English wine 2025: Harvest two weeks early as vintage year unfolds

Chichester, England - September 4, 2025-- English wine producers are hailing 2025 as one of the best years yet, with growers across the South of England preparing for an unusually early harvest after an outstanding growing season.

Pinot pickings

Thanks to a hot, dry summer, vineyards are picking up to two weeks ahead of schedule, with grapes showing exceptional ripeness, flavour concentration, and balance. Growers say conditions are as good as they’ve ever seen for both sparkling and still wines, raising hopes that 2025 will go down as a vintage year in English winemaking history.

One vineyard leading the way is Ashling Park Estate in West Sussex. Just a mile from the coast, Ashling Park is one of the most southerly vineyards in England, and its 50-acre estate has flourished in 2025’s superb conditions. Grapes destined for sparkling wines are displaying the perfect balance of sugar and acidity, while still wine varieties are reaching rare levels of quality.

But Ashling Park’s story isn’t just about grapes. The estate has become a flagship for English wine tourism, with visitors flocking for vineyard tours, fine dining in its restaurant, stays in luxury lodges, as well as hands-on experiences like gin school and cocktail-making classes.

“2025 has been phenomenal,” says Gail Gardner Managing Director at Ashling Park . “We’re harvesting earlier, with grapes of superb quality. It’s not just good for the wine in the bottle — it’s a story that’s bringing more visitors and attention to English wine than ever before.”

While France’s Champagne region battles with rising temperatures and shifting harvest dates, English producers are enjoying their moment. The 2025 harvest shows that England is no longer the newcomer, but a serious contender producing sparkling wines to rival the best.

Notes to editors:

• 2025’s growing season has been marked by consistent warm, dry weather, ideal for grape ripening.
• Vineyards across the South East and South West are reporting earlier harvests and outstanding grape quality.
• Ashling Park’s 50-acre estate in West Sussex combines award-winning wines with wine tourism: vineyard, restaurant, lodges, café, gin school, and cocktail-making classes.

For more information, interviews, or images, please contact:
Gail Gardner 

Ashling Park Estate
07768 123678 / 01243 967700 

gail.gardner@ashlingpark.co.uk

Harvest in full swing