Black Chalk Wine - English Sparkling Wine from the Hampshire Chalklands
Set among the chalk-fed meadows of the River Test in Hampshire, Black Chalk Wine is one of England's most exciting boutique producers of traditional-method sparkling wine. Founded in 2015 by winemaker Jacob Leadley and run today as a tight, winemaker-led team, Black Chalk farms 30 acres of established vineyard on the same shallow, chalky soils that give the wine its name - and that give English fizz its signature purity, freshness and tension. Every bottle is made, by hand, in a custom-built winery on the estate, and every bottle is a vintage wine, designed to reflect the story of the year it came from.
Where Black Chalk sits: location, terroir and vines
Black Chalk is part of a working 1,000-acre farm in the small hamlet of Cottonworth, just outside Andover. The winery and Tasting Room are housed in the Old Dairy, on Fullerton Road, and the postcode is SP11 7JX. The estate borders both the River Test and the River Anton, putting the vineyard in one of the most famous chalk-stream landscapes in the country.
The team farms 30 acres of estate vineyard across four named sites, totalling around 45,000 vines and 34 different clone and rootstock combinations:
- Rivers - bordered by the River Test and River Anton, and the vineyard most tours walk through.
- Levels - the largest site, and home to the vines behind the premium sparklings Inversion and Paragon.
- HiDE - tucked in a sun-baked valley, the warmest parcel on the estate.
- The Circle - the smallest vineyard, sitting just behind the Tasting Room Courtyard and used for pop-up events and foraging experiences.
What unites all four is the bedrock beneath them: solid chalk laid down 89.6 million years ago. Black Chalk's flagship release, Eighty Nine Point Six, is named directly for that geology. The chalk is what gives the wines their bright acidity, linear minerality and the clean, unmistakable English finish the winemakers are so careful to protect.
The team behind the wines
Black Chalk is, by its own description, a winemaker-led project. Jacob Leadley is CEO and winemaker; he left a London career in 2009 to retrain at Plumpton College, worked vintages in Champagne and New Zealand, helped build Hattingley Valley's cellar and co-founded Black Chalk in 2015. Zoë Driver is winemaker, the UK's first Winemaking Apprentice and an MSc in Viticulture and Oenology graduate from Plumpton. Andy Wiles is assistant winemaker, splitting his time between the winery and the vineyards. Gwil Cooper - described by the team as a true outdoorsman - is vineyard manager, and Leah Holt is vineyard assistant. Neil Irvine (sales director), Justin Bache (finance director), Rebecca Herbert (events and marketing), Nick Baker (general manager) and Lisa Harvey (front of house) complete the team at the time of writing.
The story, in short
Black Chalk started in 2015 with "a leap of faith from our CEO, Jacob, and grapes purchased from local Hampshire vineyards". The first Black Chalk wines were launched in 2018. In 2020, the team bought and transformed a group of unloved farm buildings and 12 hectares of established vineyard in the Test Valley into BC HQ - the home of the winery, the Tasting Room, the Loft and the Circle Vineyard. The custom winery was completed just 48 hours before the 2020 harvest began. The company that trades as Black Chalk Wine is Hillcrest Wines Limited (company registration 09784649, VAT 270133146).
From the outset, Black Chalk has only made vintage wine - refusing to blend across years to smooth out flavour - and only makes wine from grapes it has either grown itself or sourced from trusted UK growers. The estate is certified by Sustainable Wines of Great Britain in both vineyard and winery, and the team use minimal-intervention winemaking throughout.
The wines
Black Chalk is predominantly a sparkling wine producer. The portfolio is built around two core sparklings - the white Classic and the pink Wild Rose - plus two premium single-vintage sparklings, Paragon and Inversion, and a trio of still wines. There is no red wine made or sold. All wines are available to buy online, with free UK delivery on orders of six bottles or more, and can be tasted by the glass or bottle in the Tasting Room.
Classic 2022 - £40.00
The everyday Black Chalk white sparkling, made from 46% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay and 12% Pinot Meunier, aged at least 22 months on lees and a further six months on cork post-disgorgement. A 10% oak component adds subtle richness, but the wine is bottled without malolactic fermentation to keep that crisp, fresh, Black Chalk character. Jamie Goode called it "absolutely brilliant"; Tamlyn Currin in JancisRobinson.com gave it 17/20 and called it "the Coco Chanel jacket of the sparkling-wine world".
