Amberley Castle
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Vineyard guide · Washington
Visiting Wiston Estate
Wiston Estate is a family estate at the foot of the South Downs near Washington, making traditional method sparkling wine from chalk vineyards planted in 2006. Book a winery tour, eat at Chalk, then walk up onto the Downs.
Wiston at a glance
| Founded | Planted 2006, first vintage 2008 |
|---|---|
| Known for | Traditional method sparkling wine, especially Blanc de Blancs |
| Grapes | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier |
| Open | Cellar door Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm |
| Booking | Book tours and events ahead, Chalk takes walk-ins but booking is best |
| Tours from | £30 |
| Food | Chalk restaurant, lunch Wednesday to Sunday, dinner Friday and Saturday |
| Dogs | On public footpaths and outside tables at Chalk, not on tours or indoors |
| Children | Welcome at Chalk and on walks, no under-18s on tours or tastings |
| Stay | The Pump House, a self-catering cottage for 2 to 4 people, two dogs allowed |
| By train | Worthing or Horsham, each about 20 minutes by taxi |
Checked on the vineyard’s own website in October 2026.
About Wiston
The Goring family has owned Wiston since 1743, and the estate now covers about 6,000 acres of farmland, woods and downland, including Chanctonbury Ring, the circle of beech trees planted by Charles Goring in 1760. Pip Goring, who arrived in 1972 from South Africa, wanted to plant a vineyard, and in 2006 the family planted a south-facing 16-acre site with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The estate is now run by her son Richard and his wife Kirsty.
The vines grow on flint-scattered soils over chalk, which the estate compares to the Côte des Blancs in Champagne, and there are now 12 hectares under vine. No herbicides are used, sheep graze between the rows in winter, and the vineyards are certified by Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. In 2008 the winery at North Farm installed a traditional Coquard press from France, the first of its kind imported to the UK, and Dermot Sugrue made the wines here from 2007. Since the 2022 harvest the winemakers have been Marcus and Megan Rayner-Ward.
Wiston has won Winery of the Year at the WineGB awards three times, most recently in 2021, and in 2019 Decanter gave its Blanc de Blancs 2011 a Best in Show award, a first for English sparkling wine. The tour and tasting won Experience of the Year at the Beautiful South Awards 2023/24, and Chalk, which opened in 2021, is listed in the MICHELIN Guide 2026.
The wines
Wiston makes traditional method sparkling wine from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and all its wines are vegan. The non-vintage range includes Brut NV, Rosé NV and Blanc de Blancs NV, and the single-vineyard vintage wines include a Cuvée, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé. Blanc de Blancs is the style that has won Wiston the most awards. A Library Collection holds long-aged wines, and there is also a still Chardonnay called Tank Five and a rosé made for Simon Rogan’s restaurants. Where to buy them.
Tours and tastings at Wiston
Everything for visitors is at North Farm, just off the A24: the winery, cellar door and shop, tasting room and Chalk restaurant. The cellar door opens Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and both it and Chalk are closed on Monday and Tuesday. Chalk serves coffee and pastries from 9.30am to 11.30am and lunch Wednesday to Sunday, with a set six-course Estate Menu at dinner on Friday and Saturday. Its summer courtyard bar closed for the 2026 season at the end of September. The winery and Chalk are wheelchair accessible, and as the car park slopes, drivers can drop passengers by the shop door. The estate has 58km of footpaths and bridleways, with four marked walks.
| Experience | Price | Length | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wiston Winery Tour and Tasting The history of the estate, then the winery with its Coquard press, tank hall and barrel halls, ending with a tutored tasting of four wines. It is under cover and wheelchair accessible, and a two-for-one offer runs on selected Wednesday and Thursday tours until 31 October 2026. | £30 per person | 1.5 hours | Wednesday to Sunday at 11am and 2.30pm, with fewer tours from October to March |
| Taste of Chalk A welcome cocktail, a winery tour, a tasting of four vintage wines not poured on the regular tour, then a six-course dinner at Chalk. Drinks at dinner are extra. | £130 per person | From 5pm, with dinner from about 6.30pm | Selected Friday evenings in November, December, February and March |
| Chef and Winemaker Harvest Dinner at Chalk A welcome drink and a three-course seasonal dinner, each course paired with a Wiston wine, with talks from the head chef and the winemaker on the 2026 harvest. | £112.50 per person including service | 7pm to 10.15pm | 22 October 2026 only |
Book these on the Wiston website.
Where to stay
The Swan Hotel
A traditional country pub in the heart of the market town of Arundel with 14 stylish ensuite rooms.
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.
Prices are often the same either way, so compare the booking site with booking direct.
Buy Wiston wines
None of our wine partners has these wines in stock this week. The vineyard sells them in its own shop, or see our pick of English wines to buy online.
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Getting there
The nearest stations are Worthing and Horsham, each under an hour and a half from London Victoria and about 20 minutes from the estate by taxi; Pulborough is another option. Book your return taxi in advance. By car, North Farm is just off the A24 near Washington, about 20 minutes from Worthing and Horsham and around two hours from central London. Parking is next to the winery and Chalk, with disabled parking close by.
Make a day of it
Wiston sits right under the South Downs Way, and the walk up to Chanctonbury Ring is the obvious way to make a day of it. The historic town of Steyning is about five minutes away, and Arundel, with its castle, is about 25 minutes. For a second vineyard, Nyetimber’s estate at West Chiltington is close by but only opens on set open days, and Bolney Wine Estate is about half an hour east.
See every vineyard you can visit in our Sussex directory. Our other Sussex vineyard guides: Rathfinny, Court Garden, Bolney, Nyetimber.
Questions people ask
Do you need to book at Wiston Estate?
Yes for tours and events, which are paid for when you book. Chalk takes walk-ins but strongly recommends booking, and the cellar door shop does not need a booking.
How much is the Wiston Estate tour?
The Wiston Winery Tour and Tasting is £30 per person for 1.5 hours, including a tasting of four wines. It runs Wednesday to Sunday at 11am and 2.30pm, with fewer tours from October to March.
Can you take children to Wiston Estate?
Families are welcome at Chalk and for walks and picnics on the estate. Under-18s cannot join winery tours, tastings or events where alcohol is served.
Is Wiston Estate dog friendly?
Dogs are welcome on the estate’s public footpaths and at outside tables at Chalk. They are not allowed on winery tours or inside the restaurant, although guide dogs are welcome.
How do you get to Wiston Estate by train?
Take a train from London Victoria to Worthing or Horsham, then a taxi of about 20 minutes. Book the taxi in advance, especially for the return.
Can you stay at Wiston Estate?
Yes, in The Pump House, a self-catering cottage for 2 to 4 people with a wood-fired hot tub, on a different part of the estate from the winery. Stays are three, four or seven nights, and two dogs are allowed.