BIDDENDEN VINEYARDS
Kent ’ s original vineyard , Biddenden has been owned and managed by the Barnes family since 1969 . Today , the vineyard is run by the second and third generations of the family , drawing on many years of experience in winemaking at Biddenden .
Originally home to an apple orchard and small mixed farm , the Barnes family started to consider diversifying the land in the late 1960s , as apple prices began to decline . After listening to a feature on BBC Radio 4 ’ s Woman ’ s Hour about English vineyards being replanted , Joyce Barnes was inspired to turn to viticulture . In 1969 , one third of an acre of vines was planted and Biddenden Vineyards was born .
Today , the single estate vineyard on Gribble Bridge Lane spans 25 acres of gentle south-facing slopes . 12 varieties of grapes are grown to produce award-winning white , red , rosé , sweet and sparkling quality English wines . Approximately 80,000 bottles of wine are produced each year and all the grapes are grown on the estate , with all vineyard work and picking carried out by hand .
Knowledge , honed and perfected over 50 years , coupled with the foresight of founder Joyce Barnes to plant vines of varieties that are still in the ground today - now some of the oldest in the country - has enabled Biddenden to push the limits of still winemaking in the UK . Biddenden ’ s signature variety ,
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