Howard's Folly

What Howard's Folly does

Howard's Folly is a Portuguese winery founded in 2005 by entrepreneur Howard Bilton and winemaker David Baverstock, operating under the legal entity Hillvalley Limited (a UK-incorporated parent). The company produces wines from the Alentejo region — specifically Portalegre — and Vinho Verde, operating a vineyard estate in Estremoz, Portugal. Operations span wine production, hospitality, and direct-to-consumer commerce.

The business generates revenue through multiple streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce wine sales across three markets (Portugal, the UK, and Hong Kong), a Wine Club subscription model delivering semi-annual shipments, on-premises hospitality including a restaurant, visitor centre and accommodation at the Estremoz estate, and wine experiences and tours. The Wine Club functions as a recurring-revenue channel, while the estate diversifies the offering into food and lodging services.

The company has embedded charitable and cultural positioning through a partnership with the Sovereign Art Foundation, which underpins its Label Art Programme. Co-marketing activity — including a joint tasting event with Blackett Ports scheduled for 2026 — extends commercial reach into adjacent fortified-wine categories. Production credibility is anchored by Chief Winemaker David Baverstock, the only non-Portuguese winemaker to win Portugal's Winemaker of the Year award twice (2013 and 2015).

Name

Howard's Folly

Legal name

Hillvalley Limited

Website

https://howardsfollywine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Howard's Folly is a Portuguese winery founded in 2005 that produces wines from the Alentejo and Vinho Verde regions, selling direct-to-consumer in Portugal, the UK, and Hong Kong via e-commerce, a Wine Club subscription, and an estate restaurant and visitor centre in Estremoz.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Wines

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Portuguese wines
• Alentejo winery
• Wine club subscription
• Wine tourism
• Premium red wines

Headquarters

HQ city

Estremoz

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of wines through their online store, selling red, white, rosé, and fortified wines by the case. Products range from entry-level Sonhador wines to premium Reserva and limited edition bottles.
2. Wine Club Subscription: Wine Club membership offering 20% discount on all wines, with regular shipments in March and November. Club members receive personally selected wines chosen by David Baverstock and Howard Bilton, plus access to limited edition, reserve and special wines.
3. Restaurant and Visitor Centre: On-site restaurant at the winery in Estremoz offering dining experiences, wine tastings, and tours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Howard's Folly is a Portuguese winery that produces and sells premium wines from Portugal's diverse grape varietals, primarily sourced from high-altitude vineyards in Portalegre, Alentejo, with additional wines from Vinho Verde. The company sells its wines directly to consumers through e-commerce storefronts in Portugal, the UK, and Hong Kong, plus a Wine Club subscription with twice-yearly shipments. It also offers wine experiences at its Estremoz winery, including tastings, tours, an on-site restaurant, and visitor accommodation.

Product overview

Howard's Folly is a Portuguese winery founded in 2005 producing wines from Portugal's diverse grape varietals, primarily in the Alentejo region (Portalegre) with wines also from Vinho Verde. The product portfolio centers on four wine collection categories—Red, White, Rosé, and Fortified wines—sold as individual bottles and mixed packs, supplemented by a Wine Club subscription with 20% member discounts and periodic shipments. The company also offers experiential services including winery tours, tastings, an on-site restaurant, and accommodation, creating a complete wine tourism destination in Estremoz.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Red Wines Collection Red wines made from Portuguese grape varietals including Castelão, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Syrah, and others, available in standard bottles and magnum formats. Sold to individual consumers and wine enthusiasts.
• White Wines Collection White wines including Alvarinho, field blends, and reserve wines from Portalegre and Vinho Verde regions. Sold to individual consumers and wine enthusiasts.
• Rosé Wines Collection Rosé wines such as Sonhador Rosé and Três Ânforas Rosado. Sold to individual consumers and wine enthusiasts.
• Fortified Wines Collection Fortified wines including 1995 Carcavelos, a rare traditional Portuguese fortified wine. Sold to individual consumers and wine enthusiasts.
• Mixed Packs Curated wine packs including Mixed Wines, Reds, Whites and Rosé, Premium Mixed Case, Single Varietal Case, and Vertical Reserva Tinto. Sold to individual consumers and wine enthusiasts.
• Wine Club Membership Subscription wine club offering 20% discount on all wines, with shipments in March and November selected personally by David Baverstock and Howard Bilton, plus access to limited edition and reserve wines.
• Wine Experiences Wine tours, tastings, and visitor experiences at the Howard's Folly winery in Estremoz, Portugal.
• Winery Restaurant and Visitor Centre On-site restaurant and visitor centre at the Estremoz winery offering dining experiences and wine-related visits.
• Winery Accommodation On-site accommodation facilities for visitors to the Howard's Folly winery in Estremoz.

Quantifiable outcome

• Award-winning wines recognised by leading critics worldwide

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Blackett PortsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Hosted a joint tasting event 'Grandes Ressacas / Best Hangovers' featuring Blackett Ports wines paired with Howard's Folly wines. Event included winemaker David Baverstock and Blackett's Laura discussing production details, barrel ageing, and blending philosophy.
• Sovereign Art FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoward's Folly partners with the Sovereign Art Foundation, a charity supporting arts-based programmes for underprivileged children. Many wine labels are designed by SAF prize winners, and every bottle sold contributes to funding art therapy programmes globally and in Portugal.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Quinta do Crasto: Douro Valley premium winery with award-winning wines and strong international DTC distribution. Comparable on premium Portuguese positioning, family ownership, and export-driven DTC.
• Niepoort: Dutch-Portuguese family-owned winery with strong DTC and premium positioning across red, white, and fortified wines. Closest direct peer to Howard's Folly given similar boutique scale, founder-driven ethos, and export-led DTC focus in similar price tiers.
• Herdade do Esporão: Alentejo-based premium winery with broad wine portfolio and integrated wine tourism. Direct competitor on terroir (both produce Alentejo wines) and on DTC/tourism business model.
• Quinta da Pacheca: Douro winery with integrated wine tourism (restaurant, accommodation, tastings) and DTC sales. Strongly comparable on the wine-tourism-plus-DTC business model that Howard's Folly has built at Estremoz.
• Quinta do Noval: Iconic Douro Port and table wine producer with international distribution and a heritage reputation. Comparable as a premium Portuguese producer with collector-grade positioning and export focus.
• Quinta dos Murças: Douro-based boutique winery owned by a family with international distribution and premium positioning. Similar boutique-scale, terroir-driven producer competing for similar DTC customers.

Broad incumbents

• Symington Family Estates: Owner of Taylor's, Graham's, and other Port brands, plus premium Douro wines. Comparable as a heritage Portuguese wine family with international premium positioning and DTC channels.
• Sogrape: Largest Portuguese wine group owning brands such as Sandeman, Ferreira, and Casa Ferreirinha. Broader portfolio and global distribution make it a benchmark incumbent Howard's Folly competes against in export markets.

Emerging players

• Vivino: Global wine marketplace and DTC platform with millions of users. Comparable as an enabler/competitor for premium wine DTC discovery and online purchasing behaviour that Howard's Folly relies on.
• Winc: Wine subscription DTC brand that popularized direct-to-consumer wine clubs. Comparable on the Wine Club/subscription GTM motion and recurring-revenue mechanics, though focused on the US market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/howardsfolly
• Instagraminstagram.com/howardsfollywine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howard-s-folly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Howard's Folly