Millennials Spark English Wine Revolution as Chapel Down Sees Sales Soar
Chapel Down, the prominent Kent-based wine producer, has reported a remarkable 19% increase in sales for the year ending 31 December 2025, attributing this success to a significant generational shift towards English sparkling wine among millennials. The company's sales reached £19.4 million, surpassing expectations and highlighting a growing trend in the UK wine industry.
A New Era for English Sparkling Wine
James Pennefather, Chief Executive of Chapel Down, emphasised that despite ongoing economic pressures, consumers are continuing to celebrate, with over 1 million bottles of Chapel Down traditional method sparkling wines dispatched for the first time in 2025. He noted that millennials, typically those born in the 1980s and 1990s, are driving this change with their preference for lighter, fresher, and crisper wine styles.
"We are seeing a generational shift into English sparkling wine as millennials, who prefer a lighter, fresher, crisper style of wines, are increasingly adopting the category," Pennefather stated. He added that this demographic values authenticity, craft, and heritage, which English sparkling wine offers, often within an hour's travel from London through vineyard tours and fine dining experiences.
Strong Performance Across Sales Channels
The sales growth was led by a substantial 38% increase in retail sales, alongside robust exports. Chapel Down has managed to grow ahead of the market, capturing a larger share as drinkers turn to the brand for a broader range of celebration occasions throughout the year. Demand from wealthier consumers remains resilient, with rosé and premium wines particularly in vogue, despite cost-of-living concerns and trends like the rise of GLP-1 weight control drugs.
Chapel Down's product range caters to various price points, starting from £15 for a bottle of still Bacchus, around £30 for classic Brut sparkling, and over £100 for top-tier Coeur de Cuvée sparkling wines. This diversity has helped the brand appeal to a wide audience.
Navigating Hospitality Challenges
The company's success comes against a backdrop of a challenging year for the hospitality sector, including restaurants and bars, which have faced pressure as households cut back on non-essential spending due to higher energy and food bills. Pennefather acknowledged that the environment has been "more challenging" for sales to the hospitality industry, but Chapel Down still achieved a 5% increase in this area by expanding distribution and boosting sales by the glass.
Exceptional Harvest and Future Growth Plans
The 2025 harvest was described as "exceptional", with yields 15% above the five-year average and the wine's taste becoming more complex following a long, sunny summer. However, Chapel Down has no immediate plans to expand its vineyards, which currently cover just over 1,000 acres, with 777 acres fully productive—a 30% increase since 2022.
Pennefather explained that the current land holdings, which will gradually reach full production over the next two years, provide "a platform for double-digit growth into the 2030s". The aim is to triple the number of bottles sold to approximately 3 million, capturing about 1% of the champagne-equivalent market.
Broader Trends in UK Wine Production
This growth aligns with broader trends in the UK wine industry. According to property group Knight Frank, Britain is the fastest-growing wine region globally. Data from WineGB shows that between 2017 and 2022, wine production in England and Wales more than doubled from 5.3 million to 12.2 million bottles, with expectations to double again to 24.7 million bottles by 2032.
Climate change and new growing methods are making wine production more feasible across the UK, with vines being planted as far north as Yorkshire and Scotland. Notably, French champagne houses like Pommery and Taittinger invested in English vineyards about a decade ago, and Germany's Henkell Freixenet, the world's largest sparkling wine producer, acquired the English wine estate Bolney in 2022, underscoring the sector's rising prominence.
