Chapel Down and Balfour have reported “record breaking” harvests with yields at an all-time high for both producers.

Following its harvest, from their vineyards in Kent, plus their estates in Essex and Sussex, Balfour winery is looking to produce around 870,000 bottles in 2023, compared to 375,000 in 2022. This also marks the highest year for production since Balfour was established 21 years ago.

Elsewhere, Chapel Down harvested a record 3,811 tonnes of grapes – an 86% increase from 2022. This tonnage is also 75% higher than the winery’s previous record harvest in 2018, with winemakers looking to produce around 3.4 million bottles this year. 

Speaking of this year’s harvest Andrew Carter, chief executive of Chapel Down, said the English wine industry has benefitted from “remarkably favourable growing conditions this year”.

Carter also mentioned the growing interest in English wine: “English wine is enjoying rapid growth as it establishes itself as the newest and most exciting global wine region”.

Following the damp summer and dry autumn, a handful of other English wineries, including Ridgeview and The Uncommon, have shared news of exceptionally strong harvests this year.

Separately to the harvest report, Chapel Down has also announced plans to admit its shares to trading on AIM, as it looks to attract more investors.

Carter added: “Chapel Down has greatly benefitted from its AQSE listing over the past 20 years as it has grown from a start-up in an embryonic industry into England’s leading and largest winemaker with a consistent track record of profitable growth. 

“We believe that a move to AIM will attract a wider pool of investors to participate in Chapel Down’s growth as the leading producer in the world’s newest global wine region and as we continue to pursue our well progressed and fully funded plan to double the size of the business in the five years to 2026.”