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Celebrating English Wine Week - Saturday 21st - 29th June!
English wine is no longer a secret—it’s a success story. This is another example of Britain doing what we do best: quietly working hard, crafting excellence, and then stepping proudly onto the global stage. From our award-winning sparkling wines which have outshone Champagne in blind tastings on numerous occasions, to our still wines which are making serious waves of their own. If you haven’t tasted English wine yet, now’s the time. Treat yourself—you’ll be supporting a thriving homegrown industry that’s creating jobs, preserving our beautiful countryside, and winning international acclaim while it’s at it.
We popped the cork on a sparkling conversation with our fabulous new friends at Artelium. From the history and evolution of British fizz to the magic behind their award-winning wines and stunning Sussex setup, we got the full pour on what makes Artelium truly shine.
Julie: English wine is at a truly exciting stage. It has come a long way since the early days of the old grape varieties and is now firmly established on the world stage, producing fantastic wines — particularly sparkling, but increasingly still wines as well. Although the origins of traditional method sparkling wine have been linked to the physician Christopher Merret in 17th-century London (you can read more about that on our page about our 1662 wine range), England’s modern wine industry is still relatively young. As a result, the weight of tradition is not as stern or entrenched as it is with our Old World neighbours. This has encouraged playfulness and innovation among many English producers, without fear of ‘rocking the boat’. New rules and PDOs are likely to be introduced and adopted over the next few years, but there remains ample room for experimentation and boundary-pushing in cool-climate winemaking.
Julie: My husband, Mark, and I founded Artelium to bring together our passion for wine, art, and nature. We always shared an interest in wine, often using our holidays to visit vineyards around the world. For our wedding in 2013, we decided to serve only English wine and, through our research across the south coast of England, we discovered the breadth, quality, and innovation of English wine. Our passion soon evolved into a way of life, and we embarked on a journey to establish our own wine estate.
Sussex was a natural choice. I grew up near the village of Streat, which is where Artelium’s East Sussex vineyard and tasting room are based. When we discovered a plot of land perfect for planting vines — a south-facing slope with clay soil — we jumped at the opportunity.
Artelium is more than just a wine estate. The name derives from a combination of ‘Art’ and ‘-ium’, a Latin suffix denoting a place where people gather. In that sense, Artelium is a space for people to come together and enjoy wine and art in a beautiful, natural setting. Everything we do at Artelium links wine, art, and nature — whether it’s celebrating the craft and artistry of winemaking, hosting talks on regenerative viticulture for our wine club, using home-grown seasonal ingredients in our changing menus, or collaborating with artists on wine label designs.
Julie: The Artelium estate is spread across two sites: one in West Sussex, with 85,000 vines and the winery, and the other in East Sussex near Ditchling, with 45,000 vines and our cellar door and restaurant offering. Our West Sussex vineyard is situated on chalk soil — a terroir similar to that of our neighbours in Champagne. Its temperature regulation, excellent drainage, and soft, crumbly texture allow vine roots to penetrate deeply into the ground, accessing a broader range of nutrients. Our East Sussex vineyard, by contrast, lies on clay soil, which also regulates temperature effectively and retains water, while being rich in minerals. Both vineyards are south-facing and lie on a slight slope, allowing cold air and frost to drain away and maximising sunlight exposure — providing ideal conditions for ripening our grapes.
Julie: The composition of our vineyards and the terroir creates the ideal environment for growing noble varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. We also cultivate Alsace clones like Pinot Gris, which is absolutely delicious. Alongside these more traditional varieties, we also grow several PiWi vines — an abbreviation of Pilzwiderstandsfähige, meaning ‘fungus-resistant’. Mark and I attended a tasting weekend a few years ago and learnt all about them. We were so impressed and intrigued that we decided to plant 20,000 vines across our East and West Sussex sites.
