They initially bought the property to be their family home in 2013 but decided to grow grapes – initially to sell the fruit itself – in 2016 when they planted 9,500 vines before pivoting to become one of a handful of wine vineyards in the region.
Their first harvest was in 2018 and they have since gone on to produce tens of thousands of bottles of wine – including white, red, rose and sparkling – selling directly to consumers and into local hospitality venues, as well as partnering with other local producers.
They can produce anything from 3,000 to 25,000 bottles per year depending on the harvest and this year looks set to be a bumper year thanks to the long, hot summer.
In order to get to their next phase of growth, Adele got in touch with the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce to ask for support and was assigned to Russell Grant as a business adviser through Project Warwickshire Business Support.
Project Warwickshire forms part of the Business Growth Warwickshire programme. It is delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Warwickshire County Council. The programme is funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Warwickshire County Council.
Russell worked with the vineyard to help establish long-term business plans and a marketing strategy to grow its customer base.
Part of that was starting to attend more networking events in the region to raise awareness of the vineyard in North Warwickshire.
The vineyard’s marketing plan has become more extensive while it has also begun targeting corporate clients as well as running wine-tasting and craft events at the vineyard which have grown in popularity.
Following the support, Blabers saw 55 per cent increase in business from 2023 to end of 2024, with further growth anticipated in 2025.
Adele said: “This was initially going to be our family home. Clarke was running his construction business and I was working in the local school.
“But I gave that up when we decided to turn some of the land into a vineyard – I’ve gone from knowing very little about it to understanding what kind of soil works best for grapes!
“I’m also keeping a constant eye on the weather because it’s absolutely key to whether it’s a successful year or not!
“It came to a point where we wanted to make longer term plans for the vineyard as a business and needed to grow our presence.
“Russell has been a massive help in understanding what we do and where we might be able to grow. We’ve joined more networks and are tapping into more hotels in the area.
“We’ve also started to market ourselves as a tourist attraction through Destination Coventry, West Midlands Growth Company and Visit Britain, which is something we can definitely build on.”
Russell said: “Adele and Clarke have had to develop knowledge of how to run a vineyard and what leads to the creation of great wines but that’s different to the business side of things.
“We’ve helped to refine the business plans, improve processes and develop marketing plans to reach a wider customer base. It’s great to see that the support is working and that is something that should be toasted!”
Councillor Rob Howard, Portfolio Holder for Economy at Warwickshire County Council, said: “Project Warwickshire offers a range of support to Warwickshire’s businesses within the tourism, hospitality and leisure industries. It’s great to see the support provided to Blabers Hall Wine Estate and how this has helped towards their business growth.
“Support from Project Warwickshire has supported Adele and Clark to expand upon their marketing plan and secure a strategy in order to achieve their objectives, helping them to build a wider network and access new routes to customers.”
David Wright, Leader of North Warwickshire Borough Council, said: "Blabers Hall Wine Estate is a shining example of how entrepreneurial spirit and rural innovation can thrive in North Warwickshire. We're delighted to see how Adele and Clarke have grown their vineyard into not only a successful business but also a local attraction that contributes to our visitor economy. Supporting businesses like this, through partnerships and programmes such as Project Warwickshire, is central to our vision for a vibrant and sustainable local economy.”
Project Warwickshire Business Support for Tourism, Leisure, Retail and Hospitality SMEs is funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Warwickshire County Council. Responsibility for the planning and delivery of UKSPF was part of the Level 2 Devolution Deal secured by Warwickshire County Council in 2024. Warwickshire’s allocation of UKSPF is supporting a package of communities & place, business support, and people & skills activities in 2025/26.
To find out more about the programme and others available to your business, including eligibility please go to https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/business-support/
