Join our annual Harvest Lunch

Join us for the October 8th Vineyard Harvest Lunch at Leonardslee House - highlighting delicious food, exquisite wine, enjoyable company, and a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Help us bring in the 2022 harvest of English wine by joining in the morning grape picking too if you wish!  

It’s a great opportunity to find out about the art and craft of winemaking – starting with the cultivation and picking of the grapes. The time of harvest depends on the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar, acid and tannin levels. Our winemaker bases his decision on the style of wine he wants to produce.  

As we move closer to releasing our Sussex Wines, we thought it would be fitting to offer you a taste of our first English red wine. 

Indulge in a South African themed harvest table meal paired with exquisite wines from our Cape Province sister estate at Benguela Cove. 

Wines from South Africa and the UK

The Harvest Lunch event showcases delicious South African wines from the Streeter family’s second vineyard estate - at Benguela Cove, near Hermanus. All the wines are available here at Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens from the estate shops, online and from the Wine Club. 

Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate's award-winning vintages result from the perfect climate and soil in the Walker Bay area. According to Cellar Master Johan Fourie, this vineyard is at the lowest level and has the longest coastline of any in the world because of its position on the very brink of the Atlantic Ocean. He oversees winemaking and vineyard operations at the 170-acre estate, which produces over 500,000 bottles of award-winning wines. 

The Streeter family un the UK has developed the Sussex Wine vineyard at Leonardslee into something really unique, a new vineyard experience. Luxury vineyard hotel accommodation, a year-round calendar of events, and activities like wine tours and tastings are all part of the experience, set in the beautiful grounds of the estate. 

Sir Edmund Loder, a famous Victorian plant collector, landscaped the grounds. The ancient 240-acre estate is home to "The Finest Woodland Gardens in England," and is known for its breathtaking views all year round, with a Grade I Listing designation by English Heritage. 

Starting on November 24th, the estate will host the ever-popular Leonardslee Illuminated, with an after-dark light path that will deck the gardens in a kaleidoscope of colour and music.  

If you are already a member of the gardens or want to become one before the event, you can apply now for one of a limited number of complimentary tickets for specified days. This represents a saving of £18 off the price of an adult ticket to see the garden illuminations. 

Sussex Vineyard Experience

Leonardslee is home to not one but two vineyards producing Sussex Wine. 

A three-mile drive from Leonardslee House brings you to the main vineyard site, which is located beside Mannings Heath Estate and its golf course. 

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes covering 37 acres will produce their maiden vintage. From 2024 the estate's wines will be available, with a yearly production of some 70,000 bottles of sparkling Sussex Wine. 

Meanwhile, guests can enjoy stunning views across the forest gardens and the South Downs while dining at Restaurant Interlude or savouring a traditional afternoon tea at Leonardslee House, close to where the second, smaller vineyard is situated. 

Here there are pinot noir grapes and an experimental pinotage planting across the four-acre area. Since Pinotage is usually found in South Africa's warmer climate, this is a first for the United Kingdom. South African Barry Anderson, who heads up Leonardslee's wine operations in the United Kingdom, says harvests have been excellent so far, and he expects great results for 2022. 

Guests at the Leonardslee’s harvest lunch on October 8th can enjoy the very first tasting of wines from the experimental plants. 

Explore the Gardens and Sculpture Park

Entry to the gardens is included in the price of harvest lunch tickets. Walkers can enjoy the parkland and woods, discover the seven interconnected lakes in the valley, and marvel at the wallaby colony and exceptional flora and wildlife. In their natural environments, many of these plants and trees are in danger of extinction. 

There are cafes, gift shop, and even a museum dedicated to dolls and the dolls’ house. To top it all off, the park has the largest individual display of sculptures in Europe. The Streeter family and South African artist Anton Smit worked together to achieve this awe-inspiring sculpture park. Over eighty modern sculptures may be seen along "The Walk of Life." Each piece was designed and staged by the artist specifically for the Grade I Listed gardens, making it impossible to miss. 

Harvest Lunch Event

This year, we invite you to join us for our annual harvest celebration, where you can sit back, drink, and savour the day away with friends and family. 

Start: from 10:00 arrival, enjoy freshly baked pastries & bubbly    

• 10:30 Welcome by Barry Anderson, MD of our wine enterprises.

• 10:45 Join us in some grape picking    

• 12:30 Back from picking    

• 13:00 Harvest Table lunch with a South African twist    

Ends: 15:00 Finish - guests have access to Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens until 17:00.   

£65 per person - 10% off for Leonardslee members