Known as the “Garden of England”, Kent has been an agricultural land known for centuries for its market gardens and orchards. But in recent years, Kent has been in the news for the quality of its sparkling wines. If the culture of the vine goes back as far as the Roman occupation, the renaissance of the English vineyard is a very recent phenomenon. With such potential, prestigious Champagne houses such as Taittinger or Pommery decided to acquire land in the region to plant chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir, the emblematic grape varieties of Champagne. What are Kent’s sparkling wines really worth? Is the buzz justified? I decided to find out for myself during a recent visit to this charming region located only an hour and a half drive from London.
Geographic location, soil and climate
Kent is a county in the south-east of England, which lies between the mouth of the Thames and the English Channel. The Eurostar train from London to Paris crosses Kent to the port of Dover, not far from where the famous Channel Tunnel starts. If Dover is world famous thanks to the tunnel, its huge white cliffs are just as famous!
The chalky hills of the North Downs cross Kent from east to west and end in the English Channel with its impressive limestone cliffs. The subsoil of Kent shares the same geological identity as that of the Champagne region, with a large majority of chalk, marl and limestone.
England has a rather bad reputation as far as rainfall is concerned… With the effects of global warming, several studies have shown that the current climate in Kent is comparable to that of Champagne twenty years ago! Despite this, the climate remains the main challenge for the English winemaker as Charlie Holland, oenologist of Gusbourne Estate, one of the most awarded sparkling wine producers of the region, explained to me.
“The best sparkling wines come from the south of England: Kent in the southeast and West Sussex in the southwest. These two regions are the sunniest in the country, but also the ones that receive the least rainfall, and therefore have the best conditions for producing wine. However, the climate remains a big challenge. Our vineyards face often difficult climatic conditions at key moments of the vine’s growth, especially in the spring, a period during which we have to redouble our vigilance. Every year we adapt, we learn, and I think we’re getting better at controlling the environment in which the vine grows” – Charlie Holland, Winemaker, Gusbourne Estate
Grape Varieties
The oldest vines in the area date back to the 1960s. Biddenden Vineyards pioneered the planting of vines and is now the oldest commercially operating vineyard in Kent. The grape varieties found in Kent are mainly of German origin such as reichensteiner, müller-thurgau, schönburger, huxelrebe, ortega and dornfelder.
One grape variety that is showing potential and seems to have acclimated perfectly is Bacchus, which is increasingly planted and used to produce dry white wines. The production of quality sparkling wines, however, requires the use of noble grape varieties such as chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. These are obviously the varieties that have been most widely planted in recent years.
Which Wineries to Visit?
Kent now has more than 50 wineries on its territory. I had the opportunity to visit four of them during my stay:
Gusbourne Estate
The highlight of my visit to Kent. Gusbourne was awarded the coveted title of English Wine Producer of the Year by the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in 2015. The purity and quality of their wines is breathtaking! The vines are only about 15 years old so the potential is there to compete with the best Champagne houses in the near future! To learn more about Gusbourne, you can read the article I dedicated to the domain. For the moment, the estate is not open to the public, but a visitor center and a tasting room are being planned. gusbourne.com
Hush Heath Estate
Hush Heath has a vineyard of about 15 hectares. The estate produces sparkling wines of exceptional quality. Their Balfour rosé was served at the official events of the London Olympics. The wine is now present on the wine list of the first class of British Airways and the famous Orient Express train line! The estate also owns a large orchard and produces some of the best cider I have ever tasted. The property is beautiful, so bring your picnic to enjoy this wonderful country setting. Tours by appointment only. To learn more about Hush Heath, you can read my article on the estate. hushheath.com
Chapel Down
One of the leading wine producers in Kent, Chapel Down makes sparkling wines of the highest quality. They also produce still wines, cider, beer and even brandy. You don’t need an appointment to get to the winery. A free tour through the vineyards is offered and the tasting room-boutique is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 5 pm. Guided tours are also available by appointment from April to November. chapeldown.com
Biddenden Vineyards
My only disappointment, finally, is with the wines. The sparkling and still wines are mostly made from less noble grapes and contain, for my taste, too much residual sugar. It should be noted that the estate is primarily an orchard and has been producing cider for much longer than wine. Their apple products are much more interesting and their apple juices, especially those from native Kent varieties, are absolutely delicious. As for the welcome, it is very warm and the store offers a very nice selection of local products: vinegars, chutneys, jams, honey, beer and even meat from nearby farms. The vineyard is very well maintained and offers a very nice walk to do before or after the visit of the store. biddendenvineyards.com
Plan your trip
Want to visit the vineyards of Kent? You should know that there is a southeast wine route. This route includes the main wineries in Sussex and Kent.
Other links of interest to wine lovers:
– South East Vineyard Association (SEVA): seva.uk.com
– English Wine Producers : englishwineproducers.co.uk
– Kent vineyards : kentvineyards.com
Finally, you should know that Kent has many tourist attractions and that there is much more to visit than just vineyards. The charming towns of Biddenden and Tenterden seem to me to be ideally situated to get around the most interesting vineyards in Kent. To plan your vacation in the region, here are some links I invite you to consult:
– kentattractions.co.uk
– visitkent.co.uk
– visitashfordandtenterden.co.uk
In conclusion, my first experience with Kent sparkling wines was very positive. In fact, to be honest, I didn’t expect such a high level of quality. The potential is clearly there and the Champagne producers have understood this by looking across the Channel. The industry is still young, as are the vines, and with improving weather conditions and a greater knowledge of the terroir, English sparkling wines have a very bright future. Winemaking is expensive in England, and at the moment, sparkling wine producers don’t really have a cheap product to offer. It is therefore difficult for them to compete with the market share of proseccos, cavas and other entry-level champagnes. On the other hand, their best vintages do not have to be ashamed of the comparison and can easily compete with, or even surpass, some of the products of the most prestigious Champagne houses. During my next visit to England, I will continue my exploration in the County of Sussex, neighboring Kent, which also seems to produce sparkling wines in traditional method of superior quality.
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