This autumn, Hambledon Wine Estate and Symington Family Estates will bring their partnership to life through an exclusive Anglo-Portuguese chef collaboration: the first major project following Symington’s acquisition of Hambledon with Berry Bros. & Rudd in 2023.
Bringing together Pedro Lencastre Monteiro, Head Chef at Matriarca, and Rob McLeary, Head Chef at Hambledon Wine Estate, the chefs will create a one-off dining experience celebrating the connection between English sparkling wine, seasonal British produce and Portuguese food and wine culture. Hosted at Hambledon Wine Estate, between the 30th and 31st October 2026, guests will be able to enjoy a collaborative tasting menu paired with wines from Hambledon and across the Symington portfolio.
Set in the Hampshire countryside, Hambledon provides an exceptional backdrop for a story spanning generations: recognised as the birthplace of English wine, with vines first planted in 1952, and a Chardonnay-led style shaped by the exceptional chalk terroir of the South Downs National Park. It’s a fitting setting for a partnership rooted in equally deep heritage – Symington Family Estates has been producing Port since 1882, and the B Corp-certified company has been widely recognised for its pioneering work in sustainability and conservation, with nine family members currently active in the business.
About the chefs:
- Rob McLeary has built his career across some of London’s most respected kitchens, including a period as Executive Chef and Partner alongside Anna Hansen at the influential “The Modern Pantry.” His experience spans Michelin-starred restaurants, notable wine bars and coastal dining rooms, with a consistent focus on seasonal, flavour-led cooking. Drawn to Hambledon by the opportunity to build a kitchen around exceptional English sparkling wine, Rob now leads as Head Chef, crafting menus designed to complement the estate’s world-class sparkling in every course.
- Pedro Lencastre Monteiro, Head Chef at Matriarca has built an elite fine-dining pedigree across Portugal’s premier Michelin-starred kitchens, including Belcanto, Ocean and The Yeatman. He helped launch Vozinha das Flores alongside his mentor, the Michelin-starred Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes, before establishing himself as a leading culinary consultant. Initially brought into the Matriarca project in a consulting capacity, Pedro’s deep connection to the vision of Matriarca – an Anglo-Portuguese townhouse designed as a “home for wine lovers” – led him to stay on full-time as head chef.
- The three-storey townhouse Matriarca opened its doors last September in downtown Porto – a series of spaces designed to appeal to a new generation of wine lovers, and a fitting tribute to the Symington family’s original matriarch, the 19th-century Anglo-Portuguese hostess Beatriz Leitão Carvalhosa Atkinson, who knew a thing or two about how to throw a party. James Thurstan Waterworth, former European Director of Design at Soho House, was responsible for the interiors.
