Leonardslee Family Vineyards is delighted to announce the launch of a premium new tasting room, located within Leonardslee House, at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens.
The Drawing Room at Leonardslee will offer tutored wine tasting experiences and wine tours during the day, with the opportunity for private dining events after hours.
The design of the room will reflect the elegance of the brand, the beauty of the setting and has stunning views over the vineyard and Grade 1 listed gardens. The location of the tasting room within Leonardslee House will also capitalise on the existing footfall at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens (190,000 in 2025) and visitors can elevate their experience with luxury accommodation or dining at the estate.
Leonardslee Family Vineyards has experienced a very successful period with revenue growth up 51% in the past year (July 2025-June 2026). Having launched its English Sparkling wines in June 2024, this is remarkable second year growth with trade sales up 60%, and restaurant business from the Vineyard Kitchen up 128%.
Popularity of the onsite wine tours and tastings has increased dramatically with cellar door sales up 98% and this has prompted the creation of the new tasting room within the luxury setting of Leonardslee House.
Barry Anderson, Managing Director or Leonardslee Family Vineyards comments; “We are absolutely delighted with our recent sales growth, which clearly demonstrates the increasing strength of our brand and the hard work of our entire team. English wine tourism is experiencing an incredible boom, and by combining award-winning wines with luxury accommodation and exceptional dining, we have created a true destination at Leonardslee. The launch of our new tasting room will be a fantastic asset, allowing us to elevate our guest experience further and unlock exciting new opportunities across the wider estate.”
The Drawing Room at Leonardslee will debut on October 1st, 2026, with tasting reservations available online.
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Notes for Editors
- Penny Streeter OBE and her family purchased the Leonardslee estate near Horsham in West Sussex in 2016, and the first vines were planted in 2017.
- The Barn Swallow on the LEONARDSLEE label is symbolic of Penny herself, and the migration she makes between her two loves; her home in South Africa and her English sparkling wine estate. The swallow is also significant due to its long, established relationship with Sussex; many end their long journey here from Africa.
- Leonardslee Family Vineyards only make wines from its own estate-grown grapes and practices regenerative viticulture in the vineyards.
- Leonardslee is a certified member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. (SWGB) Leonardslee Brut Reserve 2021 was awarded the SWGB Best Wine Trophy at the WineGB Awards 2025.
- Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, which makes up a substantial part of the estate, features ‘the finest woodland gardens in England’. Grade I Listed, the 240-acre gardens were established by Sir Edmund Loder, the great Victorian plant collector. The estate reopened in April 2019, following acquisition and two years’ intensive work by entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE to restore the woodland gardens after eight years of closure and neglect under previous ownership. It was the largest garden restoration project in the United Kingdom since Heligan 30 years before.
- Since further restoration work in 2021, visitors can stay in the Vineyard Hotel or the luxurious Leonardslee House itself, dining at Restaurant Interlude to experience the Michelin Star multi-course tasting menu created by chef Jean Delport. Interlude was also awarded the highly acclaimed Michelin Green Star in January 2024.
- Visitors can enjoy numerous other attractions on the estate, including Mannings Heath golf, and an extensive programme of entertainment; winter garden illuminations and light trails, wine & beer festivals, art exhibitions, live music events, cooking and gardening demonstrations, crafts fairs, children’s events and adventure trails, Leonardslee is a true wine destination.