Charles Palmer Vineyards

Cellar Door:

The cellar door is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to 5pm, and Sunday (including Bank Holiday Mondays) from 12pm to 4pm. Visitors are welcome to drop in to purchase wine or enjoy a glass overlooking the vineyards without pre-booking. During colder months, indoor seating with a log burner is available.

Tours & Tastings:

Guided tastings and tours of the on-site winery are available by advance booking. Experiences include:

• Guided 3-wine tasting at 11am (Wed–Sat)
• Wine & Cheese Experience (4 wines paired with local cheeses) at 1pm (Wed–Sat) or 12pm (Sunday)
• Guided 4-wine tasting at 3pm (Wed–Sat) or 2pm (Sunday)

Special events:

Charles Palmer Vineyards hosts a programme of seasonal events throughout the year. These include pre-booked vineyard feast lunches with visiting chefs, private dining experiences, and occasional open-access events. Picnic hampers are available daily, and bespoke dining can be arranged in advance.

Accommodation:

Overnight accommodation is available year-round at Wickham Manor, the estate’s restored 16th-century house offering bed and breakfast. The manor has also featured as a filming location for The Crown and Mr Holmes.

Accessibility:

Supervised children are welcome. Well-behaved dogs are permitted on leads in the Cellar Door and outdoor areas. In drier months, a marked vineyard trail (around 25 minutes) is open for visitors to walk through the vines.

Charles Palmer Vineyards is a 40-acre, family-owned estate founded in 2006, producing small-batch English sparkling and still wines. The vineyard is planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignac, grown on south-facing slopes with a cooling coastal influence and Kimmeridgian clay soils — a soil type also associated with parts of Burgundy.

Traditional-method sparkling wines form the core of the range, including a Classic Cuvée Brut (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir), Rosé Brut (100% Pinot Noir), Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay), and Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir). Since 2018, the estate has also produced still Pinot Noir, alongside limited releases as the vineyard continues to evolve.

The wines have received national recognition, including a Platinum medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards for the Blanc de Blancs 2014. Charles Palmer wines have also been poured at leading UK restaurants, including The Black Swan at Oldstead.

Viticulture and winemaking follow a low-intervention, sustainability-led approach, with careful canopy management, low planting density to improve airflow, and restrained sulphur use. All wines are made on site in the estate winery, under the direction of Charles and Robert Palmer, with full control from harvest through to bottling.

By car:

Charles Palmer Vineyards is located in Winchelsea, East Sussex (TN36 4AG).

By public transport:

The nearest train station is Rye, approximately 5 miles away. A taxi from Rye typically takes around 10–15 minutes. Some events and dining experiences may include transport from local accommodation or stations.

Discover more of the East Sussex coast and countryside around Charles Palmer Vineyards.

Other vineyards:

• Oxney Organic Estate – The UK’s largest organic vineyard, with tours, tastings, and accommodation.
• Tillingham – A mixed-farm estate known for natural wines, food, and rooms.

Restaurants:

• The George in Rye – Refined dining in a historic coaching inn.
• Webbe’s at_