Thieves steal £80k worth of wine from Bolney

Nearly 5,000 bottles of wine worth £80,000 have been stolen from Bolney Wine Estate in West Sussex overnight.

Among the bottles stolen were 540 bottles of the estate’s Blanc de Blanc 2009, as well as bottles of its Cuvée Rosé, Bolney Bubbly, Sirrius Rosé, Lychgate White and Linter’s Red.

Staff at the winery discovered the theft this morning, with the goods being stolen from their warehouse overnight on 26 February.

The retail value of the wines stolen amounts to over £80,000, which were destined for a range of supermarkets including Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and other local independent merchants.

Samantha Linter, managing director and head winemaker said: “We are understandably upset and frustrated by the loss of such a large amount of wine, as we work incredibly hard here at Bolney Wine Estate to produce top quality English wines. If anyone has information, could you please get in touch on 01444 881575 or phone the Police on 101.”

The Bolney Wine Estate, set in the West Sussex countryside, is one of England’s longest-established vineyards founded in the 1970s.

Its sandstone soils and south-facing slopes are perfect for growing grapes including Bacchus, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, and the more exotic Müller-Thurgau, Würzer and Schönburger.