Julie: Cool-climate winemaking, as practised here in the UK, remains marginal, so it is essential that we explore alternative approaches. Regenerative vineyard management is one way we can respond — through the use of cover crops, minimising soil disturbance, and enhancing soil health as naturally as possible. Another approach is to explore new disease-resistant varieties that require less intervention. PiWi vines require minimal treatment and intervention. These varieties are still relatively new on the world stage, and we are beginning to produce some truly interesting wines from them. Last year, we made a wine from the PiWi variety Cabaret Noir, as part of our Artefact range — our small-batch, artisan series — which was very well received. The variety delivers a grippy tannic structure and intense black berry fruit character, which is notoriously difficult to achieve in a cool climate. Building on this success, we are now experimenting with more PiWi varieties.
Julie: We are a young winery, and there is a distinct sense of creativity and exploration that comes with that. We continually review our practices and make decisions based on what is best for the fruit. Our core range of wines — both still and sparkling — is traditionally made, with a focus on fruit quality and minimal intervention. We tend to let the wines speak for themselves. We are vintage-led and, as England’s vintages are so varied, each release is unique and reflects the character of the weather and environment. This is exciting for us, as we respond creatively to each vintage, drawing out and highlighting the natural flavours and qualities it offers. Our Artefact range is driven by creativity and innovation. Produced in limited volumes, these wines are remarkable for various reasons — whether due to exceptional harvests, pioneering winemaking techniques, or inventive blends. The Artefact range is a playground for experimentation, celebrating the ingenuity of our winemakers. To reflect this creativity, each Artefact wine is adorned with a newly commissioned artwork by a contemporary artist, chosen to express the wine’s individual character.
Julie: Thank you — that’s so lovely to hear! Our sparkling wines, such as the 1662 Rosé, 1662 Cuvée, and Blanc de Noirs, are high quality, long lees-aged, and refined. By contrast, our Artefact range — including Artefact #7 Motley Wild, Artefact #8 Skinny Gris, and Artefact #9 Cabaret Noir — showcases our more innovative creations: a wild ferment, an orange wine, and an exploration of the PiWi variety Cabaret Noir. Each is distinct and expressive in its own right. The bold, playful labels on these bottles perfectly reflect the spirit of creativity and experimentation behind them.
Julie: Absolutely! Wine and food truly sing together. Our new chef carefully considers which dishes will pair best with our wines when creating his weekly, seasonal menus. Some of our favourite pairings include our Blanc de Noirs with miso cod, game such as duck, or umami-led dishes like mushroom risotto. Our White Pinot is a beautiful wine in its own right, but also pairs wonderfully with Asian cuisines — particularly coconut milk-based curries. Its off-dry style softens chilli heat, while the juicy flavours provide balance. The polished texture complements creamier sauces perfectly.
Julie: Our tasting room is located in Streat, very near the village of Ditchling. Nestled at the foot of the South Downs, we enjoy glorious views from our terrace and vineyards. We are just an hour by train from London Victoria to Plumpton station, followed by a charming walk across the fields. We offer a delicious seasonal menu curated by chef Michael Notman-Watt. Throughout the summer — especially with the glorious weather we’re enjoying — the terrace, which overlooks our vines, is a wonderful place to while away an afternoon, enjoying excellent wine and food in the sunshine. The views of the Downs and surrounding countryside are at their most magnificent from the top of our first vineyard, which you’ll experience on our vineyard tours. These also offer the opportunity to hear our story and learn about the winemaking process from vine to glass. We are a year-round destination. While the views and alfresco dining are especially delightful in summer, there is a particular magic to cosying up by the fire in the tasting room during autumn and winter.
"Throughout the summer — especially with the glorious weather we’re enjoying — the terrace, which overlooks our vines, is a wonderful place to while away an afternoon, enjoying excellent wine and food in the sunshine."
Julie: As climate change progresses, the weather in England is expected to become not only warmer, but also wetter — which will present significant challenges. Increased rainfall can delay grape ripening and raise the risk of disease. For this reason, cultivating disease-resistant varieties will be vital in preparing for wetter vintages. We believe that ongoing experimentation with these varieties — both nationally and globally — will lead to the creation of exciting new wines. We are proud to be at the forefront of these developments.
If you enjoyed reading about Artelium and their wines, you can explore their full range here.
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