Jo
FOOD + DRINK
On The Grapevine
Whether you’ re a vineyard owner or a gardener, we are now entering a wonderful time of year where growth is at its most vigorous and the landscape seems to be changing on a daily basis. There’ s lots of work to do in the vineyard to ensure that grapes ripen enough to make wine. As the shoots grow, producing more and more leaves, this creates a canopy which looks lovely but can cause problems in our marginal climate. When the fruit appears later this summer, a heavy canopy of leaves will shade it from the sun and stop it from ripening. Due to this, the vines need to be pruned and tied back to keep them in check.
There are some great new vintage releases to enjoy this month. Chapel Down( chapeldown. com) has a new Bacchus to try- the Discovery Series Tenterden Estate Bacchus. As the UK’ s largest wine producer, Chapel Down has vineyards all over Kent and other counties, but their oldest vines are for all to see at their original site in Tenterden. These bacchus vines were planted in 1987, so the resulting fruit is complex, giving a rich and expressive version of this popular wine. If you are a fan of sauvignon blanc, you will probably like this wine too!
Yotes Court( yotescourt. co. uk) has a lot to celebrate at the moment. Owner Susannah Ricci has released their first traditional method vintage cuvée to mark 10 years since her racehorse Annie Power won an incredible Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. The Annie Power Cuvée 2021 can be enjoyed at their beautiful estate near Tonbridge from Wednesday- Sunday throughout the summer while stocks last. Since its release, a further two races were won by Susannah’ s horses at Cheltenham this year. The atmosphere at Yotes Court is truly reflective of their celebratory mood!
Gusbourne( gusbourne. com) has released their next vintage of the iconic Blanc de Blancs. 2021 was a difficult vintage for the whole of Europe, and many English vineyards found it hard to ripen grapes sufficiently, however, for sparkling wine, grapes needn’ t be fully ripe and they are often harvested early to ensure they still have the required acidity. 2021 was a good year for sparkling wine because the grapes ripened slowly, accumulating more complex characteristics, and the new Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs definitely displays that more complex fruit.
KENT WINES TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT ARCHBISHOP’ S INSTALLATION
Wines from Domaine Evremond and Simpsons’ Wine Estate were served at the receptions following the Installation of The Most Revd Dane Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury at the city’ s eponymous cathedral.
The celebrations highlighted Kent’ s reputation as a leading force in British viticulture, with an exclusively local wine list showcasing producers from the Garden of England.
Domaine Evremond’ s Classic Cuvée was poured at both the reception and the formal dinner alongside two still wines from Simpsons’ Wine Estate: Roman Road Chardonnay 2023 and Rabbit Hotel Pinot Noir 2024. With both wineries located within seven miles of Canterbury Cathedral, the occasion showcased Kent’ s role as the driving force for modern English wine.
The selection was particularly meaningful for Domaine Evremond, which was co-founded by Pierre- Emmanuel Tattinger of Champagne house, Tattinger. His father, Jean Tattinger, played a key role in twinning Champagne’ s main city, Reims, with Canterbury in 1962, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two cities.
The partnership between the neighbouring estates reflects a long-standing friendship built on a shared commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Both are founding members of the Wine Garden of England, a collaborative group of industry pioneers who are using their combined strength to create a world-class wine trail and visitor experience.
Before I go, an apology to Domaine Evremond. Last month I gave you incorrect information about Hatch Mansfield. They import Taittinger Champagne of course, not the other well known brand I mentioned.
A quick reminder- if you haven’ t already, make sure to book your tickets for our Summer Celebration at Westenhanger Castle on Saturday 6 June. You can meet all nine of our wine producers and enjoy food, entertainment and live music, all in the name of celebrating Kent. Head to winegardenofengland. co. uk for tickets.
Cheers!
Jo
JO GINN, BRAND MANAGER WINE GARDEN OF ENGLAND
jo @ winegardenofengland. com winegardenofengland
126 • www. insidekent. co. uk