BLACK CHALK NEWS

Fighting Frost at Black Chalk

This week it's been sunshine by day, but in the vineyard, it’s what happens after dark that truly keeps us on our toes. Levels Vineyard at dawn after a frosty night As temperatures drop under those clear night skies, the threat of frost becomes very real, especially now, with delicate new buds emerging across our vines. These tiny shoots represent the entire promise of the 2026 harvest, and protecting them is nothing short of essential. So, when the mercury begins to fall, ou

#GiveToGain: A Conversation with the Women of Black Chalk on International Women’s Day

At Black Chalk, we know great wine can only be made by a great team of people. And while the wine industry has historically been seen as male-dominated, times are changing rapidly. We’re proud to have four incredibly talented women at the heart of our great team of people, driving every aspect of our business, from vineyard to winery and marketing to hospitality. This International Women’s Day, the theme is #GiveToGain. So, we gathered the four women of Black Chalk, poured a

Winter Conversations in the Vines: Pruning with Gwil Cooper

Black Chalk Vineyard Manager, Gwil Cooper While the vines at Black Chalk may look like they’re sleeping through winter, this is actually one of the most important and quietly beautiful times of year in the vineyard. Pruning season is when the foundations for the next vintages are laid, one careful cut at a time. Gwil Cooper, Vineyard Manager , talks to us about why pruning matters, how it’s done, and why it’s his favourite job in the vineyard. Why prune at all? Frosty morning

Jacob Leadley + Zoë Driver have slam-dunked it yet again

Henry Jeffreys summed it up perfectly in his recent Substack article, “English sparkling wines from small producers” : “Black Chalk are another producer you can’t ignore. Partly this is down to the irrepressible personalities of its winemaking team of Jacob Leadley and Zoe Driver but also because of the quality of the wines.” Henry Jeffreys And he seems to be right. Our new Classic and Wild Rosé from the warm 2022 vintage (or V.3, as we refer to it) are already turning heads.

A Very Black Chalk Christmas: What to Drink and When

The Christmas drinking guide you really need. Ah, Christmas Day… that glorious blend of joy, mild panic, and the annual tradition of pretending you definitely enjoy sprouts. Well, lucky for you, Black Chalk’s on your side, helping you navigate the mayhem, one glass at a time. How many times do you need to read about how perfectly Chardonnay goes with your Christmas turkey or how your smoked salmon blinis simply can’t be enjoyed without a drop of “pink fizz”? Well, we’re givin

V.6: The Year Everything Clicked

The Black Chalk V.6 Harvest Team We sit down with Jacob Leadley (CEO & Winemaker), Zoë Driver (Winemaker), and Gwil Cooper (Vineyard Manager) to talk about this year’s growing season, a bit of harvest chaos, and what we can expect from V.6 (the 6th harvest at Black Chalk). Spoiler alert...it's going to be a good one! A dream in the vines If you ask winemaker Zoë Driver to sum up 2025’s growing season, she doesn’t hesitate. “Pretty perfect, to be honest! No frost, perfect flow