The earliest beginnings saw it named in the Domesday Book in 1086, almost 1,000 years ago, when the peaceful valley of Nitimbreha made its first appearance in recorded history. (It’s believed Nitimbreha refers to a newly timbered house or perhaps a small timber plantation.) The second milestone was the planting of the first vines, almost 902 years later, in 1988, when the holy trinity of sparkling wine grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – found a new home in the lee of the South Downs. And thirdly, Eric Heerema became the Owner and Custodian of Nyetimber in 2006, believing that the estate, with its ideal soil and location, had yet to achieve its full potential.

Head Winemaker Cherie Spriggs assesses every handpicked parcel of grapes for quality, ripeness and character. The fruit is then gently pressed and vinified separately, so Cherie can distinguish the subtle yet distinctive differences between each vineyard parcel. Every year, this provides a varied selection from which Cherie will craft the masterpieces of the Nyetimber range.

Spread across several separate sites, our vineyards, with greensand or chalk soils, allow our vines to flourish across the south of England, and are perfectly situated on gentle south-facing slopes for the best possible exposure to the English sunshine. This ensures our Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes gradually achieve the ideal level of ripeness before harvest. Each handpicked parcel is assessed for optimum levels of quality, ripeness and character before being used to produce a Nyetimber wine