Chapel Down launches in the US

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 20 September, 2016

Leading English winery, Chapel Down, has announced it is launching across the pond.

The Kent-based winery will be partnering with luxury wine and spirit company, ABCK Corp, with 10,000 bottles due to ship before the end of the year.

The US is the latest in a list of international markets that Chapel Down exports to, with wines already available in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Singapore, Copenhagen and Helsinki.

In October, Chapel Down's CEO Frazer Thompson and managing director, Mark Harvey, are due to travel across key East and West Coast to introduce more Americans to English wine.

"There is a genuine sense of excitement amongst sommeliers, great restaurants and bars and high quality retailers about the significant opportunity that lies ahead for English sparkling wines," Harvey said.

ABCK Corp will come on board as Chapel Down's long-term partner, drawing on its experience in the premium sector.

Led by Champagne and sparkling wine expert, Arnaud Brachet, the ABCK Corp team is based in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

"We have been truly impressed by the quality of Chapel Down's sparkling wines and by the integrity of their team at every single level. We have started to introduce Three Graces to some of the best restaurants, bars and retailers in the US. Their reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are now under pressure to ship more bottles to the US," Brachet said.

With an ambitious growth plan for the US, Chapel Down will be working closely with ABCK Corp to raise the profile of Chapel Down and English wines through a series of events and in-market support.

During the launch, Chapel Down will also work with its British theatre partner, The Donmar Warehouse, on a series of events in conjunction with its shows on Broadway.

Chapel Down has been at the forefront of new food and drinks exporters seeking to build their businesses abroad with the support of the UK government.

Recently appointed secretary of state for environment food and rural affairs, Andrea Leadsom, said: "There is no doubt there is a global thirst for our wine and this latest milestone from Chapel Down is further proof of the opportunities in the US for our top class producers.

"Thanks to the innovation and hard work of our wine growers, the English wine industry is going from strength to strength with production more than doubling in the last five years. It's fantastic to see our vintners flying the flag for British produce overseas - showing our wine trade is very much open for business."

Printer friendly version