A vineyard set in the picturesque Dedham Vale has gone on the market with a guide price tag of £2.25m.
Dedham Vale Vineyard, at Boxted, near Colchester, set in an out-of-the-way part of the beauty spot, includes a mix of 38 acres of vines, grass paddocks mainly broadleaf woodland and ponds.
The vines, initially established in 1990, encompass a broad range of grape varieties including Bacchus, Domfelder, Rondon, Reichenstein, Chardonnay, Dunkelfelder and Pinor Noir, and produce up to 12,000 bottles of highly regarded white, rosé and red wines, as well as sparkling whites and rosés.
The vineyard business, built up over recent years, now produces wines from grapes grown at other vineyards, with the capacity to produce and ship 20,000 bottles each year, with wines sold into national supermarket chains.
The current owners have used the vineyard and wine production for other wine-related enterprises, including the Dedham Vale Vine and Wine Run, a festial and cider making courses, as well as a venue for weddings, family parties and corporate events.
The site has consent for a new house totally 8,000sq ft over three floors.
It also has a one-bedroomed winemaker’s house, and vineyard buildings including a shop, wine tasting barn, winery, bonded store and offices.
Michael Fiddes, a senior director at agents Strutt & Parker, said the property had two big attractions for buyers.
“It’s a two-edged sword. You are combining what is a pretty rare opportunity to build any new house in the Dedham Vale and also in running a vineyard,” he said. “It comes in two pieces really. Vineyards definitely become more popular in East Anglia certainly, because I think if you go back far enough to Roman times, there were quite a lot of East Anglian vineyards and there’s a bigger demand for vineyards in the south-east and east of the UK. Some French wine houses are buying vineyards - particularly in Kent. A part of that I suppose is changing climate.
“But equally, the market for this really is an owner-occupier because you have got a wonderful spot to build your own house and no one knows you are there.”
He added: “It’s tucked away down a country lane - you wouldn’t know it’s there and it’s very attractive bit of rolling Dedham Vale countryside.”
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