‘Generational shift’ in the direction of glowing wine behind sturdy gross sales, says UK’s Chapel Down

[ad_1] Chapel Down has credited a “generational shift” in the direction of glowing wine for sturdy gross sales development final 12 months.

The Kent-based wine maker, which listed on the Intention junior inventory market in 2023, stated gross sales rose by a better-than-expected 19% to £19.4m within the 12 months to 31 December, led by a 38% improve in retail gross sales in addition to sturdy exports.

James Pennefather, the chief government of Chapel Down, stated: “Despite continued financial pressures, shoppers are persevering with to search out causes to have a good time, with over 1m bottles of Chapel Down conventional methodology glowing wines dispatched for the primary time throughout 2025.

“We're seeing a generational shift into English glowing wine as millennials, preferring a lighter, more energizing, crisper fashion of wines, are more and more adopting the class.”

He stated these born within the Eighties and 90s “love authenticity, craft and heritage and English glowing affords these experiences inside an hour of London” – referring to the winery excursions and effective eating supplied by Chapel Down and others.

Pennefather stated Chapel Down had grown forward of the market to take a much bigger share, with drinkers turning to the model “all year long and for a broader vary of celebration events”.

He stated demand from wealthier drinkers was holding up regardless of value of dwelling considerations and different developments such because the rise of GLP-1 weight management medication, with rosé and premium wines in demand.

Chapel Down’s costs begin from £15 for a bottle of nonetheless Bacchus, to about £30 for a traditional Brut glowing, and greater than £100 for one of many high Coeur de Cuvée glowing wines.

Its development comes regardless of a tough 12 months for hospitality companies, equivalent to eating places and bars, which have come below strain as households rein in spending on non-essentials amid greater power and meals payments.

Pennefather stated the atmosphere had been “tougher” by way of gross sales to the hospitality business, however that gross sales rose 5% as Chapel Down expanded distribution and offered extra by the glass.

He stated the 2025 harvest had been “distinctive”, with yields 15% above the five-year common and the style of the wine extra complicated after an extended sunny summer season.

Pickers harvest grapes at a Chapel Down winery close to Maidstone. {Photograph}: Toby Melville/Reuters Nevertheless, Chapel Down has no speedy plans to develop its vineyards, having grown to simply over 1,000 acres in recent times, 777 acres of which have been absolutely productive – a 30% improve since 2022.

Pennefather stated the present land holdings, which is able to steadily come into full manufacturing over the subsequent two years, have been “a platform for double-digit development into the 2030s” with the intention of tripling the variety of bottles offered to about 3m or 1% of the champagne-equivalent market.

Britain is the fastest-growing wine area on the earth, based on the property group Knight Frank. Between 2017 and 2022, England and Wales greater than doubled wine manufacturing from 5.3m to 12.2m bottles, based on WineGB. It expects wine manufacturing to double once more to 24.7m bottles by 2032.

Vines are being planted as far north as Yorkshire and Scotland because the altering local weather and new rising strategies make UK wine-making extra possible.

Pommery and Taittinger, two of France’s best-known champagne homes, each purchased land and planted vines in England a couple of decade in the past, whereas the world’s largest glowing wine producer, Germany’s Henkell Freixenet, snapped up the English wine property Bolney in 2022.