Our Story

Just outside Groombridge, East Sussex, and only an hour from London, you’ll find Birchden Vineyards.

It’s a little slice of heaven, nestled in the stunning High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; a family-run, 23-acre working farm where we work with nature and our community to lovingly produce mouth-watering wines, honey and apple juice.

Co-owned by Tom & Andrea Lindeyer and Ralph & Jane Lindeyer, Birchden Vineyards became home to our families in 2019. Blissfully unaware of the magnitude of our undertaking, between young families and a pandemic, we embarked on a steep learning curve. We were determined to revive the unruly vines and surrounding farmland, and reveal all the magic that our beautiful farm had to offer.

From day one, we’ve been committed to responsible and sustainable farming, in harmony with nature and the local community. The orchard, beehives, a wildflower field, a lake teeming with wildfowl, and a diverse wildlife habitat all reflect our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.

We are passionate about raising our family in an environment filled with exploration and magic.

Emilia

There would be no Blackbird Cafe or events without Emilia's attention to detail and love for making our guests visits something to remember. A founder of Birchden Vineyards events and cafe, she is the heart and soul of our hospitality.

lucy

Lucy is our Head of Communications. She manages all of our marketing, social media and partnerships, and helps with the day-to-day running of Birchden Vineyards. She started here as a Vineyard Vixen working on the vineyard, and is trained to WSET Level 2. You might also meet her on a tour, tasting or event!

jo

Jo leads on Business Development and Sales, making sure we're speaking to the right people about our wines. Not only is she brilliant at relationships, she's also a former Vineyard Vixen who knows the vines inside out and is qualified to WSET Level 2 in Wines. She's our star tour guide, so book a vineyard tour soon she would love to meet you!

Amber

Amber is force for perfection, if you are loving our events program let her know. She is the energy behind making sure there is something going on at the Cafe every weekend and creating magical experiences for everyone who visits.

john

Also known as the 'John of all trades'. You will see John mainly taking care of the bees with Ralph and Roxanne, but he also delivers wonderful tours and is WSET Level 2 accredited and helps Nick our groundsman with making sure the land is ready for guests.