Chilham Estate: A New Kent Vineyard Cultivating a Family Legacy
High above the meandering Great Stour River in Kent, a quietly ambitious new English wine estate is taking shape. Chilham Estate, planted to 71 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier on free-draining chalk soils, is the vision of the Pitout family - Wayne, Jarred and Teagan - who are combining a South African winemaking heritage with one of England's most talked-about cool-climate sites to craft premium still and sparkling wines.
This is a young project with serious credentials. Within only a few years of acquiring the land, the Pitouts have assembled a leading viticulture and winemaking team, planted a precisely matched variety selection on a classic south-facing slope, and launched a bespoke wine service aimed at collectors, merchants and hospitality professionals. Chilham Estate is no ordinary new vineyard; it is a long-term family enterprise built for generations.
A family legacy rooted in two hemispheres
The story of Chilham Estate begins, perhaps surprisingly, on the other side of the world. Wayne Pitout and his sons Jarred and Teagan have, for many years, been custodians of Glen Carlou, a renowned wine estate on the Simonsberg-Stellenbosch in South Africa. Glen Carlou is celebrated for its exceptional Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the family's stewardship of that vineyard reflects a deep, lifelong respect for terroir-led winemaking.
Although they had lived in Surrey since 2000, the Pitouts had long seen the potential for cool-climate viticulture in the United Kingdom. In 2021 they secured what they believed to be the ideal English site: an 86-acre former apple orchard in the Stour Valley, around six miles west of Canterbury, with no prior history of wine growing. That blank slate was, in many ways, the point - it allowed the family to design the vineyard from scratch, choosing rootstocks, clones, row orientation and trellising to suit the specific soil and aspect.
"We're nurturing more than vines, we're cultivating a legacy," Wayne Pitout says, a sentiment that captures the family's long-game approach. The vision is for Chilham Estate to be passed down through generations, a unified sense of place that evolves over decades rather than vintages.
Both sons are already deeply embedded in the trade. Jarred specialises in technology and e-commerce, while Teagan recently completed a Viticulture and Oenology degree at Plumpton College - the UK's leading wine education institution - and is gaining hands-on experience at one of the country's oldest established vineyards before bringing that knowledge back to the family project.
Place: the Stour Valley and the village of Chilham
Chilham Estate takes its name from the historic village of Chilham, a jewel of the Garden of England that sits cradled in some of the finest countryside in the South East. The estate itself lies in the Stour Valley, where the Great Stour River cuts through the North Downs and borders the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Chilham village is, in the family's own words, an historian's delight. Its square is bordered by half-timbered medieval buildings, and among the rich architectural diversity stand two castles - one a Norman keep built for Henry II in 1174, and the other a Jacobean mansion - the 16th-century White Horse Inn, and the 13th-century parish church of St Mary. It is a place where centuries of English rural life sit comfortably alongside a modern agricultural enterprise.
A prime Kent terroir for classic varieties
Kent is the largest fruit-growing region in the UK, and the local reputation for horticulture and farming is no coincidence - the conditions that favour apples and cherries also favour premium grapes. The county now accounts for more than 30% of the national vineyard, and grows more Chardonnay and Pinot Noir than any other English region.
Chilham Estate's 86 acres are made up of south-facing slopes, an orientation that helps protect the vines from frost in spring. Beneath the surface, the soil profile is silty-clay loam over a chalk-bed - a geological signature directly linked to Champagne, which was once joined to Kent by the same chalk formation. The Pitouts and their team believe this combination of free-draining topsoil, ancient chalk bedrock, south-facing aspect, low rainfall, optimal elevation and more than 1,400 hours of annual sunlight creates ideal conditions for premium still and sparkling wine.
Chilham's winegrowing credentials are echoed by the presence of Chapel Down and Nyetimber, two of England's most esteemed producers, both of which have retained vineyard holdings in the region.
Planting and viticulture
Of the 86-acre estate, 71 acres are now planted to the three classic cool-climate varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. This is the same trio that underpins the great sparkling wines of Champagne, and it is no coincidence that Chilham has chosen them - the chalk and the cool maritime climate of Kent offer a striking parallel to the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims.
The Pitouts and their viticultural team have been clear that viticultural techniques cannot simply be repurposed for a site of this specificity. Bespoke solutions are being applied, adding considerable thought as well as time to the endeavour. From the moment the first vines went into the ground, every decision - from row spacing to canopy management - has been made with this single block of land in mind.
People: the team behind the wines
A vineyard of this ambition requires both family vision and specialist expertise. The Pitouts have built a small but exceptionally well-credentialed team around their project.
Luke Wolfe - viticulturist
Viticultural consultant for Agro-Pro and co-founder of Whitewolfe Wines, Luke Wolfe brings an intimate knowledge of the climatic, topographical and geological conditions of Kent. He graduated from Plumpton College in 2012 with a first-class honours degree in Viticulture and Oenology, and spent seven years at Chapel Down managing vineyard operations across more than 600 acres of Kent and Sussex sites. He subsequently founded Agro-Pro, a vineyard management and consultancy business specialising in cool-climate viticulture across the South East.
