Chapel Down Wines - Bokes Farm Vineyard: England's Leading Wine Producer in Tenterden, Kent
Chapel Down Wines - Bokes Farm Vineyard: England's Leading Wine Producer in Tenterden, Kent
Set in the rolling countryside of Kent, just outside the picturesque market town of Tenterden and only an hour from London, Chapel Down is England's largest and most celebrated wine producer. With a mission to change the way the world thinks about English wine, Chapel Down crafts award-winning traditional-method sparkling wines, still whites, rosés and single-vineyard prestige cuvées from grapes grown across more than 1,000 acres of vineyard in Kent, Sussex and Essex. The Tenterden winery estate is open to visitors all year round, offering guided tours, tutored tastings, a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant and a full calendar of seasonal events.
Location, Terroir and Viticulture
Chapel Down's home is at Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 7NG, in the heart of what is often called the Garden of England. The winery sits within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with vineyards climbing the chalky slopes of the North Downs where Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Bacchus vines benefit from a warm, maritime climate and free-draining soils very similar to those found in the Champagne region 200 miles to the south-east.
Alongside its own vineyards, Chapel Down sources fruit from long-term partner growers across Kent, Sussex and Essex. Grapes are grown predominantly on single and double Guyot pruning systems, on chalk, clay and loam soils. In June 2025 the company unveiled a new 119-acre vineyard that it believes "could be the finest in England", further strengthening its pipeline of premium fruit for years to come.
The winemaking team, led by Head Winemaker and Operations Director Josh Donaghay-Spire, uses both the traditional method for sparkling wines and carbonation for the lighter "A Touch of Sparkle" range. Cool fermentations in stainless steel, extended lees ageing and judicious blending produce wines of balanced acidity and rich fruit character.
The Wines
Chapel Down's portfolio is split into five core collections: Sparkling Wines, Still Wines, Rosé Wines, the prestige Kit's Coty single-vineyard range and the experimental Discovery Series.
Sparkling Wines
- Chapel Down Brut NV (Case of 6 - £186) - the bestselling and most decorated Chapel Down wine, a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Blanc with fine persistent bubbles and notes of apple, citrus and strawberry. Recent awards include recognition at the Great British Food Awards 2025, Global Travel Retail Masters 2025, WineGB Awards 2025 and International Wine Challenge 2025.
- Chapel Down Rosé (Case of 6 - £150, was £204) - an award-winning sparkling rosé with crisp red-fruit character and a refreshing dry finish, recognised at the International Wine Challenge with the trophy for England's best rosé.
- A Touch of Sparkle Classic 2024 (Case of 6 - £96) - a gently carbonated Bacchus/Chardonnay blend with grapefruit and elderflower aromas.
- A Touch of Sparkle Rosé 2023 (Case of 6 - £96) - lightly sparkling rosé with raspberries, strawberries and cream character.
- Brut Magnum (£67 per 150cl bottle) - ideal for celebrations and sharing.
- Kit's Coty Blanc de Blancs and Coeur de Cuvée - single-vineyard prestige sparkling wines designed to age gracefully for 5-10 years.
Still Wines
- Bacchus 2025 (Case of 6 - £96) - the latest vintage of Chapel Down's signature aromatic white, sourced 82% from Kent and 18% from East Sussex, with elderflower, grapefruit and tropical-fruit aromas. 12% ABV, best served at 8-12°C.
- Chardonnay 2023 (Case of 6 - £96) - cool-fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation to retain a crisp, fresh character. Awarded at WineGB 2025.
- Flint Dry 2024 (Case of 6 - £96) - a blend dominated by Chardonnay and Bacchus with Pinot Blanc, Schönburger, Siegerrebe and Reichensteiner. Aromatic notes of green apple, pear and citrus; awarded at IWC 2025 and Decanter 2025.
- Rosé Reserve 2021 (Case of 6 - £240) - an extended-lees reserve still rosé.
Rosé Wines
From sparkling pinks with delicate bubbles to still rosés bursting with berry flavours, the rosé collection is ideal for summer gatherings, gifting and aperitifs. The flagship English Rose 2025 still rosé and the sparkling Rosé lead the line-up, supported by the A Touch of Sparkle Rosé and curated mixed cases such as the A Touch of English Rosé Mixed Case (£96).
Kit's Coty Collection
Kit's Coty represents the pinnacle of English winemaking. The grapes come from a single south-facing vineyard on the North Downs of Kent, where chalk soils and a sunny microclimate produce wines of remarkable depth, finesse and ageing potential. Recent vintages of the Kit's Coty Blanc de Blancs and Coeur de Cuvée have collected trophies at WineGB, Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge. Browse the Kit's Coty Collection.
Discovery Series
The Discovery Series is the winemaking team's experimental label: small-batch wines that explore new grape varieties, blends and techniques. Releases to date include Pinot Blanc 2022 and Chardonnay 2022 (Case of 6 - £156 each). Because volumes are tiny, each release sells out quickly and is rarely repeated.
