A new sparkling wine from Brighton’s closest vineyard launched this week – partly the result of a terrible harvest two years ago.
Everflyht in Ditchling lost a large part of its crop in September 2024 when it was destroyed by heavy rainfall – which could potentially have left the winery having nothing to sell for a year.
But its viticulturalist Luke Spalding turned disaster into triumph by developing a new wine, Wylde, using a different method which meant this year they had an exciting new product to sell rather than empty shelves.
The new wine is made using the Charmat method, a faster process than the traditional method used to make Everflyht’s previous sparkling wines.
And the speedy process also means it can be priced more affordably than a typical English sparkling white at £22 a bottle – even more so for Brightonians, with free delivery for people living within nine miles of the vineyard.
Mr Spalding said: “At Everflyht we experienced around 234mm of rainfall in September alone, which meant producing the style and quality of fruit we would normally set aside for our traditional-method wines simply wasn’t possible that year.
“Rather than have a gap for customers and listings, we looked at how we could respond creatively while still working with quality estate fruit.
“Wylde came out of that thinking there was an opportunity to produce a fresh, expressive Charmat-method sparkling wine that highlights the vibrancy of English fruit in a different way.
“It’s definitely fair to say the conditions pushed us to think differently, but the intention was always to create a high-quality wine in its own right, not simply a short-term solution.
“In many ways it reflects the adaptability that English producers need in a young and evolving wine region.”
Wylde uses grapes from different years, including Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay varieties.
Ben Ellis, co-founder of Everflyht Estate, explains: “English sparkling wine has rightly earned a reputation for world-class traditional method wines, but we felt there was space to explore another expression of the fruit we grow here in the South Downs.
“Wylde is about capturing that natural vibrancy in a style that feels fresh, sociable and spontaneous, something people can open without ceremony but still recognise as high-quality wine produced in England.”
Wylde can also be bought direct from Everflyht for £22 – click here to find out more.
So, Ditchling is in Brighton now? I thought that BHCC was only expanding along the coast – not 11 miles north as well.