Birchden Vineyards sits on the borders of Kent and Sussex and embodies the very essence of a boutique vineyard. In addition to the two hectares of vines there is a tasting room, onsite accommodation and a fairy tale dining area looking out across a lake to the vines behind. The Pinot Noir, Bacchus and small parcel of Pinot Gris have allowed Birchden Vineyards to produce a surprising portfolio of both sparkling and still wines.
Owned by Tom, Andrea, Ralph and Jane Lindeyer, Birchden Vineyard like many viticultural businesses is a family enterprise but “it is really three businesses in one,” explained Andrea. “There is the vineyard and the vines, the wine and there is also the tourism offering.” Looking at vines, wines and good times has allowed Tom, Andrea, Ralph and Jane to each bring their own unique skillset and personality to the business.
A small parcel of Pinot Noir vines were planted at Birchden Farm by the previous owner and the fruit was sold under contract as part of the mixed farming enterprise. Tom and Andrea Lindeyer had been looking for a way to unite their young family with their extended family in the UK.
Relocating from Dubai to the UK with three children under the age of ten would be a daunting task for most people but Andrea and Tom decided that together with Tom’s parents Ralph and Jane they would invest in the 23 Acre Birchden Farm which had come to the market in 2019.
For a year Tom and Andrea split their time between Dubai and Groombridge – the juxtaposition of these two places is striking. As Andrea and Tom speak frankly about their journey to this point it is clear that there has been a staggering amount of thought and preparation put into this business venture. Today they have achieved, in their new business, the grace of the geese that sit on their partially frozen lake and they have made it look easy but it would be a mistake to underestimate the time, thought and effort that have led them to this point.
“Having a vineyard is like having a baby,” said Andrea. It would be easy to associate this comment with the time and effort taken to protect and nurture the vines but Andrea continued: “You are never fully prepared for what it means,” she said this with a smile that lights up the room. This was a surprising twist on an often-used simile and highlighted just how practical and honest Andrea is. She met Tom when she was 21 and training at the internationally renowned Vidal Sassoon Academy in London. The couple first met at an event held at the Clapham Grand, a Victorian Music hall and Palace of Variety. When Andrea explained this as the location for their first meeting it resonated because over twenty years later it is the eclectic skill set of the four owners that have made Birchden Vineyards possible.
The tasting room at Birchden Vineyards was completed in July 2024 and is a warm and inviting space, specifically designed to create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for small to medium groups whilst allowing the vineyard to showcase their wines.
Jane, who spent her career in the healthcare sector has for many years been making pottery and her beautiful handmade pieces are on display as soon as you walk through the door, subtly introducing the theme of creativity that follows every aspect of the business.
The tasting room was ready for the launch of the first wines from Birchden Vineyard with a Pinot Noir Sparkling Rosé launched in July 2024 alongside a still Rosé and a still Bacchus. Tom explained that the process of production of sparkling wine and the length of lees aging required had been a positive for the young business. “We spent the first three years battling the frost and the deer,” he said in a manner that hinted at his resilient attitude towards viticulture. With the help of Luke Wolfe who is the vineyard consultant Tom has worked hard to understand the idiosyncrasies of the site and the Pinot Noir vines that were originally planted have been slowly transitioned across to a new pruning method to improve quality.
The frost risk at the site is high and Tom explained that in 2020 the late frost had decimated the expected yields. “The average yields are eight to nine tonnes and because of frost damage we had only one tonne,” he said without the trace of bitterness that usually accompanies such discussions. “We currently use bougies to combat frost but they do require lighting and then extinguishing in the early hours of the morning,” said Tom laughing as he recounted his first experience of this method of frost prevention. With Tom running his own company alongside the vineyard business and with three children, peace of mind and a good night sleep are clearly valuable commodities so Birchden Vineyards are looking at various new technologies to protect against frost in the future but for now the bougies can be seen stored in the vineyard ready for the coming season.
As guests travel around the vineyard there are a number of beautiful wooden beehives these are cared for and harvested by Ralph and a small team. When he is talking about harvesting the honey it is clear that he is enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable about these marvellous creatures. “The more you know the more you realise there is a lot to know,” he said with a smile. One piece of information he shared was that tree pollen makes up a large proportion of the bees’ source of nectar and pollen. Birchden Farm borders Broadwater Warren, a protected 445-acre nature reserve, so the bees have access to a wide variety of heathland and woodland. The honey therefore has a complex and multi floral flavour. “The worst time of year for honey is when there is oilseed rape in bloom; there is plenty of quantity, but the quality of the honey is poor,” said Ralph contemplatively. It is clear the beehives mean a great deal to Ralph and he points out that he has thought about the possibility of using honey to produce mead but it seemed that for the time being he is content to showcase the honey that the bees at Birchden produce in its natural state. The honey is available at the onsite shop alongside apple juice made from fruit that is handpicked from the orchard on the farm.