Visiting the Chapel Down Estate
Chapel Down is one of the UK's premier wine tourism destinations. The estate is open every day from 10am, with extended hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Visitors can book a guided tour, drop in for a walk-in wine flight, enjoy a long lunch in The Swan restaurant, browse the Winery Shop, or simply pick up a vineyard trail map and explore the herb garden and walking routes at their own pace. Dogs on leads are welcome around the grounds but not in the shop or on tours; children aged 7+ may accompany parents on tours (tastings are for over-18s only). The Cellar Door shop, winery and many vineyard areas are wheelchair accessible, with a manual wheelchair available on request via retail@chapeldown.com or 01580 766111.
Walk-In Wine Flight
From £15 per person, drop in to the Cellar Door bar between 10am and 5pm and choose any three wines from the full range (excluding Kit's Coty Coeur de Cuvée). Picnic favourites, cheeses and charcuterie are available in the shop to enjoy alongside your tasting. Book a Walk-In Wine Flight.
Guided Tour and Tasting
From £30 per person (2 hours). Begin with a short walk through the Tenterden vineyard, learning about the vine life-cycle and the influence of the maritime climate, before stepping into the winery to discover the intricacies of traditional-method sparkling winemaking. Finish with a tutored tasting of five signature wines. Book the Guided Tour.
Cheese and Wine Experience
From £70 per person (2 hours). A guided vineyard and winery tour, followed by a tutored tasting of five signature wines paired with local cheeses and artisanal crackers. Includes a £10 voucher to spend in the Winery Shop. Book the Cheese and Wine Experience.
Wine and Dine Experience
From £120 per person (4 hours). A guided tour and tutored tasting of five signature wines, followed by a glass of sparkling wine, a three-course set lunch at The Swan restaurant, two glasses of still wine with the meal, and a gift set to take home. Book Wine and Dine.
Kit's Coty Collection Tour
From £50 per person (2 hours). Tour the Tenterden vineyard with an expert guide, then step into the winery for an exclusive behind-the-scenes talk with the Senior Cellar Hand. Finish with a tutored tasting of the Kit's Coty still and sparkling wines, including the Coeur de Cuvée 2016. Book the Kit's Coty Tour.
Luxury Dining Experience
From £150 per person (5 hours). An early-evening vineyard tour, an extended tutored tasting of five luxury wines including Kit's Coty, and a five-course tasting menu at The Swan paired with two glasses of Chapel Down still wine. Book the Luxury Dining Experience.
The Swan Restaurant
Two AA Rosettes and recommended by the Michelin Guide, The Swan is an 80-cover restaurant serving Chapel Down wines alongside locally and regionally sourced produce. Highlights include a private-dining Chef's Table and an outdoor terrace with views across the county. The Swan is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Note that the restaurant is reached via a flight of 36 stairs and is therefore not suitable for guests with limited mobility.
Accommodation Partners
Chapel Down does not have on-site accommodation, but partners with several Kent properties:
- The Print House, Tenterden - 16th-century inn with six boutique bedrooms; Premium Print House Package from £390, Wine Experience Package from £270. Contact management@theprinthousetenterden.com or 01580 231103.
- Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse - nine-bedroom B&B on the Sissinghurst Castle estate; packages from £280 per couple. Contact info@sissinghurstcastlefarmhouse.co.uk or 07789 994 134.
- Chilston Park, Lenham - award-winning 4 Red Star country house hotel; packages from £260 per person.
- Chart Hills, Biddenden - Sir Nick Faldo-designed championship golf course with The Barn sleeping up to eight. Stay & Play + Chapel Down Wine Experience from £229 per person.
- Crafted at Powdermills - lakeside hotel and members' club near Battle, East Sussex.
- The Little Silver Hotel, Tenterden - four miles from the estate with a luxury car transfer available; rooms from £190 B&B, all inclusive of a guided Chapel Down tour and tasting.
- Hector's Hut - a fully equipped modern shepherd's hut beside Chapel Down Vineyard, bookable via Airbnb.
Upcoming Events at Chapel Down
Alongside its daily tours and tastings, the estate runs a packed calendar of seasonal events under the "What's On in the Vineyard" banner. See the full events calendar.
The Chapel Down Magnum Festival
Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 September 2026. The inaugural Magnum Festival is a weekend of English wine, live music, exceptional food and festival atmosphere set against the backdrop of the Tenterden winery estate. As one of the UK's largest producers of magnum-format wines, there is no better place to celebrate bigger bottles. Tickets cost from £35 per person and include festival entry, a glass of Chapel Down Brut served from magnum on arrival, live entertainment throughout the day and a complimentary return coach transfer from Headcorn Station (or free parking). Saturday runs 12pm-8pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm. Book Magnum Festival tickets.
