NEX-listed British winemaker Chapel Down (CDGP) today announced plans to make England’s largest vineyard.
The UK business said it has signed an agreement to lease 388 acres of land next to its existing vineyards on the North Downs in the south east of England.
The new site, which is between Boarley and Abbey Farm in Boxley, will be vined between 2019 and 2021.
After this site is planted, the total area from which Chapel Down sources its grapes will exceed 950 acres, making it “the largest vineyard in England” according to Chief Executive Frazer Thompson.
The NEX-listed company said the new vineyard has the potential to produce up to a million bottles of sparkling wine per year.
Chief Executive Frazer Thompson said: “This is more exciting news for Chapel Down and the English sparkling wine business. The Boxley site is close to our existing vineyard at Kits Coty and our other recently vined sites at Court Lodge Farm and Street Farm on the North Downs.
“We believe this area of the North Downs offers the finest terroir in England for sparkling varieties and successive excellent crops and critical acclaim for wines from our Kits Coty vineyard prove it.
“This will be the largest vineyard in England with the potential to produce up to a million bottles of sparkling wine per annum when mature.
"The sites will be planted over the coming years to enable us to grow our business to satisfy the increasing demand for Chapel Down wines over the next 25 years.”
The completion of the lease is subject to the Landlord obtaining vacant possession of the land and associated agricultural buildings which is anticipated on or around the 11 October 2018.
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