This marks the firm’s first step beyond brewing into winemaking and aims to create something of the highest quality, exclusively for its pubs.
The first shipment is arriving this month (August), starting three core wines - Château Bessan (red), Bordeaux Blanc (white) and Fleur de Vigne (premium white).
Joule’s Brewery managing director Vicky Colclough said: “We are, and always will be, brewers first but our taphouses are much more than beer.
“We want every Joule’s pub to offer the best of everything - the best pint, the best wine, the best atmosphere - and Château Bessan gives us the chance to do for wine what we’ve done for our beer already.
“It’s made the with the same dedication, from a single source, for a single purpose - to be enjoyed in great pubs, at great value.”
Natural fit
The Château Bessan launch will start in Joule’s managed houses this autumn with a wider roll out across the estate as more wine becomes available. Over time, Joule’s said the vineyard will adapt its planting to suit the pubs.
At the same time, the business revealed it is reopening its flagship pub - the Red Lion Brewery Tap in Market Drayton, which will introduce the wines.
The site now features a new wine bar at the front, which is dedicated to telling the Château Bessan story, showcasing its wines as well as pouring pints fresh from the brewery next door.
Development director Anna Brakel said: “The Red Lion has always been at the heart of Joule’s and this development keeps that heart beating while opening new doors.
“The wine bar is something different for us but it feels like a natural fit. It’s a place to explore the wines in a relaxed, pub setting and to show how they sit alongside our beers.”
Brand manager Georgia Charlton-Briggs highlighted the share values between Joule’s and Château Bessan.
Made with care
She said: “What excites me most is how much these two stories mirror each other. “Both Joule’s and Château Bessan are about heritage, provenance and a refusal to compromise on quality.
“Whether it’s a pint of Green Monkey poured fresh from the tank or a glass of Bordeaux Blanc poured straight from the bottle, both come from one source, made with care and served only in Joules’ taphouses.
“This is about giving our customers something they can’t get anywhere else and being proud to say it’s ours.”
Last month (July), Joule’s revealed it was set to expand its brewery as a result of growing demand for its beers.
It purchased land directly next to its current brewery to support further development.
May saw the business purchase the freehold of a new pub on Gas Street, Birmingham, which marked the third pub for the business, following the Red Lion in the Jewellery Quarter in early 2024 and later, the New Inn in Harborne in 2024.
The company revealed in January it had new plans for a major investment in the New Inn.
