Artelium Wine Estate was a natural contender for sponsorship of Art on A Postcard’s auctions. Beyond creating exceptional wines, it’s their collaboration with contemporary artists which caught our attention.
Nestled in the rolling hills of East Sussex, Artelium Wine Estate intertwines exceptional English winemaking with curated contemporary art and sculpture. Founded by Mark Collins and Julie Bretland, Artelium was born from the shared desire to create a space that merges creativity, craftsmanship, and nature.
The name ‘Artelium’ is a blend of “Art” and “ium”, the Latin for ‘a place to congregate.’ This name reflects their philosophy of crafting a space for people to come together and enjoy wine and art in a beautiful natural setting.
The Art of Winemaking
For Artelium, winemaking is a creative act. Like an artist working with canvas or clay, a winemaker interprets what nature offers, working with each vintage’s essential qualities to blend and shape it into something exceptional. Each harvest is a new palette. Each vintage a quiet collaboration between land, weather, and human skill.
A Creative Vineyard Experience
Spanning 135 acres across East and West Sussex, and planted with classic varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier—and fungus resistant PIWIs—Artelium’s vineyards reflect both innovation and terroir-aware viticulture
Yet Artelium’s estate houses more than just vines; the landscape is a canvas for artistic expression. The originally agricultural land has been altered to frame sculptural installations which form part of Artelium’s permanent collection.
Renowned public artist Will Nash’s sculpture ‘Futures Past’, a bold, directional piece made of weathered steel, is the first stop on their vineyard tours. Whilst Royal Society of Sculpture artist Walter Bailey’s piece ‘Wood, Earth Hoop’ sits just below the lower terrace, framing the linear vines and the undulating South Downs. In September, Artelium will be welcoming another permanent sculpture on the estate, ‘Surface, Edge, Shadow’ a bisected installation made of bronze and iron wire by Rosie Mortimer.
Vineyard Tour with Will Nash's Future's Past
The Artefact Series
At the core of Artelium’s philosophy lies it's Artefact collection, a unique range of small batch artisan wines, made only in the finest years and produced in limited volumes. These collections are remarkable for various reasons, whether based on exceptional harvests, innovative wine making techniques, or creative blends.
Artelium’s Artefact range is a playground of experimentation, celebrating the ingenuity of their winemakers. To reflect this creativity, each Artefact wine is adorned with a new commissioned artwork from a contemporary artist that reflects its individual qualities, becoming part of the permanent art collection. After each of these small batches of wines have gone, the artwork remains as a reminder – or artefact – of both the wine and artistry.
Artists like Will Nash, Walter Bailey, Judith Alder, and The Baron Gilvan have each designed distinctive labels and contributed works. For instance, Walter Bailey’s ‘Wood, Earth Hoop’ sculpture—made from storm-felled oak sourced from the Artelium estate—and accompanying wine labels were created for Artefact #6, forming a powerful dialogue between the art, the wine, and the land.
Walter Bailey, Wood, Earth Hoop
Exhibitions & Cultural Events
Artelium hosts a rich arts programme throughout the year, including solo and group exhibitions, cultural talks, creative workshops and maker’s markets. Highlights include:
Futures Past (2023): Featuring Will Nash’s geometric sculptures and screenprints alongside labels for Artefacts #4 and #5
Motley Wild (2024): A lively mixed exhibition with The Baron Gilvan and others, coinciding with new wine labels and releases of Artefact’s #7 #8 & #9
Inherent Rhythms (2025): A solo exhibition with Sussex artist Kate McMinnies, featuring sculptural ceramics created with clay taken from Artelium’s estate
Their next exhibition will be ‘Divided Light,’ a solo exhibition from artist Rosie Mortimer, in September 2025. This show surrounds the launch of Artefacts #10 & #11 adorned with designs by Rosie and will unveil a new permanent sculpture for the estate alongside sculptural pieces and pen and ink drawings. The exhibition will be held in Artelium’s barn and runs from the 6th – 21st September.
Awards & Recognition
Artelium has garnered multiple awards—including Supreme Champion at the 2022 WineGB Awards and Decanter Gold medals in the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards for their Blanc de Blancs and Curators Cuvée 2018, each scoring 95 points. Artelium's blend of artistic collaboration and premium winemaking continues to resonate with critics and collectors alike.
Celebrating Wine, Art & Nature
Artelium stands as a fusion of sensory experiences: the taste of Sussex terroir, the aesthetic spark of contemporary art, and the rhythms of nature. By collaborating with local and national creatives, the estate offers a holistic experience of wine, art, and place.
With every bottle uncorked and artwork displayed, the estate invites visitors to appreciate the deeper stories of creativity, craft and terroir.
Artelium is only a short train journey away from London and is open from Thursday – Sunday for tours, tastings and alfresco dining. Find out more here: www.artelium.com
Look out for their wines at our next private view.
