Kent vineyard Chapel Down signs deal on new land

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 04 February, 2015

Kent winery Chapel Down is looking to bump up production and has signed deals to double the land it holds under lease to 130 hectares.

Chapel Down, Kent Chapel Down has doubled the land it holds under lease as it prepares to ramp up production

The group has signed long-term leases on two separate sites, one on a 53 ha (131 acre) plot of viticultural land at Street Farm in Boxley on the North Downs and the second, a 20 ha (50 acre) plot at Scurms Farm in Sandhurst.

Late last year the firm turned to crowdfunding to raise capital to fund expansion. An appeal on Seedrs led it to raise £2.9 million through 1,100 investors in just 10 days, beating previous crowdfunding records. At the time it said it would use the money to plant more vines to meet demand, build a new winery and a brewery as well as extending its Tenterden hospitality facility.

Frazer Thompson, chief executive, said: "This is more exciting news for us. The Boxley site is close to our existing vineyard at Kits Coty and our other previously announced new site at Court Lodge 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 from Kits Coty prove it. The site in Sandhurst is in a proven area for distinctive and high quality still and sparkling varieties close to the winery at Tenterden. Both sites will be planted over the coming years to enable us to grow more world class grapes to satisfy the increasing demand for Chapel Down wines over the next 25 years."

Chapel Down has 9 ha (23 acres) of vines across a 27 ha (68-acre( estate. It also owns Kent's largest vineyard in Aylesford, and sources grapes from 13 vineyards across the south east.

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