Did You Know Almost 44% of Nyetimber’s Vineyards Are Right Here in Kent?
We tend to think of Nyetimber as one of the great names of English sparkling wine. But here’s something you might not know: a very sizeable chunk of it belongs to Kent’s wine story.
We’ll admit it. We didn’t realise quite how much Nyetimber we could claim for Kent.
Of the producer’s total 430 hectares of vineyard, some 188.6 hectares are grown here in Kent. That means 43.8% of Nyetimber’s vineyard area is Kentish.
Nearly half.
So, as Nyetimber begins its earliest harvest on record, we think Kent is perfectly entitled to raise a glass.
An exceptionally early vintage
Picking for the 2026 harvest began on Monday 14 September, a week earlier than originally anticipated, after some vines reached optimal ripeness ahead of schedule.
The main harvest gets underway from 21 September, with Nyetimber expecting to harvest around 425 of its 430 hectares across Kent, West Sussex and Hampshire.
Around 2,500 tonnes of grapes are expected to be picked, with the potential to eventually produce more than 1.5 million bottles of sparkling wine from the 2026 vintage.
And this really is an early one.
The previous earliest start was 19 September in 2018, making this year’s first picking five days earlier. Nyetimber says the record-breaking heat of the UK summer accelerated ripening and also helped vines affected by late spring frosts to catch up.
While quantities are expected to be slightly diminished, the winemaking team believes the quality could be outstanding.
Could 2026 be a vintage year?
Conditions have given Nyetimber’s winemakers enough confidence to suggest that 2026 could be a vintage year, potentially allowing them to produce some — or even all — of their vintage-dated wines, including Blanc de Blancs, Tillington Single Vineyard, 1086 by Nyetimber and 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé.
Almost 500 pickers will travel to Nyetimber’s vineyards for the harvest, with grapes meticulously picked by hand, parcel by parcel.
It marks the 20th Nyetimber harvest for winemakers Cherie Spriggs and Brad Greatrix.
Spriggs, who was named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge 2025, said:
“This year brings another unprecedented vintage as we begin harvesting earlier than ever. We are excited to taste the fruits of our labour, which as always has come with certain challenges: late spring frosts that affected almost 30% and the summer drought which has decreased the size of certain berries. However, the hot and sunny weather has helped to balance out these factors, giving us strong potential for fantastic wine quality.”
From Kent vines to award-winning bottles
Nyetimber owns 100% of its vineyards and grows Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with its wines made entirely from estate-grown grapes.
Its vintage wines have picked up some serious accolades in recent years. The Blanc de Blancs 2016 Magnum was named Champion Sparkling Wine at the International Wine Challenge 2025, while 1086 by Nyetimber 2010 was the highest-scoring sparkling wine and top overall wine at the 2025 ‘Battle of the Bubbles’ at London Wine Fair.
This year, Nyetimber was also named Winery of the Year Great Britain by The Real Review, with 1086 by Nyetimber 2014 awarded Sparkling Wine of the Year.
But for us, the particularly interesting bit is what’s happening much closer to home.
188.6 hectares. 43.8% of Nyetimber’s vineyard area. Right here in Kent.
So next time someone opens a bottle of Nyetimber, there’s a rather good chance that Kent has played its part.
And we’ll happily drink to that. 🥂
