Chalkdown Wine: Hampshire's Tiny, Hand-Tended English Sparkling Wine House
Chalkdown Wine: A Tiny Hampshire Sparkling Wine House with a Big Reputation
In a corner of the Hampshire countryside, just outside Andover Down, a quietly determined winemaker is making some of the most personal English sparkling wines being produced today. Chalkdown Wine is a small, independent producer whose entire philosophy can be summed up in five words: "small is beautiful." Every bottle that leaves the Harewood Farm winery has been crafted in tiny quantities, with a gentle, minimalist approach, and with the conviction that the individuality of the wine should mirror the individuality of the moments it is opened to celebrate.
Led by winemaker Piotr, who has been studying wine for nearly twenty years and making it for the last ten, the team produces just two handcrafted sparkling wines - a Classic Cuvée and a Rosé - alongside a celebrated bottle-fermented English cider. Total production for the first wines was a barely credible 3,329 bottles of the Classic Cuvée and 3,142 bottles of the Rosé, meaning that each release sells out quickly and each bottle genuinely feels like an insider secret. Bottles can be ordered directly from the Chalkdown shop, with free shipping on UK orders over £80.
Where Chalkdown Is Based
Chalkdown Wine is based at Harewood Farm, Andover Down, Hampshire, SP11 6LJ. The winery itself is part of the broader Hampshire viticultural landscape, which has become one of England's most exciting wine regions, alongside Sussex and Kent. Hampshire's chalky soils and temperate climate make it well suited to the classic Champagne varieties - Pinot Noir and Chardonnay - which form the backbone of the Chalkdown range.
The company, Chalkdown Wine Limited (company number 8577353), is also registered at 9 Christchurch Road, Winchester, SO23 9SR (VAT number 207 5334 27; AWRS number XEAW00000121042). The team can be reached by phone on 01962 217760, or by email at info@chalkdownwine.com. A dedicated email, celebrate@chalkdownwine.com, is available for wedding and event enquiries. The winery's what3words reference is ///amphibian.tigers.lucky.
The Story Behind Chalkdown
Chalkdown's winemaking story is built on three pillars: the best possible fruit, a gentle hand in the cellar, and the human element that gives every bottling its personality.
It Starts with the Best Fruit
Chalkdown works with high quality growers in, or near, Hampshire to source high quality fruit. The team prefers to work with one or two growers with whom they can develop a long-term relationship, and with whom they can collaborate in making the critical decisions that affect the fruit that they receive. This kind of grower-led thinking is rare in even the most respected sparkling wine houses, and it gives the winemakers a clarity of intent that flows through into the finished wine.
A Helping Hand to Express Its Full Potential
Starting with the highest quality fruit, the Chalkdown approach to winemaking is to apply a gentle touch as the grapes are guided into wine. The team tries for minimal intervention, but sometimes the fruit does need a helping hand to fully express its potential. It might be the choice of yeast, a blending decision, or the length of time the wine is left to age on its lees. These are subtle, but important decisions, and they change every year depending on the nature of the fruit. Crucially, the team acknowledges that the fruit and winemaking processes are organic, and they have to be ready to adapt to their raw material.
The Human Element
Winemaker Piotr has judged at competitions in France and has done extensive personal market research. Of his approach he says: "I remain hungry to learn and always self critical. Hopefully, my work and that of the rest of the team has created a beautiful finished product that you will love." It is that humility and restless curiosity, combined with the small scale of the operation, that gives Chalkdown its particular charm.
Unique and Delicious Wines
Because production volumes are so small, the team can be flexible if a particular wine needs a bit longer to develop, or an extra intervention. The wines retain an individuality that adds to their character. The aim is to maintain a consistent house style, but always to allow the wine to express its own personality and to embrace that individuality.
Your Special Moments
Chalkdown believes that the individuality of its wines reflects the individuality of the occasions on which they are enjoyed. The team is always delighted to hear that customers have chosen to celebrate their special moments with Chalkdown. As the house puts it, this is "rather lovely." Sparkling wine, after all, is rarely just a drink; it is the punctuation mark at the end of a story.
