Charles Palmer Vineyards

When	Days	Hours
Year-round	Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun	11:00–17:00
Year-round (Sunday)	Sun	12:00–16:00

Opening hours can change for private events — it's always worth checking the vineyard's website before you visit.

What's the vibe?

Charles Palmer Vineyards offers a calm, considered vineyard experience in the East Sussex countryside, centred around the historic Wickham Manor. It’s a family-run estate where the focus is firmly on the wines, but visitors are welcome to linger - whether that’s over a tasting, a glass in the cellar door, or a walk through the vines in the warmer months.

Tours & Tastings:
Guided tastings and tours of the on-site winery are available by advance booking, from £23 per person. Experiences include:

• Guided 3-wine tasting - from £23 per person
• Wine & Cheese Experience (4 wines paired with local cheeses) - from £33 per person
• Guided 4-wine tasting - from £28 per person

Advance booking is required for all tastings. Book a tasting on the website.

Special Events:
Charles Palmer Vineyards hosts a programme of seasonal events throughout the year. These include monthly live music evenings, Vineyard Lunchtime Feasts with visiting chefs, and the Rother Wine Triangle Bus Tour. Picnic hampers are available daily, and bespoke dining can be arranged in advance. View upcoming events on the website.

Private Hire:
The vineyard is available for private hire, including group bookings, hen parties, and full or half-day packages. Some packages include transport from local accommodation or the nearest train station.

Gift Shop:
A gift shop is available on site, stocking wines and related products.

Accommodation:
Overnight accommodation is available 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.

Book train tickets in advance via Trainline.

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_