Blanc de Blanc
£37.50
Toasted almond and hazelnut frame baked red apple, orange peel and light orange-blossom perfume. Rich and full in the middle, then drawn out by bright Chardonnay acidity.
1986
Horam, Heathfield
Hidden Spring has lived more than one life. Vines first took root on this Horam smallholding in 1986 and produced successful English wines before the land became a campsite in the mid-2000s. In 2015 the rows returned in earnest: more than 24,000 new vines were planted across 13 acres, and a purpose-built winery followed in time for the first estate harvest in 2018. Richard and Sara Asman took over in 2022 after many years in South Africa, bringing their family into a project that already had deep roots but plenty of room to grow. Their son Conrad runs operations, while Micaela English moves between vineyard and cellar as Head Winemaker and Vineyard Manager. That joined-up structure gives Hidden Spring a genuine grape-to-glass rhythm — decisions made among the vines carry straight through to the tank, bottle and tasting room. Visitors can follow the same route on a summer tour, settle in for a Thursday-to-Sunday wine flight or catch one of the estate’s food-and-music collaborations. It feels boutique and personal, with enough variety in the cellar to reward both fizz devotees and curious still-wine drinkers.
Hidden Spring’s vines cover 13 of the estate’s 23 acres in the gently rolling East Sussex countryside outside Horam. More than 24,000 plants put Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier at the heart of the sparkling programme, while Bacchus and Pinot Gris broaden the still-wine palette and newer Cabernet Noir offers a route into English red. The team tends the fruit by hand and makes the wines in the on-site winery, keeping the journey from row to bottle unusually short.
WINEMAKER
Micaela English is both Head Winemaker and Vineyard Manager, an unusually complete brief that connects every growing decision with its result in the glass. A Plumpton College graduate with experience at home and overseas, she joined Hidden Spring in 2019 and now coordinates the vineyard, harvest and production. Her current wines move confidently between bright, aromatic still styles and full-textured traditional-method sparkling wines, with clean fruit and a quietly generous feel.
The Collection
£37.50
Toasted almond and hazelnut frame baked red apple, orange peel and light orange-blossom perfume. Rich and full in the middle, then drawn out by bright Chardonnay acidity.
£35
Lemon and lime snap into raspberry and a warm suggestion of apple Danish. The mousse is lively, the texture generous and the finish pleasingly toasty — a confident house fizz balancing brightness with comfort.
£32.50
Delicate salmon pink with fine bubbles, raspberry, strawberry and soft cream. Pinot brings enough shape to keep the ripe summer fruit elegant, making it a charming bottle for picnics, aperitifs and smoked salmon.
Cellar door
Cellar door: Call to find out — hours are seasonal and event-led. Summer tours require booking; wine flights are normally available Thursday–Sunday, subject to live capacity.