It is our immense privilege to serve as custodians of Chilham Estate.
Our family holds a deep respect for the land, having nurtured a remarkable vineyard in South Africa, Glen Carlou. The renowned Simonsberg estate, known for its exceptional Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, reflects our passion for winemaking and our commitment to stewardship. We are excited to bring that same expertise and care to the ancient chalk slopes of Chilham.
We are proud to be adding a new chapter to the ever-expanding story of English winemaking.
The Pitout family have lived in Surrey since 2000. Wayne and sons, Jarred and Teagan have long seen the potential for cool-climate viticulture in the UK. In 2021 they secured Chilham Estate, a prime site with no history of wine growing, located six miles west of Canterbury. Here, they could start from scratch and pursue a premium grape production strategy.
Both sons are passionate about the wine industry; Jarred specialises in tech and ecommerce; while Teagan recently completed his Viticulture and Oenology degree at Plumpton College. He is currently getting hands-on experience at one of the oldest vineyards in the U.K.
Luke Wolfe, viticultural consultant for Agro-Pro and co-founder of Whitewolfe Wines.
Wolfe has an intimate knowledge of the climatic, topographical and geological conditions of Kent. Graduating from Plumpton College in 2012 with a first-class honours’ degree in Viticulture and Oenology, Wolfe spent seven years at Chapel Down where he was responsible for managing vineyard operations across multiple sites in Kent and Sussex totalling more than 600 acres. He then started Agro-Pro, a vineyard management and consultancy business specialising in cool climate viticulture across the south-east region. To date Wolfe has planted and established more than 1,500 acres in England working with both large growers and boutique producers. Significantly, Wolfe has also personally planted 25 acres of Chardonnay in Kent, so he fully understands the challenges in nurturing a vineyard to maturity.
Johnnie Calitz, winemaker of Glen Carlou, South Africa and Chilham Estate, Kent.
Johnnie Calitz who has been a winemaker for over 20-years has worked in vineyards and cellars all over the world. He has been at the helm of the Pitout’s South African vineyard, Glen Carlou for almost a decade.
Calitz hails from the Klein Karoo in South Africa. A graduate of Stellenbosch University with a BSc in Viticulture & Oenology. Calitz is a Chardonnay specialist. With his many years of experience in producing world-class Chardonnay, he is applying his deep understanding of the grape to the unique terroir of England. Combining his expertise with the country’s cool climate and chalky soils, his philosophy is to craft elegant, terroir-driven wines.
