Shotley Vineyard

What Shotley Vineyard does

Shotley Vineyard is a family-owned English single-estate vineyard and visitor experience venue located in Shotley, Suffolk, UK, overlooking the Orwell and Stour estuaries within the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Founded in 2017 by Charlotte Davitt-Mills and her husband — who purchased a 4-acre vineyard and now manage 16 acres of planted English vines — the business launched its first vintage in June 2020 and produces a small range of single-estate wines including Pinot Noir Rosé, Pinot Noir, a Charmat-method Sparkling (Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Seyval Blanc, Reichensteiner), and Bacchus.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer model across two channels: a Shopify e-commerce storefront selling wine, gift cards (£10-£100), and Suffolk hampers (£28-£40) for collection or delivery, and on-site visitor experiences including WSET-led vineyard tours, tutored tastings (£10-£40 per person), afternoon tea for two (£40-£55), weddings (£2,500+ for 40-50 guests), corporate events, and seasonal food evenings (Pizza, Seafood with Pinney's of Orford, Wagyu Burger nights). On-site opening is limited to Friday-Sunday 10am-2pm for coffee and cake service, with longer hours for booked experiences. The tasting barn was part-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and overnight glamping accommodation is in development as a planned extension. The technology stack is minimal — Shopify for commerce and booking management — and there is no disclosed external institutional funding, with the business appearing bootstrapped and operated day-to-day by Charlotte Davitt-Mills with family support.

Name

Shotley Vineyard

Legal name

Shotley Vineyard

Website

https://shotleyvineyard.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shotley Vineyard is a family-owned Suffolk estate producing single-vineyard English wines (Pinot Noir, Rosé, Sparkling, Bacchus) and operating a direct-to-consumer hospitality business including tours, tastings, afternoon tea, weddings, and seasonal events via a Shopify storefront and on-site venue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vineyard and English Winery

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB), Wine Bars (CRANACAE), Luxury Farmhouses, Country Houses & Vineyard Estates (THAMAEAG), Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ)

Keywords

• English wine production
• Vineyard tours tastings
• Wedding venue hire
• English sparkling wines
• Wine tourism experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Shotley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Direct sales of bottled wines including Pinot Noir Rosé, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wine, and Bacchus. Sales through their Shopify e-commerce platform with collection from vineyard or delivery.
2. Tours and Tastings: Vineyard tours with tutored wine tastings led by WSET-trained guides. Tour and tasting packages at £18, with optional add-ons for afternoon tea or grazing board.
3. Wedding Venue Hire: Wedding venue hire including marquee and VIP toilets for 40-50 guests starting at £2,500. Not a licensed venue, but celebrant ceremonies in grounds or nearby church weddings supported.
4. Afternoon Tea Service: Afternoon tea for two at £40, with options to add Shotley Vineyard wines (Sparkling at £55, Bacchus or Pinot Noir at £50).
5. Events and Experiences: Seasonal food and wine events including seafood evenings with Pinney's of Orford, pizza nights with Taste of Naples/Smokey Deez, and Wagyu burger events. Prices from £18-£20 for food boards.
6. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards in denominations of £10, £20, £25, £50, £80, and £100. Redeemable against tours, events, and wines.
7. Suffolk Hampers: Gift hampers containing Shotley Vineyard Sparkling Wine, artisan chocolate, Suffolk candle or coffee blend, priced from £28-£40.
8. Coffee and Cake: Locally roasted coffee and cake service open Friday to Sunday 10am-2pm, serving Penny Roaster coffee and Penny Baker cakes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shotley Vineyard is a single-estate English winery in Suffolk that produces and bottles its own wines from 16 acres of managed vines, including Pinot Noir Rosé, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wine, and Bacchus. The vineyard also operates a visitor destination offering WSET-led vineyard tours and tastings, afternoon tea, grazing boards, and seasonal food events, alongside venue hire for weddings and corporate functions. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through a Shopify online store and on-site retail at the tasting barn.

