Spar Hill in the village of Purleigh offers views over the Blackwater Estuary.

We had sourced Chardonnay grapes from Spar Hill for three years, so when it came up for sale in 2023, we moved quickly. Knowing what we know now we can piece together its advantages. The clay forming the crown of the hill is super stiff, with reasonable water holding capacity. The land drains south-east, but rather than becoming waterlogged, the clay at the bottom of the slope is more drought prone than the land above it, so there’s a benign balance of sorts up and down the slope.