Dragons’ Den star who won £60k investment for his sparkling wines dies aged 53 from brain tumour
Geoff Bowen used the cash to expand his Pebblebed Vineyard business after impressing Duncan Bannatyne on the hit BBC Two show
A WINEMAKER who won a £60,000 investment on Dragons’ Den has died three months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Entrepreneur Geoff Bowen secured the cash after impressing Duncan Bannatyne on the hit BBC Two show.
He used it to expand his Pebblebed Vineyard business.
Geoff's wife Anna and their daughters Martha, 19 and Jessie, 17, have now paid a heartfelt tribute to him after he passed away in the early hours of last Saturday morning,at Exeter Hospiscare.
They said: "We are devastated that Geoff has left us years before he should have done.
"We will be forever thankful for his infectious love, generosity, passion, excitement, enthusiasm and joy of life and living, and also for the loving security he gave to us as a family.
"He is irreplaceable and we will miss and love him forever."
Geoff, from Topsham, Devon established Pebblebed Vineyard as a community project in 1999.
It began with just a few vines on land belonging to a friend.
He secured the investment from tycoon Bannatyne in 2011.
It has now grown to be the largest commercial vineyard in the South West covering 25 acres, producing white red and rose wines as well as sparkling varieties.
Upwards of 40,000 bottles are produced there a year.
He was diagnosed with grade four glioblastoma in October.
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