Bolney Wine Estate has announced plans to replant its current 18-acre vineyard, starting after this year’s harvest. 

In a two-phase development plan, Bolney will work in conjunction with Dr. Alistair Nesbitt and his team at Vinescapes to remove 10,000 vines that have been producing for the past 30 years but are now coming to the end of their lifespan. 

The team will also be selecting new vine varieties, clones and rootstocks that are better suited to the evolving climate and the estate’s sustainability goals. 

Following the grubbing up, set to take place this autumn, the vines will be replanted in spring 2026, followed by a second phase of grubbing up in autumn 2026 and replanting in spring 2027. 

Bolney said that the two-phase approach will minimise disruption to guests during this period and help the production team manage the availability of its own estate-grown fruit. 

James Davis MW, wine development director at Freixenet Copestick & Henkell, will be managing the process alongside Nesbitt. 

He said: “This marks a very exciting evolution for Bolney, which has always been at the forefront of innovation and creative thinking in English winemaking. As we replant, we’re making intentional choices based on long-term projections of consumer preferences and selecting varieties that not only thrive in our changing climate but also align with where we believe taste and demand are headed over the next two to three decades.” 

Bolney head winemaker Cara Lee Dely, added: “As a winemaker, having the opportunity to be part of a project like this is thrilling. Vines do have a life span, and become more vulnerable to disease as they age, and of course it’s important from a winemaking perspective that we’re always working with the highest quality fruit that we can. I’m really looking forward to further developing the portfolio of award-winning Bolney sparkling and still wines and reaffirming our commitment to excellence and innovation.”