Rathfinny

While we get to travel to many of the world’s most beautiful wine regions, it’s hard to think of a more stunning estate than Rathfinny. It’s situated right in the heart of the South Downs, within sight of the English Channel, just three miles as the crow - or raven - flies from the sea. Mark and Sarah Driver founded Rathfinny in 2010, on a working arable farm just outside the picture-perfect village of Alfriston. They planted their first 50 hectares of vines in 2012, with an end goal of 350 hectares planted on this single site. Mark studied winemaking at Plumpton, making him a hands-on owner, and everything - from the state of the art cellar to the labels that show off Sussex’s famous Seven Sisters, just a few miles down the road - has been very carefully thought out. With plenty of wind blowing across the vineyard, Rathfinny are able to pick later than most, allowing the grapes to reach an impressive level of maturity. That results in wines that balance purity and ripeness of fruit with an incredible freshness.