The Wines
Chalkdown's range is intentionally small, which is exactly the point. Two wines, each made in the traditional method with bottle fermentation and long lees ageing, are at the heart of the cellar. Both are available to buy from the Chalkdown online shop as single bottles, in six-bottle cases, and as mixed cases.
Classic Cuvée
The Chalkdown Classic Cuvée is, as the name suggests, an elegantly classical English sparkling wine. The first release is made from fruit grown in 2020, and it is crafted from a blend of Pinot Noir (42%) and Chardonnay (58%) grapes. This combines the structure and generous fruit character of the Pinot with an extra dash of finesse from the Chardonnay. The wine was fermented and aged in steel tanks and bottled in June 2021, then left to bottle age on its lees for a minimum of 30 months before dégorgement. Total production was just 3,329 bottles.
The wine is well rounded and generous, with warm stone fruit (peaches, apricots) and honeysuckle aromas, and a pronounced autolytic character. A refreshing green apple acidity offers lovely freshness, and a balancing layer of mineralogy adds to the complexity on the palate. The biscuit-and-brioche finish is classic, and the wine is described by the house as "An elegant and generous wine with stone fruit and honeysuckle aromas and a biscuity finish. A well balanced classic."
Serving suggestions are charmingly unfussy: lovely on its own as an aperitif or a sundowner, and "rather nice with traditional fish and chips." It also works well with fresh asparagus, cured meats, sushi or tangy cheeses.
Price: £35.00 per bottle. A six-bottle case of the 2021 vintage (Pinot Noir 92% / Chardonnay 8%) is also available at £210.00.
Rosé
The Chalkdown Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir from the 2020 vintage. The fruit was so good that the team simply looked after it carefully in the winery. It was fermented slowly at low temperatures to maximise aromatic expression, and given 26 to 29 months on lees, enough to create a soft mouthfeel without losing its freshness. Total production was just 3,142 bottles.
The result is a delicately coloured English rosé with masses of beautiful strawberry and cream flavour, hints of vanilla and summer roses, and a delicate mousse that gently complements the elegance of the wine. As the house puts it: "Summer in a glass."
Serving suggestions: "just perfect on its own before lunch or dinner, or to mark a special occasion." It also makes a great accompaniment to canapés, soft cheeses or summer fruit puddings. Award-winning wine writer Cas Jameson, of Kingsgate Wine & Provisions, calls it "my personal go to - pair with an unctuous, creamy soft cheese (the high fat content always balances the acidity of a sparkling perfectly)."
Price: £38.00 per bottle. A six-bottle case is also available at £228.00.
Mixed Cases
For those who want to discover both wines side by side, Chalkdown offers two mixed case options. The Mixed Case (1 of each) is £73.00 and includes one bottle of each of the award-winning wines. The Mixed Case (3 of each) is priced at £219.00 and makes an especially handsome gift for a milestone occasion, or a beautifully balanced house pour for a celebration weekend.
Cellar-Door Accolades
Although Chalkdown is a small, almost under-the-radar producer, the wines have already been noticed by the international tasting elite. The Classic Cuvée has been awarded 90 points at the IWSC and 94 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards, with tasters describing it as "Youthful and energetic. Intense floral, spice and ripe fruits, with plentiful autolytic character, and crystal-cut acidity. Gorgeous wine!" The IWSC also noted it as "Nicely concentrated candied lemon, apple and brioche palate with vibrant length and a smooth creamy texture."
The Rosé has scored 91 points at the IWSC and 94 points at Decanter, with a tasting note that reads "An elegantly floral nose displaying blossom, fresh strawberries, cherry and lemon zest lightness with a hint of peach. Pure and crisp with delicate complexity leading to a delightfully lingering finish."
Outside the formal medal tables, the wines have earned glowing press from House & Garden, The Handbook, and award-winning drink writer Henry Jeffreys, who observed: "There's a lovely balance and ripeness here. You could sip this at a wedding but it's got the complexity to have over supper. I'd rather drink over any champagne at £35." Suzy Atkins, the wine writer and presenter, has called the Rosé "beautifully balanced pink fizz from Hampshire - exceptionally good."
The Chalkdown Cider
Wine is not the only thing being made in the Chalkdown cellar. The producer also makes a small but award-winning bottle-fermented English cider, traded under both the Chalkdown Wine and Chalkdown Cider names.
