Hale Valley Vineyard

Hale Valley Vineyard is a small English vineyard in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, owned by Antony and Carol Chapman, who have lived in the property since 1979 and planted the vines. The vineyard occupies about one acre (0.4 ha) of a two-acre field and comprises roughly 180 vines. It sits 490 feet above sea level on a gently sloping, due-south-facing site, with soil consisting of about nine inches of loamy rubble over solid chalk — a profile typical of the Chilterns. The rows are spaced more widely than is now normal, and every other vine was removed in 2002 to reduce over-vigorous growth. The estate produces a small range of English wines from blends of Bacchus and Findling grapes. Its two principal wines are a sparkling wine and a still wine; both are described as refreshing, full-flavoured, aromatic and dry, with citrus and tropical tones and a pleasingly long finish, and with flavours similar to Sauvignon. The still wine is notably pale, while the sparkling wine has intense small bubbles. The wines are positioned as food wines, pairing especially well with grilled fish and shellfish. As of its 2023 winter/spring update, the vineyard reported that the vines had all been pruned and that it was preparing for the new season, with stock remaining of its 2018 sparkling and 2021 still wines. Wines are sold for collection or free local delivery for a case or more, and are also stocked by Prawn on the Lawn, a restaurant in Islington, London, and by Kings Farm Shop in Wendover. Prices listed from October 2022 were £19 per bottle or £108 for a case of six for the sparkling, and £14 per bottle or £80 for a case of six for the still; a mixed case of three and three was £94, and a two-bottle mix was £30. The business is a private, family-owned operation rather than a listed company, and it operates only in the United Kingdom market.

Hale Valley Vineyard is a small English vineyard in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. The property has been home to Antony and Carol Chapman since 1979, and they planted the vines that form the vineyard. The site is a two-acre field of which about one acre (0.4 ha) is planted, giving roughly 180 vines. The vineyard lies 490 feet above sea level, faces due south and slopes gently. Its soil consists of about nine inches of loamy rubble over solid chalk, a profile fairly typical of the Chilterns; as the estate notes, vines do not need good soil. The planting reflects an earlier era of English viticulture: the rows are spaced more widely than is now normal, and in 2002 every other vine was removed to reduce over-vigorous growth. The estate produces wines from blends of Bacchus and Findling grapes, offering a sparkling wine and a still wine. Both are described as refreshing, full-flavoured, aromatic and dry, with citrus and tropical tones and a pleasingly long finish, and with flavours similar to Sauvignon. The still wine is astonishingly pale but full of flavour, while the sparkling wine has intense small bubbles. The wines are presented as best with food, particularly grilled fish and shellfish. By its winter/spring 2023 update, the vineyard reported that all the vines had been pruned and that it was preparing for the new season, with stock remaining of its 2018 sparkling and 2021 still wines. Sales are direct — by collection or free local delivery for a case or more — and through selected stockists: Prawn on the Lawn, an Islington, London restaurant, and Kings Farm Shop in Wendover. Prices from October 2022 were £19 per bottle or £108 for a case of six for the sparkling, £14 per bottle or £80 for a case of six for the still, £94 for a mixed case of three and three, and £30 for a two-bottle mix. The business remains a small, private, family-run operation.

• Antony and Carol Chapman have lived at the property since 1979 and planted the vines.

• In 2002, every other vine was removed to reduce over-vigorous growth.

• Prices were set from October 2022 for the sparkling, still and mixed cases.

• In winter/spring 2023, the vineyard reported all vines pruned and stock remaining of the 2018 sparkling and 2021 still wines.

A tiny, family-owned English vineyard producing small-lot, food-friendly Bacchus and Findling still and sparkling wines sold locally and through selected London and Buckinghamshire stockists.

• Sparkling wine (Bacchus and Findling blend)

  Intense small bubbles; refreshing, full-flavoured, aromatic and dry with citrus and tropical tones and a long finish; £19 per bottle or £108 for a case of six (from October 2022).

• Still wine (Bacchus and Findling blend)

  Astonishingly pale but full of flavour; refreshing, aromatic and dry with citrus and tropical tones; £14 per bottle or £80 for a case of six (from October 2022).

• Mixed case (3 sparkling and 3 still)

  Priced at £94 from October 2022.

• Two-bottle mix

  Priced at £30 from October 2022.

1. 1Hale Valley Vineyard official websitehalevalleywine.com
2. 2Wikidata: Hale Valley Vineyardwikidata.org