Taste of England Chef Series
Three winners of Chapel Down's nationwide Taste of England competition, created to identify and champion the next generation of culinary talent, take over the kitchen at The Swan for exclusive one-night-only dinners, each presenting a specially created three-course menu paired with Chapel Down sparkling wines. Tickets cost from £75 per person.
The series opens on Tuesday 15 September with An Evening with Simon Hulstone of The Elephant Restaurant, Torquay, with a menu featuring Hand-Dived Brixham Scallops, Rump of Exmoor Lamb and a Devon Clotted Cream Mousse.
Other Vineyard Events
- Sunday 9 August - Around the World in 80 Days: a riotously entertaining open-air theatre production inspired by Jules Verne's classic, brought to life by a troupe of actor-musicians. From £18 per person.
- Wednesday 26 August - Sunset Yoga: a one-hour yoga session in the vineyard followed by a one-hour tutored tasting of five wines in the Wine Sanctuary. From £35 per person.
Corporate Experiences and Weddings
Chapel Down's corporate offering is built around its award-winning Wine Sanctuary, a meeting space overlooking the vineyard with Wi-Fi, projector and screen. Two ready-made packages can be tailored to any team's needs:
- Corporate Away Day - £120pp, 5 hours. Includes exclusive use of the Wine Sanctuary, a vineyard tour, a tutored tasting of award-winning wines and a two-course lunch at The Swan with a glass of sparkling wine. Minimum 10, maximum 50 guests.
- Luxury Corporate Away Day - £175pp, 6 hours. Adds an extended tasting of Kit's Coty premium wines, a three-course lunch with half a bottle of wine per person, and a Chapel Down gift to take home per guest.
For off-site entertaining, Chapel Down Goes To Town brings a Brand Ambassador to your venue anywhere in Kent or Greater London for a 2-hour, glasses-in-hand introduction and portfolio tasting at £75pp (minimum 10 / £750, maximum 30).
Chapel Down also caters for weddings: from personalised bottles of Brut and Rosé for bridesmaids' gifts, to wedding tastings and tours, to one-to-one menu-pairing sessions with a Chapel Down ambassador. Start your wedding journey with Chapel Down. For corporate gifting, contact sales@chapeldown.com or call 01580 763033; the brochure covers luxury gift boxes, personalised messaging and multi-shipping in a single transaction.
Wine Shop, Gifting and Personalisation
The full Chapel Down range is available to buy online with free UK mainland delivery on orders over £75 (standard delivery £6.99 under £75, express £7.99). Looking to send a gift? Chapel Down offers a free personalised gift message service at checkout and a Personalised Wine range, where you can add a bespoke label or message to bottles of Brut, Rosé or Brut Magnum. There are single and duo gift boxes, large-format Magnums and Jeroboams, curated Mixed Cases and themed Gifts collections for every occasion, plus Chapel Down E-Gift Cards from £25 redeemable in store or online.
Wine tourism gift vouchers are available for the Guided Tour and Tasting, Cheese and Wine, Wine and Dine and Luxury Dining experiences, all delivered as e-vouchers by email. Gift a tour.
About Chapel Down as a Business
Chapel Down Group PLC is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (CDGP) and is one of the UK's most recognisable consumer brands in English wine. CEO James Pennefather leads a vision to win 1% of the global Champagne market by 2035. Chapel Down's wines are served across many of the UK's finest restaurants and bars, in leading supermarkets and independent wine merchants, and the company holds prestigious official-supplier partnerships with the England & Wales Cricket Board, Ascot Racecourse, the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race, The Jockey Club, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Stock Exchange. In 2026, Chapel Down's Grand Reserve won a Decanter accolade and the Rosé was named England's best at the International Wine Challenge; the cellar door was also named Best Large Cellar Door at the inaugural WineGB Cellar Door Awards.
Chapel Down's core values - Grounded, Responsible, Ambitious, Proud, Entrepreneurial - underpin everything from its sustainability pledge (it is a founder member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain scheme) to its people-focused culture, recognised in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2023.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: Chapel Down Winery, Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent TN30 7NG
- Telephone: 01580 766111
- Email: retail@chapeldown.com
- Opening Hours: Sunday-Wednesday 10am-5pm; Thursday-Saturday 10am-7pm
- Getting Here: 20 minutes by taxi from Headcorn station, 35 minutes from Ashford International. Free on-site parking.
Tours and experiences can be booked at chapeldown.com/collections/tours-experiences; tours are non-refundable but transferable (call 01580 766111 to reschedule).
Conclusion
From the everyday Brut and Bacchus to single-vineyard Kit's Coty prestige cuvées and experimental Discovery Series releases, Chapel Down defines what English wine can be. The Tenterden estate, with its guided tours, walk-in flights, a Michelin-recommended restaurant and a calendar of seasonal events, is the centrepiece of English wine tourism.