FOOD & DRINK
LOVE ON TOUR WITH NEARING 10,000 ACRES OF VINEYARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY , KENT MAKES UP A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THOSE . AS THE LARGEST WINE PRODUCING COUNTY IN ENGLAND WITH MORE THAN 50 VINEYARDS CREATING WORLD-CLASS DRINKS , THE IDEAL WAY FOR ANY WINE-LOVER TO CELEBRATE AHEAD OF THEIR WEDDING IS WITH A VISIT TO KENT ’ S WINERIES .
A KENTISH CEREMONY TAKES A PRIVATE TOUR WITH WINE TOURS OF KENT TO DISCOVER WHY THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO RAISE A GLASS TO YOUR UPCOMING NUPTIALS …
The perception , sometimes of hen and stag dos , is a weekend of debauchery and disorder , where the bride or groom-to-be is subjected to all manner of misadventures . And while that may still be the case for some , there ’ s also been a shift to celebrating in an altogether more sophisticated style .
That ’ s where Wine Tours of Kent comes in - while there ’ s still ample opportunity for the familiar trappings of a hen or stag do ( if you really want to dress up as Power Rangers you can ), there ’ s also the opportunity to appreciate your drinks without fear of finding yourself faced with a shot of something nobody can pronounce .
The brainchild of Abi Ireland , Wine Tours of Kent was founded in 2019 , and since then has been offering wine aficionados and explorers the opportunity to travel to some of Kent ’ s finest vineyards and sample their wines - crucially , without anybody in your party having to be the designated driver .
In order to find out what makes them the perfect pre-wedding offering , the A Kentish Ceremony team had the arduous task of spending a day with Wine Tours of Kent . Spoiler alert - we had a lovely time .
The business idea was born out of the realisation that groups had no way of touring Kent ’ s vineyards without some members of the party missing out on tasting their wares . While the county is rich in its viticulture , Kent is also expansive - and with many of its vineyards tucked deep in the countryside , visiting without access to transportation can become impossible . But , Wine Tours of Kent helps to bridge that gap - so whether you ’ re a Kent native or visiting from further afield , a minibus will collect you , transport you , and then drop you home at the end of your celebrations .
Our minibuses collected us from Ashford International Station , and we made our way to our first vineyard of the day - Chapel Down , just outside of Tenterden .
As wineries go , this was a pretty strong start - as the largest producers of English wine in the UK , Chapel Down has gone from strength to strength ; launching when English wine was seen by some as laughable , and proving critics wrong by now producing over 2 million bottles a year , with vast expansion plans on the horizon .
The beauty of Wine Tours of Kent is during your visit to each vineyard , you can choose to make your experience as formal or informal as you please . We opted for the latter approach , so after leading us into the first vineyard where rows of Bacchus grapes grow , our guide Danielle poured us each a glass of Chapel Down ’ s sparkling Bacchus and gave us a brief overview of the vineyard ’ s history and future visions , before leading us to the herb garden , where we soaked up the spring sunshine while sampling three more of Chapel Down ’ s offerings ; the Kits Coty
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