Ridgeview’s hospitality venue, bar and restaurant offering relaxed vineyard experiences, dining and wine tasting in Sussex.
Striking in its synchronicity with the natural landscape and with spectacular vineyard views, The Rows & Vine is a new, immersive hospitality experience where visitors can live and breathe the wonders of English sparkling wine in Sussex. We caught up with Matt Gayler, General Manager at Ridgeview, to take you behind the scenes on building The Rows & Vine…
“We wanted to create somewhere that totally transports you. Not simply a restaurant or a bar, but a unique English wine experience. It’s all about the beauty of an alfresco space where you are outside amongst it all, sharing the magic of winemaking at Ridgeview.”
Set within touching distance of the Chardonnay vines and surrounded by panoramic views of the South Downs National Park, The Rows & Vine was completed in Autumn 2022. Taking a nature-first approach from design to construction, it sits seamlessly between the vineyard and native woodland, drawing on the natural landscape and winery buildings for inspiration.
Framed by the land, The Rows & Vine features a series of covered pavilions positioned around a central bar area with a raised, open-air terrace looking out over the vineyard and beyond.
Ridgeview’s sense of place is woven into the architecture. Angles and apertures create shadows that shapeshift as the sun moves, playing with natural light to draw the outside in. The anthracite grey of the pavilion beams matches the colour of the cladding on the adjacent winery building, creating a visual throughline between the two.
Vertical cedar panelling wraps around the central bar area, echoing the woodland canopy overhead and a wall of natural flint provides an earthy, textural backdrop to the bar in reference to the South Downs geology, whilst the paving and pathways nod to the heritage of Sussex clay brick.
Landscaped gardens by award-winning designer, Andy Sturgeon welcome visitors into the space. Planted and maintained by Acre Landscapes, the design took inspiration from the space’s former life as the Ridgeview Wine Garden. They feature a biodiverse palette of native wildflowers, grasses and ferns while the terraces and walling use vernacular materials including flint, clay bricks and limestone gravels.
The synergy between nature and architecture goes far beyond the aesthetic language of The Rows & Vine; it’s deep-rooted in the environmentally responsible design.
We are set within the South Downs National Park, an International Dark Skies Reserve, and are committed to protecting this unique natural habitat for generations to come.
“Working closely with Furse Landscape Architects, the groundworks were carefully considered to protect the root system of the trees. Furse continue to support us with our woodland management plan to protect the diverse ecology on our estate.
We developed a customised lighting plan with London Lightworks, built around respect for the night sky and Hop Civil Engineers created a sustainable drainage system, directing rainwater into a balancing pond that has formed a healthy habitat for protected species like the Great Crested Newt.”
Investment in sustainable technologies across the whole estate was integrated into the project, from energy usage monitoring systems to electric vehicle charging points and new solar panels on our winery roofs.
As a certified B Corporation and founder members of Sustainable Wine of Great Britain, we are always looking to move the dial on our environmental goals. Working with Sunninghill Contractors, LXA Design and Crossley Anderson, sustainability underpinned every design and development decision that brought The Rows & Vine to life.
Sustainability at Ridgeview
The relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and alfresco nature really sets The Rows and Vine apart. Visitors can take things at their own pace.
Our seasonal chef-led menus revolve around sharing and behind each dish is a wine pairing concept. The recent release of our Sparkling Red Reserve inspired our Sunday Roasts and we’re developing an Afternoon Tea experience to complement our range of sparkling rosé. Championing local, sustainably sourced produce, every dish is designed to sit beautifully next to our English sparkling wine.
“There’s nothing quite like sipping a cool glass of sparkling in a pavilion right by the vines or up on the open terrace with the sun streaming down. You can’t beat that feeling of being outside amongst it all. That’s the magic of The Rows & Vine.”
Tour our beautiful estate in the Sussex countryside and try a selection of our award-winning English sparkling wines. And, there is no better way to round off your experience than a visit to our restaurant, The Rows & Vine.
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