FOOD + DRINK
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH GRAPES AT
SIMPSONS WINE
A LESSON IN THE BEAUTY OF KENTISH VINEYARDS DURING THE GRAPE SEASON AND HOW SIMPSONS WINE HAS BECOME ONE OF KENT ’ S MOST HERALDED TIPPLES .
As September drew to a close and the seasonal harvest of English wine country ’ s grapes was about to become a pressing matter for Kent ’ s vineyards , the insideKENT team were lucky enough to absorb all the viticultural glory this county has to offer at one of its best-loved vineyards : Simpsons Wine Estate . Amid the pristine beauty of the Elham Valley , in an unspoilt seam in the North Downs sits Barham , near Canterbury . It is in this Kentish village that Charles and Ruth Simpson chose to lay down their roots for their English wine venture in 2014 .
Fast forward to September 2022 and a sleek winery , utterly spotless and industrially spectacular , welcomes us through its doors , where we are greeted by the ingenious and dedicated team behind Simpsons . Wellingtons at the ready , we first set off to explore the 30 hectares of vineyard that sit just minutes away from the winery itself , a short walk through the quintessentially English village of Barham .
Dotted with pretty cottages and historic houses sitting neatly around a village church , this picturesque scene is made even more idyllic by the acres of luscious green vines sprawling across the hillsides surrounding it . Bountiful with grapes ripe and ready to be picked , these will go on to create Simpson ’ s exclusively estategrown still and sparkling wines , which is produced in numbers upwards of 250,000 bottles . Our guide tells us that Kent ’ s famed chalky soil and microclimate is to thank for such a brilliant crop , which has been further safeguarded against extremes in climate by south-facing sunny slopes ensuring heat accumulation in the day and excellent cold air drainage at night .
Encouraged to try the Edenic black fruits that hang from the vines , our team delight at these sugary sweet and gorgeously juicy grapes , a delightful prelude before we sit down to sample Simpsons ’ final product - the wine itself . Before they turn to wine however , the grapes , like us , must first enter the winery . As we are guided through this part of the wine-making process , we learn that the winery houses two ‘ Vaslin Bucher Inertys ’ grape presses , specially selected in order to protect the purity of the juice and expand the potential flavour spectrum of each grape variety . As well as equipment , another crucial aspect of Simpsons ’ unique process is the fact that no aspect of viticulture or winemaking is outsourced ; instead , they take a fresher approach to their craft by interweaving carefully chosen time-honed traditions with modern technology .
Overlooking this state-of-the-art winery is a glass tasting room , a chic space in which those enjoying a wine tasting experience can peruse all the goingson of the wine-making process below while questioning their knowledgeable guide . Plush velvet seats , a neat and sophisticated bar and even a fun steel slide that shoots back down into the winery complete this ultimate tasting haven . It is here we sip some of Simpsons ’ most esteemed tipples including the Railway Hill Rosé , Gravel Castle Chardonnay and the Chalklands Classic Cuvée - all delectable creations named after the landscape that forged them .
www . simpsonswine . com simpsonswine
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