We think that we have something very special at Chapel Down. We have assembled a team of highly professional, talented people who share an ambition to create truly World Class, interesting, distinctive and award-winning wines that will surprise and delight the most discerning consumers. The secret of our success lies in the fact that the fundamentals of geology, soil and aspect are married with a desire to work with and improve enthusiastic partners who have the potential to develop great vineyards and good businesses.
The south of England shares almost identical geology and soils to the Champagne region, with a chalk seam typified by the North and South Downs of Kent and Sussex and excellent well drained soils in Essex and The Weald. Working together we ensure that only the best fruit arrives at the winery in Tenterden to make the very best wine possible from the grapes.
Every year we get better at what we do, and every year we learn how to do it better still. Every day we try to go to bed knowing just a little more than when we woke. We know we are lucky and privileged to do this in a beautiful environment in The Garden of England and that we have a responsibility to protect and improve this inspiring area.
We believe that England remains one of the most tolerant, enterprising, ingenious, creative, stylish, energizing and occasionally eccentric places on Earth. They are English values. They are Chapel Down's values.
We don't tend to talk about the generalities of English wine, we talk about Chapel Down. Because we believe that we are different. There are some great English wine producers and like any industry we have our share of not very good producers. We take our responsibility as the best known and regarded producer very seriously and we therefore...
- We support farmers by offering unique long term contracts to grow grapes giving them greater security over long term returns.
- We plant our own vineyards and manage vineyards for other people.
- We work to improve the quality of both the fruit and the winemaking by employing the best people available and encourage them to share that knowledge with our partners.
- We have created, at Tenterden, the start of an English "Garden Route" in the Garden of England, of which we can all be hugely proud and which bears comparison with the finest Internationally.
- We support other local businesses whenever we can. It's good for Kent, Good for England and good for business. Our suppliers always end up as customers.
- We support local schools, charities and good ideas if we can because we want to, but never to tick a "corporate social responsibility" box.
Chapel Down is rapidly establishing itself as a world class premium wine brand and is gaining National and International recognition. We are proud to be the first ever English producer to wine a gold medal for sparkling wine at the prestigious International Wine Challenge. And we are getting better with every vintage.
Our business is growing all the time and our greatest challenge is making enough wine to satisfy the demand. Today Chapel Down wines are surprising and delighting informed wine drinkers all over the world; you can find us in bars, restaurants and wine stores in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, as well as the better hotels, restaurants and stores in the UK
It's not just the gold medals and the press coverage that makes our jobs such a pleasure, but the real excitement we get from winning friends and converts. If you have never visited the winery and vineyard in Tenterden, I would urge you to come. No matter what your experience of wine has been, we guarantee that you will be surprised and delighted by everything we have to offer. If, like us, you like to go to bed a little less stupid than you were in the morning, then we can help educate, entertain and inform you in tours, tastings and events that can be as exclusive as you wish.