Chapel Down

Chapel Down Brut served at Sausage Emporium in Sonoma, California.

Chapel Down based in Tenterden in Kent, is an English vineyard and winemaker.[1] It is the largest producer of English wine, with over 950 acres under vine,[2] which will reach a capacity of 2.4 million bottles per annum.

Wines

Chapel Down predominantly produces sparkling wines using the traditional method, although it also makes still wines.[3][4]

History

In 2011, Chapel Down established Curious Brewing (formerly Curious Brewery) in Ashford, Kent. The brewery was given permission to develop from the town council in late 2016. The site was purchased for development in November 2017 following a £1.7 million investment, mostly from crowdfunding.[5] In February 2021, following a catastrophic loss in trade following the COVID-19 pandemic, Chapel Down put the brewery business in administration. It was subsequently sold to Risk Capital Partners. [6]

In October 2018, Chapel Down announced a bar and restaurant in Kings Cross, London Station, Gin Works, would open, focusing on Chapel Down spirits. It subsequently opened in January 2019. [7] It closed just a year later in February 2020, due to poor footfall, despite receiving good reviews from patrons. [8]

Awards

The Rosé Brut won a Platinum award in the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards.[9][10]

Management change

Former CEO Frazer Thompson retired in November 2021 after 20 years and has been replaced by Andrew Carter.[11]

Crowdfunding campaign

In 2021 the company started a crowdfunding campaign for up to £7m, to help the business expand its vineyard and ramp up exports.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Chapel Down Winery". English Wines. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Chapel Down sales up 10% as wine output to total 2.4m bottles by 2024". The Drinks Business. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Chapel Down Awards". Chapel Down Winery. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  4. ^ Johnson, Hugh (5 September 2017). Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book (2018 ed.). Octopus Publishing Group. p. 218. ISBN 978-1-78472-293-7.
  5. ^ "Chapel Down completes payment for 1.6 acre Curious Brewery site". The Drinks Business. November 2017. Archived from the original on 25 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Tenterden's Chapel Down disposes of Curious beer and cider brand, and its brewery in Ashford, with private equity firm Risk Capital Partners poised to takeover". Kent Online. 9 February 2021. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Chapel Down opens new 'gin works'". Great British Life. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Chapel Down closes London bar and restaurant Gin Works". The Drinks Business. 4 February 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Decanter World Wide Awards". awards.decanter.com. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Decanter Awards Results 2021. Chapel Down Wins Platinum!". Chapel Down Blog. 9 July 2021. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Chapel Down hires new CEO as Frazer Thompson steps down". The Grocer. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Winemaker Chapel Down crowdfunds for up to £7m to scale up". the Guardian. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.

51°02′28″N 0°41′53″E / 51.0410°N 0.6981°E / 51.0410; 0.6981