a special status that puts one county's product on a par with that produced in Champagne, Rioja and Tuscany. 

Sussex's wine producers have raised a glass to the decision to give them their own official designation, intended to guarantee their quality and geographical provenance.

But rival viticulteurs from neighbouring Kent have dismissed Sussex’s PDO as a "joke", describing it as a marketing exercise which says little about the geographical features which produce a particular tasting wine.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) approved the registration of "Sussex" as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for wine, similar to the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) and Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC).

But the move, which places wines from the county's rolling chalk slopes on a par with their European equivalents, has met a backlash from its neighbours.

Graham Barbour, the founder and owner of Woodchurch Wine Estate in Ashford on the Kent-Sussex border, said: “This is just a marketing exercise based on the political boundaries of a county. It tells you nothing about the geographical features of a particular vineyard or the quality of the wine.

'It's meaningless'

"Some Kent vineyards share the same geographical features as parts of Sussex so it’s meaningless to lump everything together under one arbitrary county designation."

Mr Barbour said many of his fellow Kent producers had no wish to gain a PDO for their country based on administrative political boundaries rather than "terroir" or geography.

"The whole idea of a Sussex PDO is a joke, but perhaps I would say that," he added.

However, Sussex wine producers are taking their new status in their stride. 

Mark Driver, co-founder of the Rathfinny Wine Estate, said: "We believe that the name Sussex will become synonymous with high quality sparkling and still wine, so when you go into a bar in London, New York, Beijing, or Tokyo you will be asked 'Would you like a glass of Champagne or a delicious glass of Sussex?'"

The PDO’s defenders say wines labelled as "Sussex" must pass a stringent analytical test and qualitative analysis by an independent tasting panel.

In the case of Sussex sparkling wines, this means that the wine must have been aged in the bottle for a minimum of 15 months before release, with the wines assessed for their clarity, aroma, taste and the characteristics of their bubbles.

Miles Beale, the chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said: "Not only does the PDO recognise the particular growing conditions found in Sussex, but it also shows the commitment of wine makers in this region to produce high quality still and sparkling wines under strict production criteria. 

"The PDO scheme will enhance English wine’s established reputation as a high-quality product to rival the best and boost its vast export potential."

Sussex wine is only the second product to be granted protection under the new UK GI scheme, after Gower Peninsula saltmarsh lamb.

Significant calcareous influence

The majority of Sussex vineyards are based either on the chalk or the greensands to the north of the South Downs. This geological feature, that runs through East and West Sussex, has a significant calcareous influence on Sussex vineyards, providing ideal free-draining soils for viticulture, with a steady supply of water even in the driest of summers.

The original application for PDO status was granted temporary protection by Defra in 2015 and submitted to the EU in 2016 for approval. 

After the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, it fell upon the UK gGvernment to approve it under the newly created UK GI scheme

The area of planted vineyards in the UK has quadrupled since 2000 and now stands at more than 8,750 acres (3,500 hectares), with Sussex responsible for more than a quarter of all the wine produced.

The new PDO will limit the grape varieties that can be used to make "Sussex" wines, with hand harvesting and restrict yields designed to ensure only the best grapes are used, along with longer bottle ageing for Sussex sparkling wine.

Art Tukker, owner of the Tinwood Estate in Chichester, West Sussex, said: "The Sussex PDO will cement the bond between the unique soils and climate of the Sussex countryside with our truly remarkable sparkling wines, giving them a sense of place and purpose on the world stage among Champagne and our other great rivals."

Mr Driver added: "We believe that Sussex will become a quality marque, reflecting what winemakers call terroir; the soils, influenced by the South Downs, the climate and people who make Sussex wines."