A Champagne producer has bought more than 170 acres of land in Kent with the aim of launching the first vineyard backed by a major player from the French region.

Champagne Taittinger, run by the Taittinger family, plans to plant chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes at Stone Stile Farm in Chilham, near Canterbury, with the aim of making English sparkling wine.

Nearly 100 acres of the former apple farm will be given over for wine production, selected for its chalk soil and south-facing slopes, which create an ideal micro-climate and topography for vines.

The new owners claim it is the first time a Champagne house has invested in the UK with the aim of making sparkling wine, set to be named Domaine Evremond.

Champagne Taittinger president Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger said: “We have dreamt for a number of years of working with our dear friends in the UK to create a special Franco-British project.

“Built on the values of friendship, this venture will create something special to show our appreciation of the UK support for Champagne – it is Champagne Taittinger’s number one export market. We are very excited that this dream is now becoming a reality.

“We believe we can produce a high-quality English sparkling wine drawing on our 80 years of winemaking expertise.

“Our aim is to make something of real excellence in the UK’s increasingly temperate climate, and not to compare it with Champagne or any other sparkling wine.”

The Taittinger family has strong connections to Kent.

Jean Taittinger, the house president’s father, twinned Canterbury with Reims over 45 years ago when he was Mayor of Reims from 1959 to 1977.

Mr Taittinger said: “I am looking forward to being able to strengthen these links with Kent and with Great Britain as we embark on this venture.”

The family has already had considerable success planting sparkling wine vineyards abroad.

In 1987 it launched Domaine Carneros by Taittinger in the USA, a venture with the Kopf family of Kobrand Wine & Spirits.

Its UK agent will be Hatch Mansfield.

Managing director Patrick McGrath added: “Our aim is not just to be an English sparkling wine maker, but also to be a significant supporter of the whole English wine industry.”

No wine will be produced until the plots are transformed from orchards into vineyards.

Champagne Taittinger is the only Champagne house which remains owned and actively managed by the family named on the label.

It sells into 150 countries and owns more than 700 acres of vineyards, making it the second largest domaine owner and grower in the region.