Wine Families
Penny Streeter OBE created the UK’s first golf and wine estate in 2017 at Mannings Heath, and then with her son, Adam planted the UK’s first Pinotage vineyard at Leonardslee. Meet the Streeters.
Successful business entrepreneur Penny Streeter bought Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate in South Africa in 2013, on the Hermanus Wine Route in the Walker Bay region. She then acquired Mannings Heath golf club in Sussex and planted 37 acres of vineyards for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sparkling varietals. The next purchase was Grade I Listed Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens in 2018, just three miles away, where with her son Adam Streeter, the estate manager, she created the first commercial Pinotage Vineyard.
Penny: I wanted to create a South African-style wine destination experience in the UK - a lovely venue with wine tours and tastings and fun events. With Adam managing the Leonardslee estate, we have achieved it. He has set up a great programme of concerts, illuminations and more and has to manage all the details. Being separated by 6,000 miles during lockdown - with me in Cape Town and Adam based at Leonardslee - has had its challenges. It’s been good for his decision-making abilities!
Adam: She is an amazing entrepreneur and it’s been an incredible experience sharing her journey over the last four years - acquiring the two estates and creating two outstanding hospitality venues and vineyards. Whilst we are in touch constantly, the running of the estate is my responsibility and I have learned a lot - fast! Putting into practice what I have learned from her.
Penny: We don’t always agree. In fact, we have some quite strong disagreements over operational plans and details! But I like to think of it as creative tension. From this, we make good decisions most of the time and have made incredible progress. It is very much a family affair, with Adam’s wife Beth doing an amazing job as retail manager at Leonardslee. It’s so important to have someone to work alongside you that you can rely on, and to talk things through.
Penny and Adam Streeter’s Restaurant Interlude at Leonardslee has won a Michelin Star for two successive years. From left to right: Beth Streeter, retail manager and wife of Adam, Jean Delport, Restaurant Interlude chef, Anton Smit, guest sculpture artist at Leonardslee, Penny Streeter OBE, Adam Streeter and Anya Delport, Restaurant Interlude manager.