Rathfinny Wines from England

English wines, are they any good? And can they be sold successfully outside of England? Yes, and yes.

These are stunning wines from one of the most celebrated estates in England. Set in the South Downs area, which begin almost immediately as soon as you head out of Brighton on the A23 to London.

The estate was established in 2010 by husband and wife Mark and Sarah Driver. Located on land with rich chalky content in the soils, there is a strong sense of familiarity with Champagne vineyards, which is understandable because the region sits on same 'Paris Basin', the sub-strata of rock that covers the North of France and Champagne, running under the Channel into Kent and Sussex.

The Downs themselves are about three miles from the sea, and are sheltered by any poor weather by the roll of the hills onto which they sit, soaking up the sun and warmth (which, of course, is ever increasing in the 21st Century).

This adds to the story and the possibility that Rathfinny sets out to achieve - that Sussex becomes a reference point as much as Champagne. And that each wine is a vintage-dated bottling. It's a serious ambition, but the generosity with which they approach the industry is nothing short of inspirational. It's about knowledge and experience sharing and a search for the best quality that the region can collectively promote

Customer reviews

★★★★★

Excellent service, lovely wine, choosing online is so easy with Chris’ excellent tasting notes and the fun of opening a wine for the first time adds to the experience.

Gerry R

★★★★★

I ordered some sparkling Cava from Chris which arrived so promptly! A really delicate delicious wine that I haven't seen anywhere else. A great selection of quality wines at really good prices!

A. O'Neill

★★★★★

I must say the wine list here is amazing. Top quality and what I like the most is a rich info on every presented bottle. Pure example when someone puts their heart and knowledge into it. I had a few Burgundy ones and they were delicious! Superb packaging and delivery as well.

Bosnae

★★★★★

My first purchase with Allotment and it was a really positive experience - from their website, product range , price range and professional follow up.

Anne K.

★★★★★

I stumbled across this wine merchant while searching online for a particular Spanish wine. I'm glad I did as I discovered an excellent selection of wines from that country, as well as from other regions, all at competitive prices. Excellent personal service and prompt delivery made for a great overall experience. Highly recommended

John H.

★★★★★

The owner Chris provides an incredible customer experience. After I had ordered online, he contacted me separately to offer additional insights into all the wines I had chosen and to give me a voucher for next time.

Sean G

★★★★★

A great experience ordering from The Allotment Wine Company. A wide variety of wines to try something new and at good prices with super quick delivery! Really convenient too as opposed to trying to find parking!

Nicola D.

★★★★★

Good range of interesting wines. Good personal attention to their orders. Very customer focused. I would be happy to recommend this company to any prospective customer.

Jim D

★★★★★

Wonderful wines from a wonderfully wise wine man! Have discovered some cracking vino thanks to Chris’ educational and entertaining videos and can’t wait to try more. My favourite kind of special delivery!

Kate W.

Hi, I'm Chris Gifford.

Welcome to The Allotment Wine Co.

When you buy wines from The Allotment Wine Co. you're supporting a small Irish business which in turn supports small, sustainable wine producers, as well as other small, dedicated Irish wine importers.

When selecting wines, I look for partners who share a deep respect and connection with the land and its traditions, witnessed in a firm commitment to quality and sustainability. All of which makes for better wines.