have to visit all nine in one year to make the membership excellent value for money- especially as we also got a discount on Summer Celebration tickets.
In spring, we travelled to Canterbury and hopped on a local bus that dropped us a short distance from Simpsons’ Wine Estate(‘ The Contemporary Boutique’). We had upgraded our experience to a special Mother’ s Day afternoon tea and, after tasting their sensational wines, we chose to exit via the unique‘ Fruit Chute’ slide directly into the winery which was brilliant fun- honestly, I still smile at the memory now!
When the Summer Celebration came around again in June, we decided to maxout on vineyard visits while down in Kent. Basing ourselves in Ashford, we visited Westwell Wine Estates(‘ The Indie Label’), getting the train to Charing, then taking a leisurely 30-minute walk through the villages and country lanes. As we visited on a Friday, we were able to coincide with their popular pizza night, which allowed us to soak up the relaxed vibe and great views across the vines and inside the winery.
On the Saturday, we started our day in style with the Classic Cuvee Tasting at Domaine Evremond(‘ The Anglo-French Alliance’- and not just any old French Alliance- the partner is Champagne house Taittinger!). It is difficult to say what’ s most impressive- the elegant tasting room or the stunning views. Always keen to travel sustainably if we can, we got the train to
Chilham station and walked on a public footpath through fields. From there, we headed straight to the Summer Celebration for more wine tasting and good times. Before we knew it, autumn was upon us, but we still managed to fit in a final tour and guided wine tasting at Yotes Court Vineyard(‘ The Winning View’). Despite visiting over 70 vineyards in this country, the view here really was breathtaking and visiting at the end of October we saw all the beautiful autumn colours. Harvest was complete, but there were a few grapes left on the vines which we were invited to try.
Our commitments meant we didn’ t make it back to Kent in the run up to Christmas, but with many of the experiences available all year, there are opportunities to keep enjoying your membership.
At the end of the first year of the Members’ Club there was an unexpected bonus- an exclusive event hosted in the stylish Cork Room at Squerryes(‘ The Ancestral Estate’), where we tasted rare wines and prereleases from all the members.
I love hearing the stories behind each bottle and each vineyard. Every one is unique and I think the Wine Garden of England Members’ Club is a wonderful way to access a range of experiences. Far from feeling I’ m done, I know there is lots more to discover.
winegardenofengland. co. uk / members-club
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