Cider: Méthode Traditionelle
The Chalkdown Cider Méthode Traditionelle is made "like Champagne, but from beautiful English apples." The 2021 vintage comprises 70% Cox apples, the favourite variety of the maker, supported by Russets (nutty sweetness), Bramleys (for acidity), Falstaff, Gala and Spartan. The components are blended to create a harmonious symphony of apple flavour.
The 2021 is vivacious, with a lively mousse and bubbles that linger for ages in the glass, bringing the cider to life. The sweetness is carefully balanced with acidity to create a cider that is drier and more delicate than many. It is "perfect served in a flute glass." Peter Richards MW calls it "beautifully graceful and fine, almost balletic in its lightness and harmony. It's elegantly dry."
Chalkdown Cider has won the International Cider Challenge Trophy for best bottle-fermented / bottle-conditioned cider for two years running (2017 and 2018), and took Gold at the British Cider Championships in 2019. Single bottle: £19.50. Six-bottle case: £99.00. (Both are currently sold out, given the small volumes produced.)
Cider: Méthode Traditionelle, Extra Lees Aged
For something truly special, the Chalkdown Cider XLA (Extra Lees Aged) is an experiment born back in 2014, when the winemaker put aside just a few hundred bottles of cider to see what would happen if it was aged on its lees for an extended period, like five years. The result, available only in very limited quantities, is sold at £25.50 per bottle. It has all the hallmarks of the more recent vintages: fresh apples, balanced acidity, delicate bubbles; but the colour has taken on a golden hue, the biscuity notes are more pronounced, and the aroma and palate are more complex, with flavours that linger on the palate for a long time. Once this limited stock is gone, it will not be available again for at least another six years.
Gift Boxes
Both sparkling wines are available with a beautifully presented gift box, turning any bottle into a ready-to-give present. The Chalkdown Gift Box for Classic Cuvée and the Chalkdown Gift Box for Rosé are priced at £3.50 each. They are described as "a beautiful presentation box that makes your wine into a perfect gift."
Chalkdown Celebrate: Wines for Weddings and Events
For customers planning a wedding, marking a milestone, or hosting friends and family, Chalkdown runs a dedicated Celebrate service. The team believes that the drinks served at an event should feel as considered and personal as every other detail, and the two handcrafted sparkling wines (Classic Cuvée and Rosé) are offered as an elegant, expressive pairing for every part of a celebration.
Both wines are crafted using the traditional method, with bottle fermentation and long ageing, and are available by the case. Whether the event is an intimate gathering or a larger reception, the Chalkdown team will help customers find the right balance between the two wines to suit the setting, the food pairings, and the rhythm of the day. For larger events, the team can help plan how much wine may be needed, and may be able to help a little on price. For samples, planning, or a tailored quote, the team can be reached at celebrate@chalkdownwine.com.
Visiting, Buying, and Getting in Touch
Chalkdown does not currently run public cellar-door tours or open days. Because the winery is small and production is tiny, visits are limited, and the team prefers to focus on getting the wines and cider into the hands of customers via the online shop. The Chalkdown shop is the most reliable way to purchase the wines, with single bottles, six-bottle cases, mixed cases, cider, gift boxes and the limited-release Extra Lees Aged cider all available to order online (subject to stock). Free shipping is offered on orders over £80.
For trade and event enquiries, journalist requests, or general questions, the team can be reached at info@chalkdownwine.com or by phone on 01962 217760. Postal enquiries can be sent to Chalkdown Wine Limited, Harewood Farm, Andover Down, Hampshire, SP11 6LJ. The team is also active on Instagram, where new releases and tastings are announced.
Why Chalkdown Matters
It is easy to be carried away by the noise of the English sparkling wine category, by the biggest brands, the most expensive cuvées, and the campaign-style publicity. But producers like Chalkdown matter, because they represent the very thing that gives English wine its quiet, distinct charm: the ability to make a tiny, hand-tended lot of wine that genuinely tastes like it could only have come from one place, made by one person, in one year. With winemaker Piotr at the helm, medal-winning wines in the cellar, and a "small is beautiful" ethos that runs through every bottle, Chalkdown Wine is a Hampshire house to watch and to drink, while you can still find a bottle.