Wild Rose 2022 - £45.00
A delicate wild-rose pink sparkling rosé built from 57% Pinot Noir, 36% Pinot Meunier and 7% Chardonnay, also aged 22 months on lees and six months on cork. No malolactic fermentation. Tamlyn Currin scored it 17.5/20 ("another glorious, head-tossing, racy yet rich and iridescently colourful wine") and Victoria Moore in the Telegraph Luxury section called it "an off-the-charts good sparkling rosé".
Paragon 2022 - £65.00
A 100% Chardonnay from the Upper Levels vineyard, fermented 50% in stainless steel and 50% in oak foudre, with a minimum of 32 months on lees and no malolactic fermentation. Selected Chardonnay clones (95, 121, 76, 131) and yeasts VL1 and CX9 give the wine its elegance and precision. Awarded IWSC 2026 Silver (92 pts) and rated 96/100 by Jamie Goode: "Crystalline and taut with lovely precision. Serious stuff."
Inversion 2022 - £65.00
A Pinot-led premium sparkling, 73% Pinot Noir and 27% Pinot Meunier, from Levels and HiDE. 97.5% is fermented in stainless steel, the remainder in five-year-old Burgundian barrels, with Pinot Noir 777 as the dominant clone. Minimum 32 months on lees, no malolactic fermentation, no fining. Awarded IWSC 2026 Silver (91 pts); Jamie Goode scored it 95/100.
Eighty Nine Point Six 2020 Magnum - £165.00
A limited-release 100% Chardonnay made only in magnum, from standout parcels across three vineyards (Upper Levels, HiDE and Rivers), bottled exclusively for magnum and given a minimum of 56 months on lees. The 2020 magnum release is limited to 953 magnums. Awarded IWSC 2026 Gold (95 pts) - the highest accolade on the current Black Chalk shelf.
Dancer in Pink Still Rosé 2025 - £25.00
The original Black Chalk still wine, launched in 2020. A dry rosé made from 59% Pinot Noir, 32% Pinot Précoce and 9% Pinot Gris, with full malolactic fermentation for a rounded, moreish palate. Pull the cork at a lazy lunch, a BBQ or just because it's a Wednesday.
Rumour Has It Chardonnay 2024 - £33.00
Black Chalk's first still white, made from 4 tonnes of top-quality Chardonnay sourced from a grower in Kent. 73% French oak (half new, half old), aromatic yeasts, cool fermentation, partial malolactic fermentation. "Kent in origin but utterly Black Chalk in style." Pairs with Friday fish and chips, Sunday roast chicken or mid-week mussels.
Merchandise
Alongside the wines, Black Chalk sells a small but well-chosen range of accessories:
- Black Chalk Sparkling Stopper - £4.00. Airtight seal to keep fizz fresh after opening.
- Black Chalk Sparkling Wine Glass - £8.00. Lehmann lead-free crystal, Black Chalk logo, dishwasher safe.
- Wine Gift Card - £25.00. Digital, redeemable online, valid for 12 months.
- Wine Club Membership Gift - £450.00 for one year, or £40 a month. Delivered as a digital gift pack to the recipient.
You can browse the full collection and order online via the Black Chalk wine shop.
Tours and tastings
Black Chalk runs four bookable vineyard experiences, all year-round but with the best visiting season running April to September. Public tours leave at 11am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays through the summer. Dogs and children are welcome on every tour and in the Tasting Room; children are only charged if they're eating lunch. Tours can be booked for up to 10 people online - for larger groups, contact the team directly.
Tour + Tasting - from £25.00 per person
The signature Black Chalk experience. A guided walk through Rivers Vineyard, a tour of the winery, and a tutored tasting of two wines - one sparkling and one still (50ml of each). Dogs and children welcome. Duration approximately 2 hours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Book a Tour + Tasting.
Tour + Tasting - with lunch - from £40.00 per person
The same vineyard walk and winery tour, followed by a tasting of two wines and a laid-back grazing lunch in the Tasting Room or Courtyard. Choose a Large Cheeseboard (v), a Cheese + Charcuterie Board, or a Smoked Trout Platter. Duration approximately 2 hours. Book Tour + Tasting with lunch.
