Jo
FOOD + DRINK
On The Grapevine
Ilove the month of May. The vineyards are bright green with abundant new growth. At this stage, the vines are producing multiple shoots with large leaves, forming a canopy that will provide the fruit with essential sugars needed to ripen later in the summer. The warmer temperatures and plentiful rainfall will mean the vines will go crazy this month and the vineyard managers will be busy keeping the canopy under control so that the energy goes into the fruit, not creating more leaves. If you have a vine in your garden, the leaves will be looking fantastic and you probably won’ t want to control it that much!
It’ s around now that the producers are releasing their new vintages and you’ ll start to see some lovely fresh rosés from 2024. Tours and tastings will be underway, and every vineyard will be open for business. Now is the time to try a local vineyard that you haven’ t visited. The long awaited Domaine Evremond in Chilham is now open and running tours around their impressive new estate. The winery has been dug out of the chalk slopes and only a small part of the building is visible above ground. The wine, made by the Taittinger family, is every bit as delicious as you would expect. It’ s a very exciting time for English wine and Domaine Evremond is the latest big thing. Bookings can be made at domaineevremond. com. If you are looking to explore a few wineries this year, you could join the Wine Garden of England Members’ Club which will save you hundreds. Take a look at winegardenofengland. co. uk / members-club.
The popular Wine Garden of England Summer Celebration is next month on 7 June at Chilham Castle. It’ s a great way to discover the wines of Kent, with nine producers in marquees around the beautiful lake of the castle, which is rarely open to the public. If there are any tickets still available, it’ s well worth it. You’ ll receive a voucher book giving you nine free tastes, a free tasting glass from Riedel, the new handbook and a tote bag. There are plenty of Kent food producers, Q & A sessions with all the producers, a live band and a well-stocked English wine bar. You don’ t even need to bring the car- it’ s a few minutes’ walk from Chilham station.
POWELL-COTTON TRUST CREATES NEW GARDEN KITCHEN
The Powell-Cotton Museum at Quex House & Gardens in Birchington will open a new Garden Kitchen this spring, with a revitalised partnership between the Powell-Cotton Trust and Angela’ s of Margate seafood restaurant seeing the provision of the fresh produce grown in Quex Gardens for use in the restaurant. Managed by volunteers, the gardens provide hands-on learning experiences for people with disabilities, sensory impairments or autism spectrum disorders, as well as outdoor activities tailored to individual sensory and mobility needs, non-verbal individuals and those with cognitive limitations, such as stroke and brain surgery survivors.
Strengthening the trust’ s links to the wider community, the gardens are set to teach new skills, forge social connections and even career paths for those inspired by the work.“ We see the museum, house and gardens as a valued place of education, learning, inspiration and solace for our whole community,” said Powell-Cotton Trust CEO, Sarah Corn.“ We will continue to make it a priority to welcome and provide opportunities for people and to have a positive impact on the daily lives of our neighbours.”
As it’ s well and truly rosé season, I’ ll leave you with some recommendations of wines that always go down a storm at my tastings. Biddenden’ s Gribble Bridge Rosé(£ 16) is what the winemaker calls a‘ patio pounder’- very moreish. Simpsons Railway Hill Rosé(£ 20) tastes as good as it looks in its stylish bottle with glass stopper. If you are looking for a celebratory fizz, try Balfour’ s Brut Rosé(£ 45), which is modelled on the much more expensive Champagne Billecart-Salmon. This is their original wine, which very quickly won awards and secured them a spot on British Airways.
I do hope you get to see some of our vineyards this month- and maybe the Summer Celebration, too.
Cheers!
Jo
JO GINN, BRAND MANAGER WINE GARDEN OF ENGLAND
jo @ winegardenofengland. com winegardenofengland
124 • www. insidekent. co. uk