Winelands – A Festival of English Wine in Lewes – 8-13 June 2026

Raise a glass to English Wine with WINELANDS – an exciting festival in Lewes to showcase the world-class quality of Sussex and South East England’s sparkling and still wines. WINELANDS brings together wine lovers, local producers, and industry experts for a week-long celebration of the region’s finest vintages.

Organised by a group of wine professionals, enthusiasts and local businesses, WINELANDS will include:

• A Grand Tasting at All Saints, Lewes – featuring producers from sixteen amazing Sussex vineyards, including: Albourne • Dillions • Kingscote • Mountfield • Mousehall • Nutbourne • Oastbrook • Oxney Organic • Rathfinny • Rowfant • Stopham • Sugrue South Downs • Tinwood • Wildwood • Winklestone • Wiston  

Date: Saturday 13th June, sessions from 12 noon, tickets £5 including tasting glass.

• A book launch by Olly Smith, Lewes’s own celebrity wine expert, of his new crime fiction, Death by Noir, at Gorringe’s in Lewes, with wines from Artelium, and signed book copies available. Gorringe’s Fine Wine specialist Lisse Garnett will conduct a Q&A interview with Olly about his career, connections to Lewes, and his new book.  

Date: Wednesday 10th June, 6-8pm, free entry but booking required.

• A special film screening of the highly entertaining documentary Sour Grapes about a notorious wine fraudster, presented by director Jerry Rothwell, at Depot in Lewes, with a post-film blind wine tasting, led by Lewes Master of Wine Mike Best, to spot the ‘fake wine’, followed by an afterparty with a glass of Sussex sparkling in the Depot garden.

Date: Thursday 11th June, 6pm. Tickets £26 to include the film, blind tasting, and afterparty.

• During Winelands, other Lewes venues will be promoting local wines with drop-in tastings, pairing menus, and other events highlighting the exceptional talent and craftsmanship behind English winemaking. 

For tickets and information, visit WINELANDS: 8 – 13 June 2026