Private Tour + Tasting - with optional lunch - from £40.00 per person
A private guided tour for your group alone, with a tour of the winery and a tutored tasting of four wines. Approximately 90 minutes. Add a grazing lunch in the booking if you want to make a day of it. Because it's private, the team can often arrange dates outside the public Friday-to-Sunday schedule. Book the Private Tour.
Wild Escapes Treehouse Tasting - from £110.00 for two guests
A truly memorable experience. Black Chalk has partnered with Wild Escapes, who run four luxury treehouses tucked into a private woodland on the edge of the HiDE vineyard. Guests enjoy a private vineyard walk with a Black Chalk expert, learn about the winemaking process, and then enjoy a tutored tasting of four wines on their own treehouse terrace, surrounded by nature. Approximately 90 minutes. Price is per treehouse (two adults). You must already have a Wild Escapes treehouse booking before booking this experience. Book the Treehouse Tasting.
Vouchers
All four experiences are available as digital gift vouchers:
- Tour + Tasting Gift Voucher - £25.00
- Tour + Tasting with Lunch Gift Voucher - £40.00
- Private Tour + Tasting Gift Voucher - £40.00
- Wild Escapes Treehouse Tasting Gift Voucher - £110.00
The Tasting Room and Courtyard
The Tasting Room and adjoining Courtyard are the heart of the Black Chalk visit. Located in the Old Dairy building, the Tasting Room serves as the cellar door, wine bar, restaurant and shop.
Drinks
Sample the award-winning wines by the glass or bottle, or order a tasting flight - no booking needed, just turn up. The bar also serves coffee, tea and soft drinks. See the Drinks menu.
Food
A small kitchen produces locally sourced grazing platters - cheeseboards, charcuterie, River Test smoked trout and trout pâté - and a specials board that changes with the seasons. Most ingredients are sourced from within a 40-mile radius of the winery. See the Food menu.
The Courtyard and Circle Vineyard
The Tasting Room opens onto a courtyard garden, and a short pathway leads to the Circle Vineyard - a tucked-away parcel where you can take a glass of wine and a nibble to a picnic bench set among the vines. On a sunny evening, it's the most distinctive seat in the Test Valley.
Opening hours
- March - December: 10:00 - 17:00, every day.
- Friday Night Lates: 17:00 - 21:00.
Seasonal hours may vary; confirm before visiting.
Wine Club - The Inner Circle
The Black Chalk Wine Club - known internally as The Inner Circle - is the most direct way to engage with the wines, the vineyard and the team. Members receive:
- A welcome magnum of Black Chalk alongside the welcome pack.
- Two curated mixed cases of five Black Chalk wines per year (10 bottles total), delivered or ready for collection.
- Four complimentary wine flights in the Tasting Room.
- A 15% member discount on every wine purchase, online and in-store.
- An invitation (plus a guest) to the annual Harvest Day & Lunch (September or October) and two further member-only events.
- Early access to two winemaking and viticultural masterclasses each year.
- Access to strictly limited-release wines.
- A complimentary Winemaker Tour and Tasting (choice of two dates), plus one guest ticket at the standard rate.
- Special rates at partner hotels and restaurants, plus a complimentary glass of wine on your birthday.
Membership is giftable as a 1-year membership (£450) or a 1-month membership (£40). The gift is delivered by email as a digital pack on the day you choose, with your personal message and a gift code the recipient redeems when they're ready to start. Join the Wine Club.
Events and what's on
Black Chalk runs a busy calendar of pop-up events in the Tasting Room, the Loft and the Circle Vineyard. The current programme mixes supper clubs, masterclasses, late-night winery events and one-off collaborations. Key fixtures include:
Friday Night Lates
The weekly flagship. Every Friday from 16:00 to 21:30 (food served 4 - 8:30pm), with the Black Chalk bar open late and a rotating line-up of Hampshire's best street food. Recent and upcoming kitchens include Fire Street Food by Grate Fire Kitchen, Indian Street Food by Chaat Food Truck, Loaded Flatbreads by Earth to Oven and South American Street Eats by Crane Feasts. Bookings are required, but walk-ins are welcome subject to availability.
