Our Story

Quietly progressive with respect for tradition

Candover Brook is the legacy of John Sainsbury. He first became enchanted with the craft and culture of traditional-method sparkling wine visiting Champagne in the 1980s as CEO of Sainsbury’s. There, he met Hervé Jestin, then a young winemaker just starting to make a name for himself. A seed was sown.

It was not until 2012, however, well into his retirement, that John finally fulfilled his dream, planting his first vines on the family farm, on a chalk slope within sight of his home. His sons Mark and Julian joined him in the venture, and it was only fitting that they hired Hervé Jestin – now one of the world’s most respected winemakers, at the helm of Champagne Leclerc-Briant – as their consultant winemaker.

John passed away in 2022, but not before tasting the first wines from his very own vines. Today, Mark manages Candover Brook, working with his brother Julian and their mother, Lady Anya Sainsbury.

Although John made his name turning Sainsbury's into the UK's largest supermarket chain, Candover Brook has no such fate. The property is small, with just five hectares under vine, and there's no ambition to plant more - the idea to become better not bigger.  The goal is to craft exceptional wines that reflect this special corner of Hampshire and the season that shaped them.