Growing in the idyllic countryside of the Candover Valley, between Alresford and Basingstoke, Candover Brook is a boutique English sparkling wine producer.

The vineyard is planted within the late Lord Sainsbury’s family estate. In the 1980s, when he was CEO of Sainsbury’s, John Sainsbury would regularly tour the vineyards of Champagne. Here. he first met a pioneering winemaker, Hervé Jestin. In 2012 and now retired, John Sainsbury fulfilled a long-held dream to create his own vineyard. Working in partnership with his sons, Mark and Julian, they brought in the now renowned Hervé Jestin as their consultant.

Named after the chalk stream that runs through the Candover Valley, Candover Brook grows the classic Champagne grape varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Vines are planted on a south-facing slope, providing the ideal ripening conditions. The region’s chalk soil is the key defining element of the vineyard’s topography, influencing the wine’s delicious flavour.

Despite only having planted the vines in 2012 and a first release in 2023, Candover Brook is already making a name for itself among the critics. Among the awards haul, the producer earned the  Wessex Trophy for Best Sparkling Rosé at the 2023 Wessex Wine Awards. Candover Brook also won Gold medal for its Candover Brook Brut NV at the 2023 Wines of Great Britain Awards, Gold and Bronze medals at the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards. Most recently, Candover Brook claimed Silver and Bronze Awards at the 2024 International Wine Challenge Awards.

Fancy tasting and toasting a glass? Buy a bottle or case online. Follow Candover Brook’s Instagram page for special events. And subscribe to the mailing list for a discount on first orders.