Accolades

Hear what others say - In The Press On Candover Brook 

Charlotte Luxford | The English Home | 17th June 2025	“Renowned for its sustainable winemaking, the Candover Brook vineyard in Hampshire is run by Mark and Julian Sainsbury, sons of the late Lord Sainsbury. Candover Brook is relatively new to the industry and is an exciting addition to England’s sparkling wine scene. The Sainsbury’s champion regenerative farming practices, aiming for carbon neutrality and soil biodiversity and the vineyard is a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain.”
Katrina Mipuri | The Glass Magazine | Winter 2024	“Not only has Candover Brook won numerous wine awards, it is also an emerging name on the wine scene.”
Stuart Bond | Derby Life | May 2025	“The story of this estate has its origins in the late 1970s when Lord Sainsbury toured the vineyards of Champagne with ambitions to make his own wine. It wasn’t until 2012 that vines were planted on the family estate, the idyllic Candover Valley, Hampshire. The name is a nod to the chalkstream which runs through the estate, home to rare English white-clawed crayfish”
Alex Layton | Suffolk Norfolk Life | 1st June 2025	“Hampshire continues to assert itself as one of England’s premier sparkling regions, and this boutique producer demonstrates why. Made in tiny quantities from the classic trio of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, it shows remarkable precision – crisp orchard fruits balanced by subtle autolytic complexity and a whisper of chalk speaks directly to its South Downs terroir, An exemplary ambassador for English Wine Week that holds its own against more established names.”
Alice Griffiths | Vineyard Magazine | 26th October  2024	“The heart of Candover Brook’s regenerative approach is a willingness to give everything time. Mark Sainsbury acknowledged that they are at the beginning of a long journey, focused not on growing the vineyard’s size, but on perfecting everything they do, step by step. He also expressed hope that Candover Brook’s example would inspire other winemakers to adopt similar practices, educating both peers and consumers about the vital importance of soil health and sustainability.”

 

In The Press On Candover Brook Rosé NV

Daily Express | Matt Nixon | Daily Express | 8th February 2025	“Try this elegant, boldly acidic beauty from the chalk downs of Hampshire. Toasty notes help frame the fruity palate and aroma, with plenty of fresh red berries and a citrus finish.”
Matthew Jukes | MatthewJukes.com | 25th June 2025	"I first wrote this wine up in March 2022 in Vineyard Magazine, having earmarked it as a future rosé superstar.  Over the last few years, it has further refined its message.  With lovely ripe fruit and a smooth, pure palate with hints of redcurrants and cranberries, this is a silky wine from a textural perspective, cut with tangy red fruit notes.  It is precisely what you are after when you think English Sparkling Rosé."
Charlotte Luxford | The English Home | 17th June 2025	“We particularly like the Candover Brook Rosé NV – a gold medal winner at the 2024 WineGB Awards. This delightfully vivid pink fizz is super smooth with the unmistakable aroma of fresh berries and toasted brioche, making it a perfect sparkling wine to enjoy with British strawberries on a warm summer’s day.”
Stuart Bond | Derby Life | May 2025	“A vivid pink hue with aromas of fresh strawberry, cranberry and toasted brioche, on the palate a creamy mouthfeel with a bold mousse are tempered by a mouth-watering freshness and vibrant purity of fruit. Try with roasted cod with zingy beetroot, curried fish cakes or Mediterranean baked cod”

In The Press On Candover Brook Brut NV

Katrina Mipuri | The Glass Magazine | Winter 2024	“Not only has Candover Brook won numerous wine awards, it is also an emerging name on the wine scene. This bottle delivers notes of lemon peel, almond, honeysuckle and toasted brioche with a vibrant acidity on the palate. It pairs very well with salty cheeses such as feta or goat along with poultry and seafood.”
Andy Cronshaw | Manchester Evening News | 26th June 2025	“Another Champagne style blend which really hits a high level with candied lemon and almond on the nose as well as lovely autolysis notes. The palate is full with a very lively mousse and excellent balance. A wine for a summer celebration”
Alex Layton | Suffolk Norfolk Life | 1st June 2025	“Hampshire continues to assert itself as one of England’s premier sparkling regions, and this boutique producer demonstrates why. Made in tiny quantities from the classic trio of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, it shows remarkable precision – crisp orchard fruits balanced by subtle autolytic complexity and a whisper of chalk speaks directly to its South Downs terroir, An exemplary ambassador for English Wine Week that holds its own against more established names.”

 

Out and About - Quotes from Events 

Henry Dimbleby - speaking at Groundswell 2025	"I just think there's a pleasure, you know, obviously that's the regenerative story, but there's a real enjoyment of producing something that's being produced with love, that's being produced with love for the countryside and for me, you know, it's, little, it makes a little guilty pleasure, a little less guilty, I guess."
Sarah Langford - speaking at Groundswell 2025	"On the fact that you've got such a delicious sparkling wine being produced in a way that other farmers trying to produce grains and cattle and sheep is a really important part of the story."
Thomasina Myers -speaking at Groundswell 2025	"Delicious. Sparkle. Like really good champagne. Like really delicious. So well done, Sainsbury’s brothers. Well done, Candover Brook."
Andy Cato - Wildfarmed - speaking at the vineyard in 2024	"I think its the best tasting Crayfish protection, certainly I’m aware of. And yeah for those wondering about the link between the crayfish and this rather lovely wine, it all comes down to the soil and everything really comes down to the soil, Everything we eat, what we breathe, what we are wearing or should wearing actually comes down to the soil. And so farming and growing delicious drinks in a way which protects it really is the only way forward.”

 

Customer Reviews 

Brut NV - English fizz at its best  - Annie, 2024	Very pleased with our impulse buy from our local vineyard. Lovely balanced wine, not too dry, lots of soft bubbles, totally delicious and moreish. Looking forward to trying the rosé.
Brut NV - Fantastic Fresh Fizz! - Thomas Marsh. 2024	Well deserving of all the plaudits! Fresh and citrusy with strong zesty notes. Bought a bottle to try and ordered a case straight after!
Rosé NV - Couldn’t have been more delicious - Sophie Macaulay, 2024	Enjoyed both bottles with friends one evening. Absolutely lovely. We all give Candover Brook 5 Stars
Rosé NV - A Superb, fantabulous surprise! - Nimmy Burke	Light yet full flavoured, clean, crisp delicious sparkle, it was a total delight. ! It certainly lifted my spirits and is - in my view -superior in its class.