WINEQUITY

Chapel Down Group plc produces and markets a range of still and sparkling wines made from English grapes.

Whilst most are white wines, the proportion of red and sparkling wines has been increasing steadily.

The Company operates a production site, vineyard and retail outlet at Tenterden in Kent.

Most of the Group's grapes are purchased from specialist producers across the South-East of England.

First planted in 1977, Tenterden Vineyard now incorporates 22 acres. Substantial re-planting has taken place in recent years, with Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Bacchus now being the main varieties. In addition, there are new plantings (2008) of 72 acres at Aylesford in Kent and180 acres of vines under contract across the South-East.

Tenterden Vineyard is the home of Chapel Down Group plc, the largest producer in the UK, whose wines are bottled mainly under the Chapel Down label.

Their winery has a capacity of just under 1 million litres in temperature controlled stainless steel. All white and sparkling grapes are whole-bunch pressed and fermented by variety and vineyard.

All sparkling wines are bottle fermented in the traditional method, spending between 9 months and 3 years on the lees before disgorging. Red wines are fermented in specialised fermenting tanks and usually spend some time in cask.

In June 2024, directors of Chapel Down (CDGP.L) announced to consider the sale of the company, as part of a review into options to fund its future growth as it plans to plant new vineyards and build a new winery: "As part of the review, the board will consider all alternatives, including investment from existing shareholders, investment from new shareholders, a sale of the company, and other relevant transactions.".

At the beginning of 2025, the billionaire Conservative Party donor Lord Spencer of Alresford has topped up his large holding in Chapel Down Group, England’s largest winemaker, amid a lack of sparkle in the share price since listing on London’s junior market. He has acquired 450,000 shares in recent days via his investment vehicle IPGL, stock exchange filings show, cementing his position as the largest shareholder with more than 27 per cent.

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