FOOD + DRINK
Clink , Pop , Fizz cont ...
Best for ... Your post-feast pudding
Classic Cuvee 2021 - Sparkling White
With an aroma of baked apple and delicate floral notes of waterlily , this sparkling white combines mouthwatering orchard fruit flavours with a fresh and elegant acidity on the palate . At the finish , a crisp minerality with an abundant creamy mousse accompanies the Classic Cuvee 2021 - Sparkling White , pairing it perfectly with puddings .
BIDDENDEN VINEYARDS , BIDDENDEN
A family-run business producing awardwinning wine , cider and juice from their orchards , Biddenden Vineyards has been owned and managed by the Barnes family since 1969 . Drawing on three generations of winemaking experience , the single-estate vineyard spans 23 acres of south-facing slopes in a sheltered valley outside the Wealden village of Biddenden . Producing around 80,000 bottles of white , rosé , red and sparkling English wines a year , Biddenden are a beloved local producer of the highest quality wines this side of England .
Best for ... A digestif before dessert
Gribble Bridge Sparkling White 2018
Dry , rich and creamy with hints of brioche , this wine pairs bready , baked notes with a clean finish . The Gribble Bridge Sparkling White 2018 is made traditionally with pinot noir , Reichensteiner and Scheurebe , capturing the fruity flavours of the aromatic varieties . Intense and supple with a mineraldriven aroma and flavours of lemon , lime , pear and pepper .
SQUERRYES , WESTERHAM
A family-owned estate producing vintage sparkling wine , Squerryes is home to an expansive vineyard , Winery Restaurant and deli . Sitting high on the North Downs , their chalk-rich vineyard produces fruit with a perfect balance of natural sweetness and acidity , which is used exclusively in the making of their English sparkling wine . For 300 years , the 2,500-acre Squerryes ’ estate has bottled the very finest vintage sparkling wines , with their family motto - licet esse beatis - meaning ‘ it ’ s permitted to be joyful ’ guiding everything they do .
Best for ... Your cheeseboard
2016 Vintage Brut in Magnum
Made using the traditional method of blending chardonnay , pinot noir and pinot meunier , Squerryes ’ 2016 Vintage Brut in Magnum is a characterful wine for sharing those moments of joy with loved ones . Pale straw in colour with a fine mousse and lovely orchard fruits , the 2016 Vintage Brut combines baked pears with a hint of spice and creaminess on the nose to produce a concentrated , full-flavour drink with a hint of brioche and a rich , creamy mouthfeel .
WESTWELL WINE ESTATES , ASHFORD
Located on the North Downs of Kent , Westwell is a family-run vineyard growing pinot meunier , pinot noir , chardonnay and Ortega . With shallow , chalky soils as well as mixed sand sheltered spots , all four varieties have their own spaces to thrive on the estate . With complete control of the bottle-making process using fruits grown on the estate to make their wines on-site , Westwell has a philosophy to ‘ plant well , respect the soil , and make great , honest wines from brilliant fruit ’.
Best for ... New Year ’ s cheers .
Chardonnay 2023 Westwell Village
A bright , crisp chardonnay full of ripe citrus vibrancy and a touch of stone fruit , this delicious drink pairs with just about anything . With grapes blended from Westwell ’ s younger 2019 vines and those planted back in 2009 , this wine is a gorgeous marriage of sweetness and acidity .
Head to www . winegardenofengland . co . uk for more information on some of Kent ’ s most innovative wine producers . Cheers !
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