Rows of lush green grapevines stretching towards a tree line under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds, featuring a soft white overlay to ensure text readability.
Kemshead Vineyard logo featuring a stylized red rose emblem centered above the brand name 'KEMSHEAD', displayed in a modern sans-serif font with a distinctive red 'K' and dark grey text.
Kemshead Vineyard logo featuring a stylized red rose emblem centered above the brand name 'KEMSHEAD', displayed in a modern sans-serif font with a distinctive red 'K' and dark grey text.
Kemshead Vineyard logo featuring a stylized red rose emblem centered above the brand name 'KEMSHEAD', displayed in a modern sans-serif font with a distinctive red 'K' and dark grey text.

Small-batch English Sparkling Wine, hand-crafted on the slopes of the Nene Valley.

View Our Wines

View Our Wines

View Our Wines

Heritage Replanted

When we planted our first vines in 2017, we thought we were starting something new.

It was only later we discovered through archeological work on the farm that Kemshead Vineyard sits directly atop the footprint of a Roman vineyard, tending the same soil that grew grapes almost 2,000 years ago.

Growing on a southwest-facing slope of ironstone shale, our land offers the perfect natural drainage and terroir for viticulture.

We're not just making wine, we're reviving an ancient tradition in the heart of Northamptonshire.

Hand-Planted. Family Tended.

Kemshead is a true family partnership between father and son, Colin and Mark Sotheby. What began as a conversation about a small parcel of grazing land has grown into a passion project dedicated to excellence. Every one of our 2,300 vines was planted by our own hands, and every season is managed personally by the family. We believe that great wine is made in the vineyard, which is why we tend to every vine individually, all year round.

Sunlit rows of green grapevines supported by rustic wooden trellis posts, stretching across a grassy field towards a tree-lined horizon under a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.
Sunlit rows of green grapevines supported by rustic wooden trellis posts, stretching across a grassy field towards a tree-lined horizon under a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.
Sunlit rows of green grapevines supported by rustic wooden trellis posts, stretching across a grassy field towards a tree-lined horizon under a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.
Close-up of sparkling wine bottles resting neck-down in a traditional wooden riddling rack within a stone cellar. The clear glass reveals golden wine with yeast sediment collected in the necks, illustrating the final stages of the traditional bottle fermentation process.
Close-up of sparkling wine bottles resting neck-down in a traditional wooden riddling rack within a stone cellar. The clear glass reveals golden wine with yeast sediment collected in the necks, illustrating the final stages of the traditional bottle fermentation process.
Close-up of sparkling wine bottles resting neck-down in a traditional wooden riddling rack within a stone cellar. The clear glass reveals golden wine with yeast sediment collected in the necks, illustrating the final stages of the traditional bottle fermentation process.

Traditional Method. Modern Excellence.

We focus exclusively on the classic varieties; Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Our goal is simple but ambitious - to produce English Sparkling Wine that rivals the best in the world. To achieve this, we partner with the award-winning winemakers at Halfpenny Green Wine Estate, who use the traditional method of bottle fermentation to transform our Nene Valley fruit into a wine of exceptional character and quality.

Our Terroir by the Numbers

Quality wine requires precision. Our vineyard is small by design, allowing us to maintain complete control over the quality of the fruit we harvest.

Quality wine requires precision. Our vineyard is small by design, allowing us to maintain complete control over the quality of the fruit we harvest.

2,300 Hand-Planted Vines

Primarily Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay - the classic varieties.

2,300 Hand-Planted Vines

Primarily Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay - the classic varieties.

2,300 Hand-Planted Vines

Primarily Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay - the classic varieties.

1.6 Acres of Ironstone Shale

Situated on a southwest-facing slope for optimal drainage and sun exposure.

1.6 Acres of Ironstone Shale

Situated on a southwest-facing slope for optimal drainage and sun exposure.

1.6 Acres of Ironstone Shale

Situated on a southwest-facing slope for optimal drainage and sun exposure.

2017 (Re-)Established Vineyard

Reviving viticulture on a site with almost 2,000 years of Roman history.

2017 (Re-)Established Vineyard

Reviving viticulture on a site with almost 2,000 years of Roman history.

2017 (Re-)Established Vineyard

Reviving viticulture on a site with almost 2,000 years of Roman history.

Current Releases

Kemshead Classic Cuvée 2021

This wine is a testament to the potential of the Nene Valley's ironstone-rich shale.

