her Wealden Clay soils , but the billowing folds of the Kent Downs Chalklands are at last being exploited to stunning effect all the way from the Elham Valley to Sevenoaks . Kent possesses England ’ s largest wine outfit in Chapel Down , which produces fantastic wine from entry level Bacchus right up to single vineyard Prestige Cuvees . It also has gifted top-end producers like Simpsons and Gusbourne , and market-savvy high quality operations like Balfour . Taittinger ’ s Domaine Evremond at Chilham is nearly ready to strut its stuff . And with Defined Wine near Canterbury offering bespoke winemaking , all kinds of smaller grape growers - on chalk , greensand , ragstone , clay and gravel - have the chance to show what they can do and wave the Invicta flag right across the county . How good can Kent be ? You ain ’ t seen nothing yet !
What about visiting Kent Vineyards ? Of course we must tell all our friends to visit Kent vineyards . There ’ s no better way for wine lovers to feel that they belong , that they are special , that they can take possession of a wine , than by visiting its vineyard and its winery . In the current state of our country , it is fantastically important that we should support our local producers - butchers , bakers , brewers , cheesemakers - and , of course - winemakers . Kent wine producers are OUR wine producers . Visit your local vineyard - then visit all the others in the county as well .
There ’ s been a lot of talk about how we should regulate our young wine industry . What do you think , Oz ? Don ’ t over-regulate English wine . We ’ re in a New World of wine here , full of enthusiasm and innovation , courage and imagination . These qualities should be allowed to flourish in whatever way they choose . There ’ ll be mistakes - of course there will - how else can we learn ? But Kent producers don ’ t need to be told by bureaucrats what they can or can ’ t do , what will or won ’ t work . To a great extent , Kent wine is a family ; there are people to advise , to help , and there are shining examples of what works on the various soils we have and in
52 | MEET THE FACE