A British estate agent has become one of the first in the UK to market a substantial parcel of land purely on its potential as vineland.
Land agents Strutt & Parker are putting four parcels of land totalling 47ha on the market and recommending the land be used for vines.
Viticultural consultant Stephen Skelton MW has surveyed the land – in Kent in the southeast of England – and reported that much of it is ideal for vines, with good potential for a winery, cellar door operations and a visitor centre.
The Land at Barham Court near Canterbury in Kent, in an area designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, consists of four parcels of 35 acres (14ha), 22acres (9ha), 52 acres (21ha) and 7.5 acres (3ha), the first three lots for sale at £10,000 per acre, and the fourth for £20,000 per acre.
In his report Skelton said there would be little danger from frost on land only 10 miles from the coast, and with well-suited soil and other advantages it would be ‘ideal for vines.’
Of the first, 35 acre, lot he said, ‘The soil is free draining loam over chalk and would require no additional drainage and I consider this to be ideal for vines. The land is well shaped, making for a very economical layout and has neither footpaths nor high-tension wires crossing it. I consider that this piece of land would make a very good site for vines, especially Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for the production of high quality bottle fermented sparkling wine.’
Strutt & Parker surveyor Julia Caudwell, in charge of the sale, told Decanter.com they were looking for either someone wanting a single large-scale vineyard, or ‘several smaller lifestyle buyers’ looking for an opportunity to grow and produce their own wine.
Nick Watson, one of Strutt & Parker’s partners, said that in the last five years they had purchased over 1000 acres (404ha) on behalf of two major wine investors in the southeast of England.
‘Over half of that is now planted to vine and producing. I am 100% confident that we can attract a buyer for this land. I am bullish about this because we are very well informed.’
Written by Adam Lechmere