To date Wolfe has planted and established more than 1,500 acres of vineyard in England, working with both large growers and boutique producers. Significantly, he has also personally planted 25 acres of Chardonnay in Kent, giving him a particularly detailed understanding of the challenges of nurturing a Kent vineyard to maturity.
Johnnie Calitz - winemaker
Winemaking for Chilham Estate is led by Johnnie Calitz, who is also winemaker at Glen Carlou. A native of the Klein Karoo in South Africa and a BSc graduate in Viticulture and Oenology from Stellenbosch University, Calitz has been making wine for more than two decades in vineyards and cellars all over the world, and has been at the helm of Glen Carlou for almost a decade.
Calitz is, by specialism, a Chardonnay maker, and his many years of experience producing world-class Chardonnay are now being applied to the unique terroir of England. His philosophy is to combine his South African expertise with the cool maritime climate and chalky soils of Kent to craft elegant, terroir-driven wines.
Chilham Bespoke: a personalised English sparkling wine
Alongside its core still and sparkling wine ambitions, Chilham Estate has launched a striking service called Chilham Bespoke, which invites individuals and businesses to commission their own personalised, high-quality English sparkling wine label.
The Bespoke service was announced in early 2025 and is positioned as a tailor-made offering for connoisseurs, merchants and hospitality professionals. Discerning individuals can create their own sparkling wine, crafted from premium Chilham Estate grapes, to serve as the centrepiece of a personal collection. With 400 bottles produced from just half a tonne of these superior grapes, each bespoke creation is positioned as a testament to quality rather than volume.
Merchants, restaurateurs and hoteliers can use the service to elevate and personalise their offering with a branded sparkling wine. A custom label from Chilham Bespoke speaks of exclusivity and impeccable craftsmanship, offering clientele a product that cannot be found anywhere else.
How it works
- Crafted from the 2025 Chilham harvest. Bespoke sparkling wine from the first full vintage will be ready in approximately four years. Still wine is also an option, with delivery expected within two years of harvest.
- Exclusive access. Chilham Bespoke wines will be released selectively, with production allocated on the basis of registration and waiting-list availability.
- Register interest. Prospective clients can register their interest by contacting the Chilham Bespoke team, indicating whether they are enquiring as an individual or on behalf of a business, after which further details will follow.
For a more personal touch, the dedicated Chilham Bespoke team can be contacted directly to begin a conversation about a custom wine. As the project is at an early stage, securing a place now is, in the family's words, a chance to take part in "the next chapter of English winemaking".
Why this site matters for English wine
Kent's vineyard area has expanded dramatically over the past two decades, and yet only a handful of new sites combine the right geology, aspect, family commitment and technical team to suggest serious long-term quality. Chilham Estate sits firmly within that small group. The shared chalk seam with Champagne, the cool maritime climate, the south-facing slopes and the careful clone and rootstock selection all point to a vineyard that is being built with patience rather than haste.
For visitors to Kent and to the Stour Valley in particular, the estate also represents a wider story about how contemporary English wine is being woven into the historic landscape of the Garden of England. Chilham's medieval square, Norman castle and riverside walks sit within a few miles of one of the country's most carefully planned new vineyards.
Visiting, contacting and following Chilham Estate
Chilham Estate is based at Lower Lees Road, Old Wives Lees, Chilham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 8AU, in the heart of the Kent Downs. General enquiries and Bespoke registrations are handled by email at info@chilhamestate.co.uk.
The estate can be followed on Instagram as @ChilhamEstateWine and on LinkedIn, and is also online at chilhamestate.co.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Chilham Estate located?
Chilham Estate is located in the Stour Valley, Kent, near the historic village of Chilham and around six miles west of Canterbury. The vineyard sits on the edge of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with its office address at Lower Lees Road, Old Wives Lees, Chilham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 8AU.
Who owns Chilham Estate?
Chilham Estate is owned by the Pitout family - Wayne Pitout and his sons Jarred and Teagan - who acquired the 86-acre site in 2021. The family is also custodian of Glen Carlou, a renowned wine estate on the Simonsberg-Stellenbosch in South Africa.
What grape varieties are planted at Chilham Estate?
Chilham Estate is planted to 71 acres of the three classic cool-climate varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier - the same trio that underpins the great sparkling wines of Champagne.
What is the soil like at Chilham Estate?
The vineyard is planted on free-draining silty-clay loam over a chalk-bed, on south-facing slopes. This geological connection to Champagne - the two regions were once joined by a chalk formation - is central to the estate's identity.
Who makes the wines at Chilham Estate?
Viticulture is led by Luke Wolfe of Agro-Pro and Whitewolfe Wines, an experienced Kent viticulturist and former Chapel Down vineyard manager. Winemaking is led by Johnnie Calitz, winemaker of Glen Carlou, who specialises in Chardonnay.
What is Chilham Bespoke?
Chilham Bespoke is a personalised English sparkling and still wine service offered by the estate. Discerning individuals and hospitality businesses can commission a custom-labelled wine crafted from Chilham Estate grapes, with sparkling wine from the 2025 vintage expected in around four years and still wine in around two years.