Product overview

Shotley Vineyard is a traditional English winery and events venue located in Suffolk, not a technology company. The business operates as a single unified offering centered on wine production and visitor experiences. The core products are their estate wines: 2023 Pinot Noir Rosé, 2024 Pinot Noir, 2024 Sparkling Wine, 2025 Pinot Noir, and 2025 Bacchus. These are complemented by experiential offerings including vineyard tours and tastings (led by WSET trained guides), wine tasting flights, afternoon tea for two, and grazing boards. The business also sells gift cards and Suffolk hampers. Events include weddings (venue hire for 40-50 guests starting at £2,500), corporate events, and seasonal events like pizza nights, seafood evenings, and burger events. Planned services include glamping accommodation. The vineyard manages 16 acres of planted English vines and has over 4,000 Pinot Noir vines planted in the late 1990s.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2023 Pinot Noir Rosé Single estate English Rosé made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes, crisp and dry with delicate notes of ripe strawberry; best enjoyed chilled and sold to consumers via the Shopify storefront and on-site at the vineyard.
• 2024 Pinot Noir Single vineyard English Pinot Noir, medium bodied with aromas of ripe cherries and blackcurrant and a smooth earthy finish; barrel aged and sold direct-to-consumer at £25.00 per bottle.
• 2024 Sparkling Wine Single vineyard English sparkling wine made by the Charmat method from Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Seyval Blanc, and Reichensteiner grapes; fruit-forward with notes of green apple and stone fruit, dry and refreshing finish, sold at £24.00 per bottle.
• 2025 Pinot Noir Single vineyard English Pinot Noir from the 2025 vintage, produced from vines planted in the late 1990s, sold at £25.00 per bottle.
• 2025 Bacchus Single estate English Bacchus white wine, floral with elderflower on the nose and crisp gooseberry and lime on the palate, sometimes called the 'Sauvignon Blanc of the UK'; sold at £18.00 per bottle.
• Vineyard Tour and Tasting WSET-trained guide leads visitors through the vineyard followed by a tutored tasting of Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Rosé and Sparkling wines; available with optional add-ons for afternoon tea (£40) or grazing board (£35), starting at £18 per person.
• Wine Tasting Flight Standalone wine tasting flight in the tasting room overlooking the vines, allowing visitors to sample the wine range without a full vineyard tour; from £10 per person, with optional grazing board add-on at £25.
• Afternoon Tea for Two Afternoon tea service for two comprising individually served sandwiches, cakes, savouries, and fruit scone with cream and jam, plus a hot or non-alcoholic drink; available with or without Shotley Vineyard wines, Fridays and Saturdays 11:00–14:00, from £40.
• Shotley Vineyard Gift Card Digital and physical gift cards in denominations of £10, £20, £25, £50, £80, and £100, redeemable against tour packages, events, and wines, sold directly to consumers via the Shopify storefront.
• Shotley Vineyard Suffolk Hamper Suffolk-themed gift hamper containing Shotley Vineyard 2021 Sparkling Wine, Pump Street artisan chocolate, and a Suffolk Candle Co pomander candle or locally roasted Shotley Vineyard coffee blend; priced £28 to £40.
• Wedding Venue Hire Outdoor wedding venue overlooking the Orwell and Stour estuaries, accommodating 40 to 50 guests with marquee and VIP toilets included; venue hire starts at £2,500, with celebrant ceremonies in the grounds or at nearby St Mary's church supported (not a licensed venue).
• Corporate Event Hosting Bespoke corporate event hosting at the vineyard for team events and business functions, arranged directly via Charlotte at [email protected].
• Seasonal Food and Wine Events Calendar of seasonal food and wine evenings at the vineyard including Pizza in the Vines with Taste of Naples and Smokey Deez, Seafood in the Vines with Pinney's of Orford, Burgers in the Vines with Wagyu Burgers Hadleigh, and Sundowner evenings; food boards priced £18 to £20.
• Sundowner Drinks and Boards Evenings Summer sundowner evenings at the vineyard pairing wines with seafood boards (£20) or grazing boards (£18), held as recurring events with additional drinks available to purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• First vintage launched June 2020

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pinney's of OrfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird generation family-run seafood business working from the Suffolk heritage coast. They have grown oysters at Butley Creek since the 1950s and operate a traditional smokehouse supplying smoked salmon and freshly smoked fish. They pride themselves on sustainable business practices, using low impact fishing methods that protect the environment and care for local fish stocks. Partnership delivers 'Seafood in the Vines' events at Shotley Vineyard.
• Wagyu Burgers (Hadleigh, Suffolk)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStreet food vendors from Hadleigh, Suffolk serving ground wagyu steak burgers with brioche bun and artisan toppings. Partnership delivers 'Burgers in the Vines' events.
• Taste of NaplesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPizza vendor partnering for 'Pizza in the Vines' spring and summer events near Ipswich.
• Smokey Deez PizzaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPizza vendor partnering for seasonal 'Pizza in the Vines' events.
• Penny Roaster (Coffee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocally roasted coffee bean supplier for the vineyard's coffee and cake service, open Friday-Sunday 10am-2pm.
• Penny Baker (Cake)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCake supplier for the vineyard's coffee and cake service, open Friday-Sunday 10am-2pm.
• Pump Street ChocolateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtisan chocolate bar (58% Madagascar Milk Chocolate) included in Suffolk Hampers.
• Suffolk Candle CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPomander candles included as an option in Suffolk Hampers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chapel Down: England's largest premium wine producer, offering still and sparkling wines with a strong DTC, tourism, and hospitality model. Comparable to Shotley because both produce single-estate English wines and run visitor experiences, though Chapel Down operates at significantly greater scale and brand recognition.
• Hambledon Vineyard: Historic English sparkling wine estate with cellar door tours, tastings, and on-site events. Closely comparable as a small premium English producer combining wine production with visitor experiences.
• Ridgeview Wine Estate: Sussex-based English sparkling wine producer with cellar door tours, tastings, and a strong wedding/events business. Comparable to Shotley's DTC wine-plus-experiences model and similar scale of estate.
• Nyetimber: Flagship English sparkling wine brand with own-estate vineyards and a hospitality offering. Comparable to Shotley in product (English sparkling) and visitor experience focus, though at materially larger scale.
• Bolney Wine Estate: Sussex vineyard with winery tours, tastings, a café, and a wedding/events business. Closely mirrors Shotley's combination of English wine production and on-site experiential hospitality.
• Gusbourne Estate: Premium English sparkling and still wine producer with a tasting room, tours, weddings, and luxury hospitality. Direct comparable to Shotley's vineyard/tasting/wedding combination, with similar AONB-adjacent positioning in the South East.
• Denbies Wine Estate: Large Surrey vineyard with a tasting room, restaurant, tours, weddings and corporate events. Comparable experience-led model to Shotley, scaled up with year-round daily opening.
• New Hall Vineyards: Essex-based English wine producer running tours, tastings and on-site sales. Directly comparable as a regional English vineyard with a DTC and visitor-experience model of similar small scale.

Regional players

• Tuffon Hall: Family-run East Anglian vineyard producing still and sparkling wines with on-site tours and tastings. Comparable as a small regional English vineyard with a similar DTC and visitor-experience proposition.
• Flint Vineyard: East Anglia (Norfolk) boutique English winery with cellar-door sales and visitor experiences. Strong regional adjacency to Shotley's East Anglian positioning and similar small-scale, owner-operated production ethos.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/shotleyvineyard
• Instagraminstagram.com/shotleyvineyard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shotley-vineyard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Shotley Vineyard