FORMULA 1 race legend Jody Scheckter hopes to bring a vintage touch to Laverstoke.

Mr Sheckter’s managers at Laverstoke Park Farm, near Overton, have applied to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to transform part of his land into a 2300sq metre bespoke winery to produce a champagne-style sparkling wine.

The plan is to build a complex including a main barrel-vaulted structure with a roof covered in plants. There will also be a wine-storage area, tasting area with external terrace, yard and car park. The application says no new access road will be required to the site, which is next to existing vines and backs on to Bramdown Copse.

Three new jobs may be created, although the application document’s author admits that “the proposed winery will have only a limited impact on the local economy”.

The winery building will be 82 metres-long with tanks, barrels and a laboratory.

The farm already has a vineyard with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines.

Marketing and events manager Sara Whittall said: “Within each of these varieties, clones were selected for their suitability to produce quality organic sparkling wine in the often-difficult UK growing conditions.

“Each was chosen to provide a different dimension for the winemaker to craft together a quality organic English sparkling wine. The site of the vineyard was chosen because of the slope, exposure to the sun and also to help manage the vigour of the vine and the impact of disease.”

There are around 5,000 vines in each of the 10 hectares which are managed organically.