The early release of Oriana Golden Spur 2022 is an important moment for The Weyborne Estate in the South Downs in West Sussex, just south of London. Miserable harvests due to poor weather meant that no wine was produced in 2020 and 2021 so this early release provides a new sense of much-needed momentum after the heady heights of the 2019 vintage for which stock is now very low.
We find even though it has been released early, the Oriana Golden Spur proves to be perfectly ready to drink now. The saying goes that patience is always rewarded – but it’s tempting not to wait for the official 2023 vintage release when it will have had even longer on the lees.
For Weyborne, 2022 was a spectacular year. The hot and dry summer led to high quality, clean fruit with excellent flavour and high yields. Conditions were perfect for growing both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Oriana Golden Spur is 46% Chardonnay, 53% Pinot Noir and 1% Pinot Meunier. Fruit comes from the clay, greensand and chalk one-acre Diddy Field at 190m planted in 2007, and the lower 120m vineyards planted in 2017. The Oriana Gold Spur was bottled in 2023 and disgorged in August this year.
Benjamin Abric, Weyborne’s winemaker who hails from France, introduces us to the history and terroir of the estate. He joined in 2021 so can’t take all the credit for the award-winning 2019 vintage (though had some hand in the bottling), but the Oriana Golden Spur is certainly a product of his vision and skills.
Blackdown House at the heart of the Weyborne Estate
Blackdown House
The estate, with the historic Blackdown House at its heart, dates back to 1640 although vines were first planted here in 2007. The owner, businessman Nick Clarke, bought the place in 2009 (he has a business background in mining and a passion for geology), recognising its unique terroir and decided to plant more vines in 2018. His quest is simple if ambitious: to produce one of the finest sparkling wines in the world.
The most recent planting in 2018 led to the creation of Weyborne’s first wine: the Family Reserve Brut 2018. It is zero dosage, 61% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, 5% Meunier, and with four years of maturation and bottled in 2022. The wine has a bouquet of golden ripe apples and there is a subtle mousse, balanced by creamy nuttiness. The finish is an oxidative style reminiscent of fine vintage champagne and has a delightful minerality.
Currently, Weyborne has 25 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines located in five separate plots. The steep sloping, south-facing vineyards are situated at the highest point of the South Downs National Park at the start of the River Wey, near Haslemere. There is a marked diurnal difference (giving thicker skins to the berries); the soil is a mix of sand, clay and flint above the chalk. “We are concentrating on producing quality that can be managed and not quantity. Our aim is 45,000 to 50,000 bottles a year,” says Abric.
Going completely organic is something Weyborne Estate is actively considering.
Sustainability
Biodiversity is a priority for the estate. Abric explains: “We use sheep and keep bees here, which doesn’t directly impact the vines but impacts everything around them, encouraging a healthy environment, and helping all the flowers to grow. Weeding and all the ‘green’ work in the vineyards is done by hand and no herbicides, insecticides or systemic pesticides are used.”
Going completely organic is something the producer is actively considering.
Abric explains: “The combination of steep slopes and high altitude gives freshness to the wine, allowing grapes to retain their acidity, perfect for sparkling wines. The high altitude also means that we rarely encounter frost here. Meanwhile the chalky soil adds a lovely minerality to the wine.”
The small but perfectly-formed Weyborne Estate portfolio
Award-winning Oriana 2019
It is not difficult to understand why the Oriana 2019 has won so many awards this year. The top six awards include: IWSC Trophy, IWSC Gold Medal, Sommelier Wine Awards Gold Medal, Drinks Business Global Sparkling Masters Gold Medal, Decanter World Wine Awards Silver Medal, International Wine Challenge Silver Medal.
A blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Meunier, it has delicious notes of apple, orange and a little brioche on the nose, a delicate minerality with a touch of croissant bakery on the palate and a lemony lingering finish.
Why is it called Oriana? Well, it is named after Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem The Ballad of Oriana. The inspiration came after a 1905 edition of the poem was found a few years ago in the estate’s library – Tennyson was a frequent visitor to the estate in the 1800s. “The wine captures the spirit of the poem, which explores themes of love, loyalty, and fate.”
The estate doesn’t have its own winery onsite (though there are hopes to build in the future). But visitors are often attracted to visit already due to its stunning location and the Black Down Hill views, the spot where Tennyson is said to have written many of his poems.
Vineyard events are staged, including one combining with the game of polo (Clarke owns a number of ponies, polo also being a passion of his).
"Looking forward to being more winemaker than playing chemist.” Benjamin Abric, Weyborne’s winemaker and general manager with his dog Ollie.
Looking ahead
The 2025 growing season has been an exceptional year with the grapes having near-ideal alcohol and acidity levels. “I’m looking forward to being more winemaker than playing chemist,” Abric smiles.
Looking even further ahead, he mentions Weyborne may be thinking about a Blanc de Blancs and is now growing the varietal Pinot Précoce, a lighter version of Pinot Noir which may contribute to making a sparkling rosé. “But, as you know, making wine is a patient person’s game,” the winemaker adds.
Each grape variety is fermented separately and we ask Abric whether Weyborne has its own particular recipe.
“We don’t have a recipe. We work with each vintage, but we do have a signature – the fermentation in barrel for a certain percentage of our wines, which translates into a slightly oxidative wine style. Wines have a texture with some secondary flavours and aromas and more body and longer finish.”
Why the new name ‘Golden Spur’ for the early release? We’re told it is the name of an award of merit (rather than just for heritage or tradition). It might prove a very apt name. The tasting showed the wine indeed has much merit but Abric remains humble and reluctant not to jinx the future just yet!
The Weyborne Estate Oriana Golden Spur 2022 is available online direct from Weyborne at £45 a bottle retail. The Family Reserve 2018 is also available (at £45 a bottle retail).
