Simpsons Wine Estate awarded £143k grant

Simpsons Wine Estate in Kent has been awarded £143,154 by the Rural Development Programme for England to fund a state-of-the-art winery development. 

The Growth Programme grant represents 37.5% of the projected total winery conversion and equipment spend for the English sparkling wine project of Languedoc winemakers Ruth and Charles Simpson in Barham, Kent. 

Speaking after hearing the news of the successful application, Ruth Simpson said: “This is a very positive endorsement of our project and the impact that it will have in generating jobs and tourism opportunities in this area. It’s going to be a busy summer!”

As reported in the drinks business last week, this month Simpsons Wine Estate is embarking on the second phase of its sparkling wine project with the planting of 10ha of a planned 30ha of Champagne grape vines in Kent.

Building of a new, state-of-the-art winery at the Simpson’s Kent site will begin in September this year, in anticipation of the estate’s first harvest in October 2016.

Charles and Ruth Simpson planted their first 10 hectares of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir on their estate near Canterbury in 2014.

The vineyards occupy sites on the sunny, sheltered slopes of the North Downs.