Black Chalk to build new winery

English winery Black Chalk has secured a £1.5 million investment for a new winery and tasting room and to support a growing team.

The new winery will be created from a barn on the Fullerton Estate in Hampshire where Black Chalk is located and the existing shop and tasting room will be “extensively” remodelled with an eye on the growing market for wine tourism in the UK.

Work is expected to begin later this year and be completed by next summer.

As well as providing Black Chalk with its own facilities, the idea is to have a space that other budding winemakers can use as well.

The new winery will also allow the team to work on various experimental projects such as using amphorae, foudre, new and old oak and even making still wine.

The team itself is also set to expand, with an assistant winemaker and sales and events manager being recruited.

The money for the investment includes a grant from the EU LEADER programme – one of the last to be approved before ‘Brexit’ this October – and from private investors Justin Baché and Kenya Matsumoto.

CEO Jacob Leadley said: “Having had a very successful first year, we are now able to fulfil our original ambitions for Black Chalk.  Until now one of the missing links has been the lack of our own facilities, which will enable us to grow to satisfy demand, although we will remain a boutique operation.

“Having Justin and Kenya on board is fantastic; we feel they are the ideal partners for this project, bringing with them both knowledge of the wine industry and the London on-trade scene, as well as a real passion for English wine. When we sat down and I explained the vision they got it immediately, and we very much look forward to working with them for what should be an exciting future.

“The opportunity to collaborate on additional wine brands will be incredibly satisfying and also allow Black Chalk to be at the heart of what is now one of the paciest and most exciting wine industries in the world.”