A new vineyard experience
We love matching wine with food and now one of our favourite vineyards in West Sussex has taken this experience to another level with the launch of their Vineyard Kitchen.
Tinwood Estate has been creating award-winning wine for more than 15 years and is renowned for its unique accommodation, tours, tastings and events. Now, under the helm of their pioneering founders, Tinwood offers a new, and very different, dining concept.
This is not a restaurant as you know it. Here, cold and hot dishes championing local produce are matched with Tinwood’s wines, all of which can be enjoyed from the elegant indoor Tasting Room, the spacious outdoor dining area or relaxing on a picnic blanket.
Pop along, grab a crate and fill it with whatever takes your fancy from the selection of freshly made dishes, then select your sparkling wine, choose from Tinwood’s Blanc de Blancs, (Chardonnay dominant sparkling which matches with light canapes and shellfish); Tinwood’s Brut, (its crisp fruity freshness perfect with a zesty salad or fish); the Blanc de Noir (a blend of Pinot Noir and Meunier, great with more hearty dishes); and Tinwood’s Rosé, (delicious with something sweet).
There’s also soft drinks, coffee and cakes, and we hear the afternoon tea is not to be missed.
Inspiration from afar
Wine tourism has always been at the heart of Tinwood. Having taken over the family farm in 2006, Art Tukker converted the land into 110-acres of vines, from which he created sparkling from the classic trio of champagne grapes, Chardonnay, Meunier and Pinot Noir. Award-winning too, recent accolades have put Tinwood’s wines in the top 2% of the world’s sparkling wines.
Starting with wine tours and tastings, the Tukker’s opened a tasting room and then created Tinwood’s stylish lodge accommodation.
After expanding the tasting room in 2019 into a larger space, a blank canvas presented itself to Art and his wife to create something new and different – a new dining experience not seen in the UK.
Inspired by their travels, it was in New Zealand that the duo fell in love with stylish, architecturally-led, welcoming cellar doors. Whilst South Africa’s gastronomic experiences, particularly in the vineyards of Stellenbosch encouraged them to go one step further with their Vineyard Kitchen vision, where a talented chef is given the freedom to create small plates of fresh, local produce, served in a beautiful setting.
Chef Santo Busciglio
The next step was to bring on a top chef to run the kitchen. Tinwood’s head chef, Santo Busiglio’s dishes reflect his Italian and British roots. There’s a multi-lingual appeal to them, hinting at his 40 years of working at passes in Italy, Brussels, France and England, across Michelin starred restaurants and with several rosettes on his CV,
His favourite dishes? Pickling is his signature, whilst the salt cod is a must-try. Chef Santo is a fan of our local cheeses, whilst in his own words “you can never go wrong with a wonderful charcuterie plate layered with artisanal salami and parma”.
Designed around the wines of Tinwood, and influenced by what is locally available at the time, the cold and hot selection of sharing dishes are seasonally bright and fresh.
Location
Found 10 minutes’ drive from Chichester and five minutes from Goodwood, this is green rolling hill territory, the drive to and from Tinwood is worth the visit alone – stunning farms, charming villages, picture-perfect pubs, and just a few miles from the sea you’re never too far from the sight of blue.
Pips ‘n pieces
Walk-ins are fine, you only need to book ahead if you’re want a Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting or afternoon tea. Keep in mind, it gets busy on weekends, so pre-bookings are recommended. Vegan and vegetarian options are available, and dogs are welcome.
Tinwood do not sell their wines through supermarkets, so this is a great way to try some of our country’s best from where it was made.
Tours and tastings are available every day from April to September, at 1pm and 3pm. The 1 ½ hour long tour includes a tasting and you can choose a basket for some nibbles from the Vineyard Kitchen.
Afternoon tea with a vineyard tour take place on Wednesdays. The Afternoon Tea includes generous helpings of sandwiches, scones, cakes and three glasses of Tinwood sparkling as you learn about the estate and enjoy a tutored wine tasting.
Stay at Tinwood
There are three boutique lodges available, each with stunning views over the countryside. See our review of the Lodges here
Vineyard Kitchen opening times
Open seven days a week
Sunday to Friday: 11am to 5.30pm
Saturday: 11am to 8.30pm
