From the winners’ enclosure to the vineyard…
Ahead of English Wine Week, James Viner meets Susannah Ricci, leading British National Hunt racehorse owner and proprietor of Yotes Court Vineyard the newest member of Wine Garden of England, near Mereworth…
From Cheltenham’s winning enclosures to Kent’s greensand slopes, Ricci has built a wine business guided by the same instincts for timing, risk and reward that underpin her racing career.
Susannah has lived at Yotes Court, a fully restored Grade I listed building, with her family since 2010.
Since then she has transformed a once-neglected estate into a working vineyard where silks meet soil. Regenerative farming shapes the landscape, while a focused winemaking programme brings the site’s character to the glass.
This is English wine with a racing heartbeat. Saddle up for this interview, readers!
So Susannah, when and why did you establish Yotes Court VINEYARD?
It began in 2014 when the neighbouring farm came up for sale. With no farming background, I hesitated – but land is always considered a solid investment, so I took the leap.
Instead of renting it out, I chose to farm it myself. With guidance from Strutt & Parker and Stephen Skelton of the Institute of Masters of Wine, we planted 50 acres of vines in 2016. Stephen introduced vineyard manager Tony Purdie to me and secured an early grape contract with Chapel Down, which was vital in the vineyard’s early years.
When was your first Yotes Court vintage?
The 2018 harvest, one of England’s standout vintages, confirmed the site’s potential. We then expanded plantings to Bacchus, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.
How many wines do you now make?
We now make 12 wines. Until the sparkling cuvée Annie Power 2021, all our wines were single varietals. We wanted a signature sparkler with greater depth and consistency. The 2021 blend – 59% Chardonnay, 31% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Gris – was released this March.
It’s named in tribute to Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power, marking a decade since that victory. Ten years later, we won the race again with another talented and popular mare named Lossiemouth.
How did the Yotes Court brand take shape?
Working with brand consultant Valiant, we linked Yotes Court’s identity to my racing background. Pink and green became the house colours. Still wine labels feature big spots and take their names from jockey racing terms, while sparkling wines honour successful horses.
And in what way did your racing background lead to making wine?
I think it was more evolution than design. I do things on instinct rather than plan – ‘give it a go and make it work’ is my philosophy in life.
Racing has shaped our lives for years. We met Willie Mullins in 2005 through a family friend and bought our first horse. Success followed with Ruby Walsh, including Annie Power and Faugheen at Cheltenham. Every owner has their own racing silks; mine are a baby pink shirt (with lime green spots) and cap, modelled on a handbag I loved.
Tell us about your commitment to sustainability?
We are part of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain scheme, which provides a framework for continuous improvement and encourages constant scrutiny of what we’re doing. That means careful soil management, biodiversity initiatives and a light-touch approach to inputs where possible. The challenge is balance – maintaining regenerative ideals within the realities of England’s marginal climate. Ultimately, crop health remains the priority.
What have been your proudest moments so far?
With racing, it has to be the 2026 Cheltenham Festival – winning both the Champion Hurdle with Lossiemouth and the Gold Cup with Gaelic Warrior. Both later repeated this success at the Irish Champion Hurdle and Irish Gold Cup at Punchestown, making us the first owner to achieve the ‘Double-Double.’
In terms of wine, it’s the quieter milestones: establishing the vineyard, tasting our wines, and hearing positive feedback from people who have no particular reason to be polite! In 2020, we won Wine GB’s ‘Best Newcomer’ for ‘Best Turned Out’ Rosé, a significant early expert endorsement.
What have been your toughest challenges and greatest rewards?
Climate remains the defining challenge. No two vintages are alike. The reward comes when everything aligns: healthy fruit, expressive wines, and a proud team.
And finally, what’s next for Yotes Court?
I would say it has to be steady growth over expansion. The Wine Club launch has been successful, and alongside supplying the Jockey Club, we are growing trade customers, corporate gifting and exploring exports.
WHERE TO FIND
YOTES COURT WINES:
Wines are stocked by Corkk and The Cheese Shop in Tunbridge Wells, Haywards Farm shop in Tonbridge, and Macknade in Faversham, as well as other selected retailers.
Yotes Court offers cellar door sales and is open year-round for vineyard and garden tours, wine tastings, corporate events and lunches. Mailing-list subscribers receive priority access to tickets and events.
Stan Lane, West Peckham, Kent, ME18 5JT
07961 663 564
