Leonardslee

Country: EnglandRegion: West SussexChannel: On-trade

May 7

Written By Dylan Winn-Brown

COUNTRY: ENGLAND

REGION:WEST SUSSEX

FEATURES: VG

WEBSITE: shop.leonardslee.co.uk

Nestled in the heart of West Sussex, Leonardslee Family Vineyards represents a remarkable fusion of historic estate, pioneering vision, and cool-climate precision. The estate sits within the grounds of the renowned 19th-century Leonardslee Gardens, where centuries of landscape stewardship inform a profound respect for terroir. Founded in 2017 by Penny Streeter OBE, the vineyard was designed with a singular focus on producing world-class English sparkling wine, planting classic Champagne varieties — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier — across chalky, well-drained soils and gently south-facing slopes, optimising ripening and aromatic intensity. Meticulous vineyard practices, hand-harvesting, and extended lees ageing contribute to wines of finesse, precision, and subtle complexity, reflecting both Sussex’s unique terroir and the estate’s rigorous winemaking ethos.

The estate’s core range showcases its stylistic vision: the Leonardslee Brut Reserve 2021, a blend of 70 % Chardonnay, 20 % Pinot Noir, and 10 % Pinot Meunier, is celebrated for its fine bead, brioche nuance, and vibrant orchard fruit, earning 95 points from the Decanter Vintage English Sparkling panel, which highlighted its poise, depth, and harmonious acidity. The Leonardslee Rosé Brut 2021 offers delicate salmon hues with expressive red fruit, while the Leonardslee Blanc de Blancs 2020, crafted entirely from Chardonnay, reveals lifted citrus, fine mineral texture, and extended ageing potential. Collectively, these wines exemplify Leonardslee’s confident emergence on the English sparkling wine scene, marrying cool-climate elegance with a distinct sense of place, and demonstrating how thoughtful vineyard management and family dedication can produce sparkling wines of international calibre