Balfour Winery
Balfour Winery is a 400-acre family-owned estate in the heart of the Garden of England , Kent , with vast ancient woodlands , vineyards , apple orchards and wildflower meadows . With family values at its core , the Balfour Estate combines conservation with an unrivaled spirit of hospitality and generosity .
MEET THE VINEYARD
How did Balfour start ? Hush Heath Estate has been part of the Balfour-Lynn family for three generations , but it wasn ’ t until Richard and Leslie purchased the 400-acre farmland attached to Hush Heath Estate that Balfour Winery ’ s story began . It was Leslie ’ s idea to plant the original vines in 2002 , with a view to making a pink sparkling wine of equivalent quality to Billecart Salmon Rosé – their favourite pink Champagne . And so , five acres were planted with an aim to produce a wine they would love . “ If we can ’ t sell it ”, they thought , “ we ’ ll drink it ”.
When Balfour Brut Rosé was launched in 2004 it quickly became a major success , winning a gold medal and trophy in the International Wine Challenge for its first vintage .
Can you tell us a bit more about the process that goes into making Kentish wine ? Clonal selection is the key to our winemaking philosophy . In every vineyard , each clone of each variety is monitored individually throughout the year and harvested separately , only when optimal ripeness is achieved .
There are over 100 different clonal and varietal combinations on Hush Heath Estate alone . To allow for precision harvesting and small-batch winemaking , our winery is equipped with two 4-tonne presses . Complete control over the winemaking process is possible with our own bottling and disgorging line .
What grapes do you use , how old are your vines , and generally how long does it take to make a good wine ? We grow a variety of grapes on Hush Heath Estate including Pinot Noir , Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay . Each of our vineyards has been carefully chosen and planted to compliment our winemaking philosophy . Our oldest vines are 20 years old this year .
The winemaking process varies depending on the style of wine . As an example , Balfour Brut Rosé 2018 , made from the grapes picked during harvest in 2018 , was ready to drink in December 2021 .
Where can people find / buy your wines ? You can purchase our wine online at
www . balfourwinery . com and in our Cellar Door shop here at the winery or from various other independent retailers across Kent , as well as Waitrose , Tesco , M & S , Co-op and Majestic .
What are your favourite Balfour Wines and how would you drink them ? We love our Balfour Brut Rosé 2018 , it is celebrating its 20th year this year , having planted our vines back in 2002 . We would recommend that you try drinking Balfour Brut Rosé in a wine glass instead of a flute . Wines that have complexity and depth benefit from being in a wine glass ; it allows the wine to open up and release its aroma .
www . balfourwinery . com
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