What could be more romantic than sipping some delightful sparkling wine whilst looking down on the pretty city of Brighton and Hove from above? Not a lot! And the British Airways i360 gives you the perfect vantage. I visited this summer on the first of the Nyetimber sampling flights. Carefully adhering to distancing rules, the visitor numbers are limited as an exclusive party is held in the sky with a representative of Nyetimber educating eager wine quaffers on the history of this groundbreaking local winery. Making a name in the wine world, the southern English soil and wet climate are beginning to produce grapes which are plump and ripe with optimum levels of acidity – which has resulted in Nyetimber Estate’s sparkling blends to fly off the shelves and achieve global acclaim- winning international awards and blind-tasting competitions.
If you don’t mind flying, you will love this “trip”. Guests go through an airport-like security check on entry, and are invited to enjoy the private terrace (with Nyetimber bar natch), before entering the pod. The mushroom structure, which is now a prominent feature on the Brighton panorama might resemble a spaceship from the outside, but the spacious bar area, poseur tables and leather banquette seating offer a very modern alternative to a pub! And on this flight the 30 minute journey zipped by as we enjoyed three glasses of Nyetimber’s best-selling sparkling whilst enjoying 360* views of Brighton, the South Downs and the stunning coastline.
Perfect for a special occasion, I enjoyed a sunset flight, and was blessed it was such a beautiful day, as the views were spectacular. Even though I have lived in Brighton for almost 25 years, the view from above never fails to impress, and you can see the south coast’s beautiful landscape including the impressive domes of the Royal Pavilion, the row of colourful beach huts leading to Hove and the splendid Regency crescents and large parks, who’d have thought Brighton had so many green spaces? Most interesting for me is seeing the skeleton of the West Pier – which is a sad, but melancholic sight!
Take in the breathtaking views from 450ft high, whilst enjoying a drink at the south coast’s highest bar. You may even get lucky and see the coast of France past the windmills . . . whatever happens, you will have a memorable trip and some delicious sparkling wine which is made with love and values sustainability, ensuring production has a positive impact on nature, society and the economy. It tastes great too.
The next Nyetimber Tasting Flight is on 23rd September.
Check out more on Nyetimber here. For more on British Airways i360 see online.