This sophisticated blend is led by Chardonnay, providing a backbone of crisp acidity and elegance, supported by the depth of Pinot Noir and the roundness of Pinot Meunier. The wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle, followed by aging on its lees. This process develops the complex, toasty characteristics that define a truly great sparkling wine.

Every vine is tended by hand by the family, ensuring that only the finest fruit makes it into the press. The result is a wine of structure and finesse, guaranteeing an exquisite taste experience that rivals the continent's best.

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Enquire to Purchase

Enquire to Purchase

A bottle of Kemshead Classic Cuvée 2021 sparkling wine standing on a wooden counter. The bottle is dark green glass with a white label and black foil neck. The background features a rustic stone archway and stacks of wooden wine crates in a cellar setting.
A bottle of Kemshead Classic Cuvée 2021 sparkling wine standing on a wooden counter. The bottle is dark green glass with a white label and black foil neck. The background features a rustic stone archway and stacks of wooden wine crates in a cellar setting.
A bottle of Kemshead Classic Cuvée 2021 sparkling wine standing on a wooden counter. The bottle is dark green glass with a white label and black foil neck. The background features a rustic stone archway and stacks of wooden wine crates in a cellar setting.
A bottle of Kemshead Brut Rosé 2020 sparkling wine standing on a dark wooden surface. The clear glass reveals a vibrant salmon-pink hue, and the bottle features a white label with the red rose logo and a black foil neck. The background is a blurred stone cellar with wooden wine barrels.
A bottle of Kemshead Brut Rosé 2020 sparkling wine standing on a dark wooden surface. The clear glass reveals a vibrant salmon-pink hue, and the bottle features a white label with the red rose logo and a black foil neck. The background is a blurred stone cellar with wooden wine barrels.
A bottle of Kemshead Brut Rosé 2020 sparkling wine standing on a dark wooden surface. The clear glass reveals a vibrant salmon-pink hue, and the bottle features a white label with the red rose logo and a black foil neck. The background is a blurred stone cellar with wooden wine barrels.

Kemshead Brut Rosé 2020

Grown on the sun-drenched, southwest-facing slopes of the Nene Valley, the Kemshead Brut Rosé is a vibrant celebration of our unique Northamptonshire terroir.

This vintage is dominated by Pinot Noir, which imparts its signature structure and a delicate salmon-pink hue. The addition of Chardonnay adds elegance and length, while Pinot Meunier brings a soft, fruity charm. Carefully tended by the Sotheby family throughout the year, the grapes are harvested at optimal ripeness to ensure a wine of exceptional quality.

After extensive tastings and patience in the cellar, the result is an exquisitely fine wine with a lively mousse and a finish that speaks of its heritage. It is the perfect pour for celebration, best enjoyed slightly chilled.

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Enquire to Purchase

Enquire to Purchase

Reserve Your Taste of History

Enquire to Purchase

Limited production English Sparkling Wine, available exclusively from the vineyard.

We believe buying wine should be as personal as making it. To ensure the highest quality service, we do not sell via an automated checkout. Instead, we invite you to enquire directly to secure your allocation and arrange a collection time from our historic site in the Nene Valley.

Reserve Your Taste of History

Enquire to Purchase

Limited production English Sparkling Wine, available exclusively from the vineyard.

We believe buying wine should be as personal as making it. To ensure the highest quality service, we do not sell via an automated checkout. Instead, we invite you to enquire directly to secure your allocation and arrange a collection time from our historic site in the Nene Valley.

Reserve Your Taste of History

Enquire to Purchase

Limited production English Sparkling Wine, available exclusively from the vineyard.

We believe buying wine should be as personal as making it. To ensure the highest quality service, we do not sell via an automated checkout. Instead, we invite you to enquire directly to secure your allocation and arrange a collection time from our historic site in the Nene Valley.

Frequently Asked Questions

A watercolor and ink illustration of a lush cluster of green grapes hanging from a vine, rendered in an artistic style with fresh green tones and loose sketch outlines.
A watercolor and ink illustration of a lush cluster of green grapes hanging from a vine, rendered in an artistic style with fresh green tones and loose sketch outlines.
Can I order wine directly through the website?
Do you offer delivery?
Where do I collect my order?
Can I visit the vineyard for a tour?
Can I order wine directly through the website?
Do you offer delivery?
Where do I collect my order?
Can I visit the vineyard for a tour?
Can I order wine directly through the website?
Do you offer delivery?
Where do I collect my order?
Can I visit the vineyard for a tour?
Welcome to Kemshead Vineyard

To view our website and enquire about our wines, you must be of legal drinking age in your country of residence.