‘Running our vineyard makes us feel truly alive’
Kristina Studzinski left her job as a lawyer to forge a new life and career with her partner, Ann-marie Tynan.
Every morning I wake up in the stunning Sussex countryside and watch the sun rise over the vineyard that I own with my partner, Ann-marie. We built it ourselves on 32 acres of land, so it’s like looking at our own small empire.
I used to spend my days in court or briefing ministers as a government lawyer. Ann-marie was an investment wine broker; we bonded over our shared interest in wine, dreaming about living on a French vineyard one day. I started wine-tasting evening classes in 2010 and, as I learned more about grape varieties and how to taste the different notes, our dream began to feel achievable. We had the knowledge and interest, but we needed the practical skills, too.
Plumpton College in East Sussex has a two-year course on becoming a winemaker. Joining meant leaving my job, which was a big decision, but I was 47 and decided to start another career while I still could.
Ann-marie kept her job while I became a student in 2013. As well as assignments and exams, I was driving tractors and working on the on-site vineyard. Going from an established career back to college felt humbling at times, but it was liberating to be learning.
In the summer, Ann-marie and I helped out on a vineyard in France owned by an English couple. We loved the work, but saw how challenging running a vineyard in a foreign country could be. There was a growing wine scene in the UK and, in 2014, we found a plot of land near Hailsham in East Sussex with the perfect soil and south-facing slope for the vines.
We planted red grapes to make rosé wine, which works well in the English climate, opting for Pinot Noir, Regent, Rondo and Dornfelder varieties. The vines grew over the next two years and Ann-marie went part time while we built the on-site winery. We had our initial harvest in 2016 and created the first bottles of our signature dry rosés. Our blends are light in alcohol with refreshing acidity and a crisp, classic flavour.
As our land runs alongside a former railway line, we named the brand Off the Line and created a modern, punkish label that reflects our personalities. Ann-marie and I now both work full time at the vineyard. I finally feel truly alive.
ANN-MARIE SAYS...
Having spent 15 years in the wine industry, I could see the potential in the English wine scene. My main role is sales; pushing our own product can be tough because the brand is so personal. But I’ve always been the kind of person who sticks to something when I start it. I grew up in the Irish countryside, so starting an adventure out here feels like coming home.
offthelinevineyard.com
We bonded over our shared interest in wine