celebrate and share the success of Kentish wine with as many people as possible . I ’ d like to see my team grow to cope with the increased event plans we have for the future . I ’ d also like to widen our membership to eventually include all the vineyards of Kent , but that takes some planning . At the moment , we ’ re a nimble operation that can make decisions quickly , which is what is needed to gain momentum .
We have to ask … Do you have a favourite Kentish wine / s ?
If I ’ m out of the office , I am either visiting vineyards for meetings with the marketing teams , facilitating photo shoots , or representing Kent at English wine events . I work with Visit Kent to encourage overseas tourism operators to include Kent vineyards to their itineraries , so that involves some lively tastings .
Are there any plans for further development and what does that involve ?
We are focused on building the Wine Garden of England brand this year through various consumerfacing events . Our main event is The Wine Garden of England Summer Festival on May 29 at the iconic Squerryes Court in Westerham . This is exactly the sort of thing we want to do more of – it ’ s an opportunity for us to
I have favourites from each producer that I always keep in stock : Schonburger from Biddenden – a fresh , sweet dessert wine that pairs perfectly with cheese ; Leslie ’ s Gold from Balfour – wonderfully moreish , traditional-method sparkling wine that has perfectly balanced acidity ; Sparkling Bacchus from Chapel Down – a carbonated Bacchus which I absolutely love ; Guinevere from Gusbourne – a delicious chardonnay , not unlike a Meursault ; Rabbit Hole Pinot Noir from Simpsons – only the ripest grapes from the best Burgundian clones from the warmest pocket of their vineyard are used for this wine and it is one of the best English Pinot Noirs around ; Squerryes Vintage Rosé – grown from the coolest vineyard in Kent , the grapes get that much longer to ripen and build up layers of flavour ; and Pelegrim from Westwell – a rich , fruity traditional method sparkling wine with lovely notes of brioche and cream . So good !
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