Rathfinny Sussex Sparkling partners with Nimbility for expansion in APAC

Rapidly becoming known as the UK’s finest producer of Pinot Noir-based sparkling wines, Rathfinny Wine Estate is turning its attention to APAC, partnering with Nimbility to build their market presence across the region.

The initial focus will be to secure quality import and distribution partners that service the premium on-trade and specialist off-trade in key flagship cities such as Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul. This will be followed by a strong brand building effort by Nimbility’s creative team to drive visibility and reputation for Rathfinny in key flagship accounts to pique consumer interest and demand.

Sarah Driver (left) & Mark Driver (right)

“Rathfinny Wine Estate have established an amazing list of customers in the UK and Northern Europe and we’re really excited to be partnering with Nimbility to drive our market expansion throughout the Asia Pacific region,” says Mark Driver, co-owner of Rathfinny. 

“Having launched our wines in Hong Kong in 2018, we’re very excited to be introducing our Sussex sparkling wines into the wider Asia Pacific region.”

Sarah Driver co-owner of Rathfinny added that: “Having grown up in Hong Kong, we have always felt that we needed an agency within the region to ensure our customers get the quality of service they deserve. Our partnership with Nimbility will help us achieve this.”

Estate established in 2010

Husband and wife, Mark and Sarah Driver, established the Rathfinny Wine Estate in 2010 on a working arable farm with the express intention of producing some of the world’s finest quality sparkling wines.

Located on a breath-taking south-facing slope in the South Downs of Sussex, the estate is found on the same band of chalk that forms the Paris Basin, running from Northern France into Southern England. Here, the semi-continental climate, with high levels of sunshine, long, warm sunny days and less rainfall than the rest of the UK, along with the free-draining chalk soils and southern aspect, form the perfect ‘terroir’ for the production of world-class sparkling wines.

The first 50 acres of vines were planted in 2012 and there are now 230 acres under vine predominantly planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Rathfinny low-intervention, Traditional Method, vintage Sussex Sparkling wines are a true expression of their Sussex terroir. Produced from hand-harvested grapes that are whole-bunch pressed and patiently matured, on lees and in bottle to develop rich, autolytic notes, with a low dosage that emphasises the purity of the fruit.

Rathfinny Sussex Sparkling Wine Full Range

Pinot Noir’s rich flavours and multi-layered texture combined with a low dosage and long lees ageing characterizes the Rathfinny wines which are fast building a reputation for being the finest Pinot-Noir based sparkling wines in the UK. Indeed, Neal Martin writing for Vinous has quoted: “Impressive energy and sophistication are clear to see in what might be one of England's best Blanc de Noirs.”

Releasing their first wines only in 2018, Rathfinny’s staggering success in the UK market has been especially noteworthy. With listings at The Dorchester, Dinner by Heston, The Fat Duck, Claridge’s, The Savoy, Le Gavroche, The Ritz, Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridge’s, to name but a few, Rathfinny is proving its viability to be present in the finest dining and retail establishments in the world. It’s debut into the Hong Kong market in 2019 saw quick listings gained at The Peninsula Hotel, Man Wah at The Mandarin Oriental as well as leading restaurant group Black Sheep.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Rathfinny”, says Nimbility Founding Partner Francesca Martin. “English sparkling wine is one of the most exciting new categories to have emerged in the wine world in recent years and Rathfinny is fast becoming a recognized benchmark that can hold its own alongside the finest sparkling wines of the world. Its proven success in top dining and retail establishments in London and Hong Kong paves the way for rapid adoption in many of the world’s other great cities, including APAC.”   

For more information on Rathfinny in APAC please contact info@nimbilityasia.com