In 2022 1ha of Bacchus vines were planted along with a small parcel of 500 Pinot Gris vines and as we tour the vineyard both Tom and Andrea point to parcels of land where vines may be planted in the future. The vineyard and its associated businesses have been designed to anticipate what may come next. The parcels of land already under consideration for further plantings are one example of this.
Other examples include a fabulous stuga that sits by the picturesque lake which is equipped with a fire pit suitable for cooking. The scandanavian style hut is currently available for private dining experiences. Andrea outlines her vision of how the vineyard could be used to create memorable and magical events “our company tagline is ‘unexpectedly enchanting’, and that concept runs through everything we seek to create here.”
Andrea is clearly interested in people and creating the perfect atmosphere and experience for visitors to the vineyard is very important to her. The attention to detail at Birchden is inspiring. From 1 March 2025 it will be possible to travel by steam train on the Spa Valley Railway and after a short stroll through the beautiful countryside along a public footpath (it is important to Andrea that this is not along a road) visitors arrive at Birchden Vineyard to experience a tour and tasting.
Another possibility for visitors is to book a picnic hamper experience. In conjunction with a local catering company, Purple Pumpkin, a picnic hamper can be ordered and will be delivered to tables set in a beautiful, secluded part of the vineyard ready for the guests to enjoy all the benefits of alfresco dining without any of the heavy lifting. It is also possible to book a perfect pairing experience for 8-16 people, which can be a four-course lunch or dinner. At the Tasting Den, visitors can buy wines by the glass or bottle with charcuterie boards and snacks on Fridays and Saturdays.
This tourism offering is designed to appeal across a wide range of tastes and budgets and somehow this inclusive feeling permeates the whole vineyard.
The current names of the three wines all have a deeper meaning that connect with the vineyard. This small boutique vineyard tells a different story with each bottle and the wine names reflect this. For example The sparkling Rosé is named The Charmed Finch. A charm being the collective noun for the Goldfinches that still frequented the vineyard as the world went into lockdown. The Bacchus is named the Gregarious Goose after the cheeky birds that have arrived at the vineyard and set up home but perhaps most importantly the still Rosé named The Foxy Vixen is the vineyards wonderful nod to a group of women who Jokingly take a nickname from the foxes that raise cubs in the area as most of the vineyard tasks are undertaken by local women who call themselves The Vineyard Vixens.
Led by Hannah Burridge, the group consists of around 12, who all come from corporate backgrounds, and work part time in the vineyard, when their children are at school. “Under the Vixens’ meticulous care, the vines are thriving. They look better than ever,” said Andrea. Jane and Ralph live in close proximity to the vines and Ralph added: “It is wonderful to hear the chatter and laughter of true friendship amongst the vines.”
“All the wines produced are vintage specific and small batch,” said Tom. The winemaker for Birchden Vineyards is Ben Smith at Itasca and the focus on quality over quantity has been something that Tom together with Luke Wolfe in the vineyard and Ben in the winery have worked tirelessly to achieve. With Ben Smith as the winemaker the terms vintage and small batch are also linked with imagination and innovation. “There is currently a Blanc de Noirs from the 2021 vintage in production and we will visit Itasca soon to sample this and discuss release dates,” said Tom. In 2022 some Chardonnay was purchased from the nearby Whitewolfe Estate to create a Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend sparkling. This variety combined with quality is again encouraging a wide audience to experience and enjoy Birchden wines.
Having launched their product at festive markets in November and December, Birchden Vineyards have had the opportunity to get feedback directly from customers. The response has been encouraging. “The wines have been really well received, with all three proving equally popular. The sparkling rosé has appealed to those looking for an easy drinking special occasion wine, and the Bacchus (which has a small percentage of oak) is often appreciated by those who like red wine” said Andrea once again proving her interest in people.
The local community are part of harvest at the vineyard proven by the fact that there is a village team ready to pick the fruit at harvest. Birchden Vineyard are able to rely on the village team to pick when they need them. Many volunteers return year after year to be a part of the local harvest. Andrea and Tom both highlight how much it means to them that the local community get involved in the harvest and they speak about the 2024 harvest as being particularly difficult because the challenging weather had left the Bacchus grapes with some Botrytis. “This meant that picking took three times longer than expected. The village community were meticulous and all the fruit that was picked was clean but by 17.00 we still had three rows to go,” said Andrea. “It was a tough growing season and we faced it, we harvested a clean crop although yields were lower but somehow being able to face that adversity meant the local agricultural community not only accepted us, but they embraced us,” added Tom with warmth in his voice.
Birchden Vineyard is a small boutique vineyard that has achieved so much in a short space of time and Andrea, Tom, Ralph and Jane have between them achieved a remarkable atmosphere. This is a place where patience meets creativity and remarkable quality wines meet relaxed hospitality – an intriguing combination that talks to your heart as much as it does to your palate. The wines and their surroundings lift your spirit with every sip.