Sparkling Afternoon Tea
A monthly celebration on the first Sunday of every month at 3:00pm. Handmade cakes, sandwiches and scones from a local baker, a pot of tea or espresso, and the option of a glass of Classic English sparkling wine. Approximately one hour. With fizz: £35.00 per person; without fizz: £25.00 per person. Book at least 48 hours ahead. Book afternoon tea.
Sushi Saturday
On Saturday 15th August, the Courtyard and Meadow Field stay open late for a one-off summer evening with Little Fish "Sushi in the Sticks". Free entry with a reserved table; pre-order sushi boxes and Black Chalk wine waiting on arrival. Bar open until 9pm. Reserve a Sushi Saturday table.
Vine + Vinyl Nights
Selected Saturdays through the summer, 5:00 - 8:00pm (bar 'til 9:00pm). DJ Vinyl Groove plays funk, soul, jazz and feel-good vinyl classics in the Courtyard and Meadow Field. £5.00 per person, including your reserved table. Book Vine + Vinyl Nights.
Black Chalk Summer Supper Club
The Saturday 25 July Supper Club with Grate Fire Kitchen - a flame-cooked sharing feast of local, seasonal produce with a glass of Black Chalk sparkling on arrival. Two sittings (5 - 7pm and 7:30 - 9:30pm). From £55.00 per person. Book the Summer Supper Club.
Recent highlights
The events diary has also included FIZZ FEST with Vineyards of Hampshire at Hambledon, a Harvest Supper Club with Grate Fire Kitchen, a Vineyard Masterclass with the vineyard team, an Evening with Wild Irishman Wines (Central Otago Pinot Noir), a Moon Roast Coffee Masterclass with lunch, a Two&One Olive Oil Masterclass + Tapas Lunch, a Black Chalk Blending Masterclass, a TyneTipples Black Chalk vs. The World blind tasting, a Live at the Vineyard Comedy Night for the Hampshire Medical Fund, a Forage & Fermentation with Totally Wild UK in the Circle Vineyard, and Black Chalk's role as the official wine partner of The Other Art Fair at London's Old Truman Brewery.
Venue hire
Black Chalk hires out four distinct spaces on the estate for corporate away days, private celebrations, weddings, classes and clubs. The team is now booking for summer 2026 and beyond. Spaces include:
- The Tasting Room - a modern industrial space seating up to 24 with views into the winery and across the Courtyard. Ideal for private dining, group meetings, workshops and classes.
- The Loft - a spacious upper-floor barn conversion with vaulted beam ceilings, projector, whiteboard, kitchen facilities, super-fast wifi and a private entrance. Seats up to 30. Perfect for company meetings and corporate days.
- The Courtyard - for outdoor events with seating for 40 or standing room for 60. Combines well with the Tasting Room for evening gatherings.
- The Circle Vineyard - a truly distinctive setting for large-scale outdoor events, accommodating up to 150 seated for dinner or up to 800 for festival-style events. Hired for space only, with recommended marquee, catering, flower and photography suppliers.
You can add a tour, tasting and lunch package to any corporate day. The vineyard is five miles from Andover, twelve from Winchester, with easy access from the M3 and direct trains from London Waterloo in an hour. Free car and coach parking on site. Contact Events Manager Rebecca Herbert to discuss your event.
How to visit (and getting there)
The full address is Black Chalk Wine, The Old Dairy, Fullerton Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 7JX. The phone is 01264 860440 and the email is hello@blackchalkwine.co.uk. Bookings for tours, tastings, vouchers and venue hire are also handled via this email.
By car
From London, Black Chalk is about 1 hour 30 minutes via the M3 and A303. From the west, the A303 brings you to Andover. From the south, take the M3 via the M27. From the Midlands and the north, the M4 and M40 both join the A34. Free car and coach parking is available on site.
By train
Black Chalk is about 1 hour from London Waterloo. The nearest station is Andover, five miles from the vineyard (10 minutes by taxi). Winchester is also about an hour from London and 10 miles from the vineyard (20 minutes by taxi). Recommended taxi firms include Alpha Cars (01264 444 444), A&B Cars (01264 323 444) and Wessex Cars (01962 626262).
