FOOD + DRINK
Lunch and wines devoured , it ’ s back to the minibuses to make our way to our final destination of the day - Herbert Hall winery in Marden . In stark contrast to Chapel Down ’ s grandeur , Herbert Hall is a boutique , rustic winery where just 20,000 bottles of their organic , single estate , traditional method sparkling wines are produced a year . Owned by Nick Hall , whose great grandfather Herbert Hall once owned the farmland where the vineyard is situated , what the site lacks in facade , it more than makes up for in charm .
Nick himself acts as our guide , talking us through the brand ’ s history , offering insightful anecdotes , and generously topping up our glasses , too . Nick , a former journalist , is a captivating storyteller and lively character , and while we sip on Herbert Hall ’ s 2018 Brut ( made from chardonnay , pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes ), and their limited edition Brut Rosé , Nick regales us with tales of his family ’ s farming history , how he came to find a passion for winemaking , and how Herbert Hall ’ s wines found themselves to be a firm favourite of Highgrove House - the residence of His Majesty King Charles III .
In the summer months , Herbert Hall ’ s grounds are opened up for visitors to enjoy picnics in the sunshine , all washed down with their phenomenal sparkling wines - and we make a promise that we ’ ll definitely be returning soon .
Sadly , this marks the end of our Wine Tours of Kent adventure - all that ’ s left for us to do is climb back aboard the minibuses and set our sights on home , while reveling in what an enjoyable day we ’ ve had .
If you love wine and want to sample some of Kent ’ s finest offerings with your nearest and dearest , then we can ’ t recommend a day out with Wine Tours of Kent enough . We did the private wine tour with two vineyards and lunch (£ 120pp ), but there are lots of other options too , including more vineyards , overnight stays and even in-house tastings where the team comes to you and offers you a guided tasting of a range of Kent wines .
www . winetoursofkent . co . uk
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