Planting Starts At England's Biggest Vineyard

Some fizz in Sussex? The Rathfinny Estate in South Downs is only 88 miles from Champagne in France, and is said to have similar growing conditions

Taking On The French! Planting Starts At England's Biggest Vineyard (And It's Going To Produce A MILLION Bottles Of Bubbly A Year)

* Former hedge fund chief launches ambitious project in East Sussex
* Aiming to produce Bollinger-quality fizz for around £25-26 a bottle

A former hedge fund boss is taking the biggest gamble of his life by opening the country’s newest and largest vineyard – with plans to produce one million bottles of fizz a year.

Mark Driver, 47, and a team of 30, will attempt to take on the French at their own game, producing quality sparkling wine to rival the best Champagne has to offer.

His picturesque 400-acre plot, nestled on a south-facing slope, near the coast at Alfriston, East Sussex, is just 88 miles as the crow flies from Champagne in France, and has a very similar soil and climate.

The Rathfinny Estate will be one of the largest single site vineyards in Europe and aims to capitalise on the booming demand - both nationally and internationally - for high quality English sparkling wine.

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My Comment: Sparkling wine in England .... with a Bollinger-quality to it .... hmmmm .... I wish him luck.