Where to stay
Andover and Stockbridge are both around 10 minutes by car; Winchester is 15 - 20 minutes. For something more memorable, the four Wild Escapes treehouses are built on the edge of the vineyard itself and come with a welcome hamper including a bottle of Black Chalk Classic sparkling.
Make a weekend of it: things to do in Hampshire
Black Chalk's team has pulled together a curated list of the top things to do in Hampshire, ideal for a day trip or a long weekend:
- Walk the Test Way - a 44-mile trail along the River Test through ancient woodland and wildflower meadows; a shorter section of the route starts at the vineyard.
- Featherstone Flowers - a Hampshire flower farm and Grade II listed Tithe Barn, the Black Chalk team's trusted supplier for the Tasting Room and private events.
- Moon Roast coffee - a small-batch roastery outside Alresford, with Saturday brunch at Black Chalk paired with Classic sparkling and Moon Roast coffee.
- Golden Pond Fishery - a five-minute walk from Black Chalk, with 16 well-spaced swims including one wheelchair-accessible swim.
- Broadlands Estate - renowned trout and salmon fishing on the River Test, with a long history and deep chalk-stream pedigree.
- Wild Escapes treehouses - outdoor copper baths, wood-burning stoves, starry nights and a Black Chalk welcome hamper.
- Fallen Willow - a traditional wood-fired sauna and spring-fed lake for wild swimming and cold-water immersion (Fallen Willow guests get 10% off brunch at Black Chalk).
- The Grosvenor, Stockbridge - a beautifully restored Georgian coaching inn serving refined seasonal food.
- Winchester - medieval cathedral, the 17th-century Morley Library, independent shops and dinner at The Chesil Rectory.
- Forage & Ferment with Totally Wild UK - a foraging and fermentation experience in the Circle Vineyard.
Stockists and shipping
Black Chalk ships directly to addresses within mainland UK through its online shop. Standard delivery is £10, and delivery is free on orders of six bottles or more. The Tasting Room shop, open seven days a week, also sells the full range. The company does not generally deliver outside mainland UK; recipients outside that area may need to pay import duties and taxes. Local outlets across the UK also stock the Black Chalk range.
Behind the scenes
The Black Chalk team is hands-on throughout the year. In spring, they frost-fight with the Fog Dragon through the cold nights; in the depths of winter, vineyard manager Gwil Cooper prunes by hand, the old-school way. The winemakers share their reflections at the close of each vintage.
After a near-perfect 2025 growing season, the team describes V.6 as "the year everything clicked", with Pinot Meunier clones 977 and 978 and Chardonnay from the Upper Levels the standout parcels from that harvest. Earlier vintages include the 2020 Eighty Nine Point Six (released as a magnum only, 953 bottles), which took an IWSC Gold in 2026, and the 2022 Classic and Wild Rose, which picked up standout scores from JancisRobinson.com, Telegraph Luxury and Jamie Goode.
At a glance
- Wines: Classic 2022 (£40), Wild Rose 2022 (£45), Paragon 2022 (£65), Inversion 2022 (£65), Eighty Nine Point Six 2020 Magnum (£165), Dancer in Pink Still Rosé 2025 (£25), Rumour Has It Chardonnay 2024 (£33).
- Tours: Tour + Tasting from £25, Tour + Tasting with lunch from £40, Private Tour + Tasting from £40, Wild Escapes Treehouse Tasting from £110 for two.
- Tasting Room: Open seven days a week, 10:00 - 17:00, with Friday Night Lates 17:00 - 21:00.
- Events: Friday Night Lates every week, plus monthly Sparkling Afternoon Tea and a rolling programme of supper clubs, masterclasses and pop-ups.
- Address: The Old Dairy, Fullerton Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 7JX.
- Phone: 01264 860440.
- Email: hello@blackchalkwine.co.uk.
Whether you arrive for a tour, a wine flight by the river, a Friday Night Lates street-food session under the vines, or simply to order a case of the new vintage, Black Chalk is one of the most distinctive places to taste English sparkling wine right now. The chalk is in the soil, in the wine, in the style - and increasingly, in the medals.
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