A REGAL
FOOD + DRINK
TOAST
BY OLIVIA RICCINI
THERE ’ S NO BETTER WAY TO TOAST THE CORONATION OF OUR NEW MONARCH THAN WITH A GLASS OF KENTISH FIZZ .
Kent ’ s Garden of England status has been intertwined with the British monarchy long before it even coined the acclaimed title . Centuries after the phrase was first uttered , Kent has claimed even further prestige , officially becoming the ‘ Wine Garden of England ’ too .
Legend has it that it was the infamous King Henry VIII that originally came up with the symbolic name , although it is likely it was a colloquial nickname long before that . The arts of brewing , distilling and winemaking have long run deep in the county ’ s veins for well over a thousand years , and today the roots of these practices are firmly grounded in Kent ’ s rich and fertile soil . When Julius Caesar landed upon the Kentish shores of Pegwell Bay to establish the Roman era , in his wake his people brought winemaking skill and grapes to this fair county , making it highly likely that Kent was the first in which a vineyard was planted .
It is almost certain that the Romans introduced the vine and winemaking to Britain as early as 43 BC when emperor Claudius began the conquest of the British Isles . The Romans loved their wine , and wine drinking was a commonplace activity in Roman villas , houses and garrisons at the time . Although the Romans tried to grow grapes in England , strong trading links with France and Italy allowed wine to be imported relatively easily too , laying the solid foundations for Britain ’ s love of vino .
With plenty of sunny south-facing slopes , a renowned chalky soil and a warm climate , Kent has forever been the best place in the UK to grow vines . With temperatures only rising , as we saw last summer , Kent has become fit to rival and possibly even overtake European vineyards , which some have predicted will become too hot to make good vintages . Referred to as the ‘ Napa Valley of the UK ’ in a 2022 Bloomberg Pursuits article , Kent ’ s vineyards and wineries have added thousands of pounds of revenue to the county ’ s tourism industry , with tourists from across the globe travelling to our corner of the UK to witness our glorious vineyards and sample our delectable wines for themselves .
According to IBISWorld , the market size of the wine production industry in the UK , measured by revenue , is £ 384.8 million as of 2023 , with an expected increase of 9.3 % by the end of the year . Rising average maximum temperatures typically result in improved grape yields which in turn can increase production and allow winemakers to make better quality , high-value wines . The average maximum temperature is expected to increase in 2022-23 , presenting an opportunity for industry operators . However , as prosperous as this outlook seems , many grape growers are sure to tell you that vines are very much a long-term investment . Plenty of money is required to begin , as is time , in order for crops to mature and make healthy profits . This was an investment that managing director of the UK-based wine company Hatch Mansfield , Patrick McGrath , took in 2015 when he started Domaine Evremond ( www . domaineevremond . com ). A partnership with Champagne Taittinger , this saw the purchase of a 171-acre apple farm in Selling near Faversham , for £ 1.5 million and the planting of grapes . This unique collaboration was the first time that a Champagne house bought land in England with the intention of making world-class English sparkling wine .
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