Unique opportunity to buy well-established artisan English sparkling wine producer in Kent – Barnsole
The entirety of the issued share capital in the business that own and run the artisan sparkling wine producer known as Barnsole have been launched for sale with a guide price of £1,500,000. The award winning boutique vineyard and winery on the outskirts of the village of Staple (between Canterbury and Sandwich) is being offered on a “lock stock and barrel” basis due to the planned retirement of the current owners Phillip and Sally Watts. The current owners have expanded and transformed the business in their ten years of ownership to the thriving business that it is today with further possibilities of expansion.
Barnsole Vineyard itself is one of the oldest vineyards in Kent having been originally planted in the early 1990’s with the varieties Reichensteiner and Huxelrebe. The original three acres of vines planted have been extended to seven acres with the addition of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bacchus varieties on a double Guyot planting system. A new trial block of Wrotham Pinot, England’s only indigenous vine has been planted with the first release from this anticipated in 2024.
On site there is a purpose built winery building that was doubled in size in 2021 to enable the future upscaling of production from the current 20,000 bottles per annum to an estimated 80,000 bottles.
Barnsole Vineyard currently grows, picks, presses, and bottles all on site and by hand English sparkling, still white and red wine which is all sold from the cellar door. The winery is open daily for tastings and tours and averages around 5,000 visitors per year.
Phillip Watts, co-owner of Barnsole Vineyard Ltd & Socket & Plug Ltd the two businesses that are being offered for sale comments: “This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a dream and ambition to run their own wine business to step into one which is ready to be taken to the next level. Over the last 10 years we have continually reinvested profits back into the business to build the strong foundations to support our artisan vineyard operation and vision for the future. With the growing national and international interest in English wine and wine tourism here in the South East, we are proud of where the business is today, the strong brand identity we have created and importantly the award winning, dynamic wines we now produce from start to finish.”
Alex Cornwallis, Director at BTF Partnership comments: “We are delighted to be working with Phillip and Sally on this business sale. It is an exciting and unique opportunity for a new owner to walk into a successful business in a growing sector with the ability to significantly increase production in the coming years. The new trial block of Wrotham Pinot England’s indigenous vine being grown in Kent for the first time in a commercial vineyard setting is also something to shout about.”
The business sales include the entirety of the issued share capital which incorporates the freehold property owned at Staple along with farm machinery and stock in store which comprises approximately 25,000 bottles. In addition to this the business employs a winemaker and agricultural apprentice that have great experience of the Barnsole varieties. A full list of machinery, stock and stores is available from the agents on request.
For a prospectus go to www.btfpartnership.co.uk or contact Alex Cornwallis 01233 740077
This story was taken from the latest issue of Vineyard. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports for winemakers and growers in Great Britain, read our latest issue here and subscribe here.
