A chance comment at a Champagne tasting event in 2018 that “English wine is the future” made Simon Hollister and Zoë Porter realise there is a fast-growing market for English wines that needed to be addressed. So in 2023, along with Simon’s eldest son, Raff, they launched L&C Wines, through a shared love of English wine and the desire to make it accessible and available to everyone. Based in Chichester, L&C Wines is currently online only but there are exciting plans to establish an English wine bar serving locally sourced fresh food in a relaxed, fun setting. Their excitement about Sussex wine is contagious and something that really resonates with us folk here at Sussex Exclusive.
A Sussex wine tour delivered in a box
L&C stocks still and sparkling wines from over 30 Sussex Vineyards (and from many other counties), particularly focussing on the small and medium vineyards. The idea is that you can select several wines, from different vineyards and have them delivered to your home or office, effectively touring the vineyards, virtually, particularly whilst the weather is poor.
Special offer
We’ve been chatting wine with Simon and Zoë for the last few months, comparing notes and getting excited about the latest wine find so we’re super excited that they’re offering SE readers a 10% discount off any Christmas orders. Just use the code: SUSSEX10
Offer lasts until 2nd January 2024. And you must be over 18.
Sussex Rosé and cottage pie?
Like any beloved pet, a Rosé is for life, not just for summer. Seasonal drinking went out with drop shipping, snap backs, and a myriad of other things we should forget. English Rosé, and in particular Sussex Rosé is amongst the best in the world.
Rosé goes with so many things, in fact, L&C love it with Cottage Pie and drink it with an amazing BBC Good Food recipe (see https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cottage-pie ). Making mini Cottage Pies for when you have multiple guests over Christmas, is a low-effort, but tasty solution to the masses who visit over Christmas and New Year. L&C has the best selection of English Rosés anywhere and encourage you to try from multiple Sussex Vineyards. If you want 6 bottles from a single vineyard, buy from them, but if you want to spice things up with some variety, let L&C take you on a virtual tour so you can find your favourites. Or just have fun looking.
And what about these other Sussex wines?
With Christmas and New Year fast approaching, they have also selected a few of their other Sussex favourites, including a few award winners:
- Hidden Spring Here Be Dragons Rosé (Horam).
- Everflyht Brut NV (Ditchling).
- Charles Palmer Pinot Noir 2019 (Winchelsea).
- Boco by House Coren 2022 Sparkling Rose (Billingshurst).
- Digby Fine English NV Brut (Arundel), Platinum Winner Decanter World Wine Awards 2019, Wine GB Gold Medal Winner 2019, 2021, 2022.
- Ridgeview Bloomsbury Brut (Ditchling), Silver Winner Decanter World Wine Awards 2018, Silver Outstanding IWSC 2018, Star of England, Star Taste, Star Value and Star of Sussex Harpers Wine Star Awards 2021.
- Mountfield Winery Sparkling Brut (Mountfield).
- Woodreed Hunter Organic Sparkling Brut (Buxted Park), Wine GB Awards Bronze 2021, IEA Awards Gold 2021.
- Fox & Fox Tradition 2014 Sparkling Brut (Mayfield), Platinum Winner Decanter World Wine Awards, Gold Medal Sommelier Wine Awards.
- Hidden Spring Bacchus (Horam), Silver Medal Winner Wine GB Awards 2020.
- Blackdown Ridge 2018 Vintage Classic Cuvée Sparkling Brut (Haslemere).
- Hindleap 2016 Sparkling Rosé Brut (Uckfield), Winner of the 2023 WineGB Trophy for Best Sparkling Rosé.
Accessible wine
One of the cornerstones of L&C Wines is that they want English wine to lose its perceived snobbery. Neither Simon or Zoë are formally “wine” trained, however, they believe if it tastes good, then it is good, and everyone has different tastes. So don’t be afraid to call or email them and they will help with food pairing, events, weddings and parties and pretty much everything.
Same or next-day delivery is free for orders in Chichester and surrounding areas, regardless of order size and next day delivery to everywhere else on mainland UK, for orders placed before 2 pm, Monday to Thursday. The wines can also be collected from Chichester if you need them urgently from early in the morning to late at night, 7 days a week.
Drink it or gift it!
If you have had a bad day, drink Sussex wine, if you’ve had a good day, drink Sussex wine and support the amazing vineyards of East and West Sussex.
To order visit: www.landcwines.co.uk
