Vintage bus to two vineyards
A 1960s Routemaster to two Sussex vineyards, with a picnic of Sussex produce between the two tastings.
Starts Brighton station, Brighton
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South Downs
Sussex wine tours
Sussex has more vineyards open to visitors than almost anywhere in England, most of them on the chalk slopes either side of the South Downs. Brighton makes the easiest base.
Sussex vineyard tours from Brighton
Brighton is about an hour by train from London, so you can join these from town too. All include transport between the vineyards.
Sussex wine and beer day from Brighton
Two acclaimed Sussex vineyards with guided tastings, a drive over the South Downs and a seasonal picnic lunch.
Starts Brighton, near Brighton station
Seven Sisters, Rathfinny and a local brewery
Rathfinny Wine Estate, historic villages and the Seven Sisters cliffs by minibus, with a stop at a local brewery.
Starts Hotel pickup in Brighton
More ways to see Sussex vineyards
A day across Sussex and Kent, a driven tour with Devil’s Dyke, the owners’ tour at Oastbrook by Bodiam Castle, and a walk from Charleston to Rathfinny.
Full-day wine tour in Sussex and Kent
Two or three vineyards in the East Sussex and Kent countryside, with a guided tour at each and tastings, and no driving for you to worry about.
Starts Hotel pickup in East Sussex and Kent, including Hastings, Cranbrook and Pluckley
Sussex wine estate and Devil’s Dyke
A wine flight and self-guided vineyard walk at a Sussex winery, views from Devil’s Dyke and a country pub lunch stop. Wine and lunch are paid for on the day.
Starts Hotel pickup in Brighton and Peacehaven
Owner’s tour and tasting at Oastbrook
A tour of this boutique vineyard by Bodiam Castle, hosted by the owners, with a tasting of their award-winning wines and the chance to stay on at the bar.
Starts Oastbrook Vineyard, Bodiam, East Sussex
Charleston and Rathfinny guided walk
A guided countryside walk between Charleston, the Bloomsbury group’s farmhouse, and Rathfinny Wine Estate, with no car needed.
Starts Charleston, near Lewes, East Sussex
On foot, by bike or by minibus
A guided walk near Alfriston with a pub lunch and a vineyard visit, an e-bike ride over the Downs to Albourne Estate, and a minibus tour with pickup and drop-off in Brighton.
Guided walk and vineyard tour from Alfriston
A guided walk through the South Downs countryside, lunch at a village pub and a visit to an award-winning vineyard.
Starts Alfriston, East Sussex
E-bike the South Downs with a tasting at Albourne
Seasonal note: Albourne’s tasting room is closed for winter and reopens in spring 2027, so check what your date includes.
An e-bike ride over the South Downs and a tasting at Albourne Estate.
Starts Albourne, near Brighton, West Sussex
Sussex vineyard tour by minibus from Brighton
Sussex vineyards by minibus, with tastings and a village pub, and pickup and drop-off in Brighton.
Starts Pickup and drop-off in Brighton
Sussex wine tours from London
Two ways to do Sussex as a day trip from London without a car.
Sussex and Surrey wine tour from London
A pioneering Sussex estate, a sparkling wine specialist and a small vineyard in the Surrey Hills, with transport from London.
Starts London
Vintage bus, with your train included
Return train tickets from London to Sussex, then the vintage bus to two vineyards, with lunch at one of them.
Starts London, by train to Sussex
More options on our wine tours from London page.
Sussex wine trails
The chalk of the South Downs is the same that runs under Champagne, and most Sussex estates make sparkling wine the traditional way. In 2022 Sussex became the first English wine region with its own protected designation of origin. The county’s vineyards now come in three groups, each worth a day of its own.
The Wealden Wine Trail
Small family vineyards from Tunbridge Wells to Heathfield, plus Rathfinny near the coast. Two can be reached by steam train.
Explore the trailThe Rother Wine Triangle
Organic estates and a Michelin Green Star restaurant, around Rye, Winchelsea and Bodiam Castle.
See the vineyardsThe South Downs
Ridgeview, Wiston, Bolney, Court Garden and Tinwood, where most of the group tours above go.
See the vineyardsWhere to stay
At the vineyards
Oastbrook’s earth-sheltered cottage
A round-doored cottage set into the hillside at Oastbrook, near Bodiam Castle. The estate also has a lakeside lodge and glamping.
The Granary at Coes Farm
A cottage for two on the organic vineyard farm, with use of the indoor pool, hot tub and sauna. The farm also has a studio and two shepherd’s huts.
Mousehall Oast
An 18th-century oast house at the vineyard with three en-suite bedrooms and a hot tub. Minimum stay three nights.
Lodges at Ashling Park
Lodges among the vines near Chichester, from one bedroom for two. Harvest, the one-bedroom lodge, is the one listed on Expedia.
Nearby
The Griffin Inn
A 16th-century pub with 13 rooms in the village of Fletching, overlooking the Ouse Valley.
Horsted Place
A Victorian Gothic country house hotel just minutes from Lewes and Uckfield, with its own restaurant and terrace.
The Mermaid Inn
The Mermaid Inn was rebuilt in 1420, with cellars dating to 1156, and has 31 rooms and a 2 AA Rosette restaurant on cobbled Mermaid Street.
The George in Rye
A sixteenth-century coaching inn on Rye High Street, dating from 1575, with an original Georgian ballroom.
The White Horse Inn
A historic village pub on West Street in the heart of Ditchling, beneath the South Downs, offering rooms as well as food.
Ockenden Manor Hotel & Spa
An Elizabethan manor with a spa and a restaurant, in grounds overlooking Cuckfield Park.
More places to stay on each area page: the Wealden Wine Trail the Rother Wine Triangle the South Downs.
Questions people ask
Where is the best base for a Sussex wine tour?
Brighton. Most Sussex tours start at or near Brighton station, and it’s about an hour from London by train.
Can I visit Sussex vineyards without a car?
Yes. Every tour on this page includes transport between the vineyards, or you can walk or e-bike to one on a guided tour.
Is Sussex or Kent better for a wine tour?
Both are excellent. Go where’s easier: Sussex suits Brighton and south London, Kent suits east London and anyone arriving at St Pancras. See our Kent wine tours.
What does Sussex PDO mean on a wine label?
It’s a protected designation of origin. Wines labelled Sussex PDO must be grown and made in Sussex to set rules, much like Champagne in France.