Jo
FOOD + DRINK
On The Grapevine
Iwant to start by putting the spotlight on the insideKENT team just for a moment. This summer, they have worked tirelessly to promote the wonderful things that are going on in Kent and I have been lucky enough to work with them on a few events. At the Wine Garden of England Summer Celebration, they were due to be running a lovely outdoor garden space with a 360 Photo Booth and DJ, but the weather was windy, stormy and very rainy, so we used their assets for an indoor display which actually made my stage look amazing during the Producer Q & As! We’ ve also just finished the ASHFOOD! event in Elwick Place, conversely on the hottest day of the year. The atmosphere was electric, with live music, delicious food and drink, and lots of very happy local people, proud of where they live. Well done, Sam, Adam and your amazing team- and happy 15th birthday, insideKENT!
Meeting people and showing them the wines from Kent is the absolute best way to grow our very exciting new wine region. Once people discover how good the wine is, they want to visit the vineyards- and we have plenty of them! The wine speaks for itself, but we have learned over the years that our guests remember the quality of the experience first and foremost. All of our vineyards offer fantastic, diverse experiences, which is why so many people like to try them all. August is a wonderful month to visit because the vines have a lot of fruit that is starting to ripen, and hopefully the weather is warm enough for outside dining and drinking.
Balfour is perfectly set up for summer, with a huge terrace overlooking the vines, food available all day and a great selection of wines to choose from. You can wander through the vines, the ancient woodland and the apple orchards before settling down for a flight of wines or a seasonal platter paired with your favourite bottle. You don’ t even need to drive because there are free shuttles from Marden station on Friday- Sunday.
Simpsons have some lovely bookable tours that involve a leisurely walk through the chocolate box village of Barham, into the vines, and then back to the hotel chic tasting room overlooking their state-of-the-art winery. You’ ll feel like you’ re the only people there and the focus will be entirely on you. The exit from the tasting room to the winery is via a purpose built helter skelter, which is not to be missed! You should also try their legendary Sunset Sessions, where you can taste wine in their vineyards during the golden hour and enjoy some delicious cheese and charcuterie from a local supplier. This is available to book on 15 August at simpsonswine. com.
CHAPEL DOWN UNVEILS NEW 119-ACRE VINEYARD
Chapel Down has unveiled a new 119-acre vineyard on the Kent Downs that is believed to have the potential to be the finest vineyard in England.
Located near the historic village of Wye, Buckwell Vineyard was planted last year and the site is home to 92 acres of chardonnay and 27 acres of pinot noir, both of which will be used in the production of Chapel Down’ s award-winning sparkling wines. The first harvest is expected in autumn 2027.
“ Buckwell Vineyard is an incredibly exciting addition to our estate,” said Josh Donaghay-Spire, head winemaker and operations director at Chapel Down.“ With its location on the world renowned Kent Downs, excellent chalk soils and a unique microclimate, we believe it has all the hallmarks of a truly world-class vineyard.”
Kent continues to be at the forefront of English winemaking and Chapel Down’ s growing vineyards underlines this commitment to the region. With the addition of Buckwell Vineyard, the producer now has 1,018 acres under vine, which is equivalent to approximately one tenth of the UK’ s total vineyard acreage.
Next month, we start harvesting some of the earlier ripening varieties such as Ortega, which precedes the main harvesting month of October, where you could get involved. Many vineyards welcome local pickers, so if you’ ve never tried it, why not get in touch with your local vineyard now and see if they need some help? Gusbourne is looking to employ harvest workers for three weeks in October- contact them at harvest @ gusbourne. com.
Enjoy the rest of the summer- with a glass in your hand and vines at your feet.
Until next time, cheers!
Jo
JO GINN, BRAND MANAGER WINE GARDEN OF ENGLAND
jo @ winegardenofengland. com winegardenofengland
128 • www. insidekent. co. uk