Red White & Brut! Discover Kent’s award winning vineyards a taste of Kent www.producedinkent.co.uk NEXT CLOSE Vina Invicta The cultivation of vines to make wine in unnoticed. Producers from Champagne, And Kent is leading the way. At the Kent, as in other parts of England, dates with whom the south east corner of England 2009 English and Welsh Wine of the Year back to Roman times. In times past, shares both climatic and soil conditions, Competition three of the 11 Gold Medals vineyards were spread widely across the have recently been eyeing and 12 of the 39 Silver Medals given went county, as evidenced by surviving place up the county’s investment to wines produced in Kent. Many also fared names, such as the Vines in Rochester and potential. The prospects well in both The Decanter World Wine the Vine cricket club in Sevenoaks. It is for growing Awards and International Wine believed that there was once a Roman vines certainly and Spirit Competition for vineyard at Ightham, while in the thirteenth appear much 2009 . century the Archbishop of Canterbury rosier than those English sparkling wines owned one of the biggest winemaking of many other are a particular success operations of the Middle Ages, including forms of story, with the best even a large vineyard at Teynham. agriculture and outperforming top-notch Kent’s current 350 champagnes in blind- plus acres of vines is tasting international predicted to increase competitions. The future further in the for Kentish viticulture Head Winemaker, Owen Elias, Chapel Down Winery. coming years. looks bright, or as While the quantity of English the Romans might have walk that passes close to Meopham Valley wine may be low compared put it – “in vino veritas” Vineyard, set within the Kent Downs Area to the major wine producing - in wine we trust. of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Listings countries, the quality is these days This leaflet provides for each Kent vineyard specify undeniable. Many of the Germanic a summary history of opening times and facilities grape varieties initially planted in viticulture in England for individual and group the 1970’s are now being replaced as context for visitors, along with full by varieties that produce better modern day wine contact details. Kent’s As with other forms of agriculture, quality wines, such as Chardonnay, production in Kent. vineyards – and viticulture has had its ups and downs over Pinot Noir, Bacchus and Ortega. It includes a circular wines – await. the intervening centuries. Today however, This is not a result of climate change English wine production is emphatically but rather the ever increasing skill and on the up. professionalism of English winemakers. Cork comes from the wood of the Quercus Suber or cork tree, English wines, including those from Kent, The wines they produce are distinctively a species of Oak native to Spain. regularly win awards in international English, and proudly so, emphasising their New ‘plastic’ corks were introduced to help conserve the competitions. This success has not gone own locality as much as any French ‘terroir’. declining number of cork trees. www.producedinkent.co.uk BACK NEXT CLOSE Produced in Kent The wine list The best of food, Support Kent – buy local!! Produced in Kent Limited drink, products By no means these days are all English Bourne Grange Stables wines white and still. Although red wines only and services Tonbridge Road Hadlow TN11 0AU amount to some 10% of wine produced, they from the Garden Tel: 01732 853170 are much in demand and accompany light of England meats and game extremely well. Rosé wines Fax: 01732 852521 Email: [email protected] are also increasing in popularity while the Prod uced in Kent , supported through a joint venture between Kent County production of bottle-fermented sparkling Council and Hadlow College, is dedicated wines is one of the major growth areas in to promoting and celebrating the best of UK wineries . food, drink and products to be found in Kent. We are committed to providing business English sparkling wines have been very and marketing support to raise the profile, provenance and reputation of products successful in recent years in international from Kent. competitions and tastings. At the moment, some 15% of all UK wine produced is We support and promote the land-based and sparkling and this figure is expected to rise rural sectors within the county and continually over the next few years as the popularity look for ways to develop our membership offering, with a strong emphasis on assisting of this style continues to increase. business development, diversification opportunities and joint sourcing projects. Our website aims to bring producers and the buying public closer together. If you are looking for a farmer, producer or independent shop, or simply would just like to know what Kent has to offer across the seasons, then visit our website at www.producedinkent.co.uk Prod uced in Kent publishes a quarterly newsletter that can be found in libraries and tourist information centres, farmers’ markets and farm shops. It is also available direct to your door if you sign up as a Friend of Produced in Kent (for more details please see the website) . Hand picking grapes at Biddenden Vineyards. www.producedinkent.co.uk BACK NEXT CLOSE A short history of wine production in England It is not known whether vines were grown arrival of the Normans. The However, from the Middle-Ages until the and wine made in England before the arrival Domesday Book (1085/1086) mid-twentieth century, viticulture in England of the Romans but wine amphorae dating records vineyards in 42 locations, experienced a long period of decline. from before the Roman conquest have been only 12 of which were attached Two of the pioneers of its subsequent discovered at sites in southern England. to monasteries. post-war revival had strong Kent connections. While wine consumed before The climate is thought to have Edward Hyams planted vines for table and the Romans arrived is thought improved for 300 or so years after wine in Kent in the late 1940’s and published to have been imported from the Norman Conquest and “The Grapevine in England” in 1949, with the Continent, it is generally the South East then became a forward by the creator of Sissinghurst agreed that they were the established as one of the Castle’s Garden, Vita Sackville-West. first to plant vines in this main areas for viticulture. country. The English were the first to seal wine Two barrel-shaped wine bottles, Wine drinking became bottles, using cork imported from Spain 2nd-3rd century AD (glass). or Portugal. commonplace during the The development of the modern English Roman occupation. When the Romans started to leave wine industry gained pace from the these shores at the end of the mid-1960 ’s. In Kent, the vineyards at fourth century, it is thought that Biddenden and Lamberhurst were planted in any vineyards that existed would the late 1960’s and early 1970’s and those at have been attached to religious Tenterden followed soon after. More than 350 institutions, such as monasteries. acres in Kent are now planted with vines and By that time, wine played an important part in religious ceremonies. all signs indicate that further planting will occur in forthcoming years. The arts of vine growing and wine making were largely lost during the Dark Ages but revived by the 10 th century, largely thanks Grape vines in Tenterden. to King Alfred re-establishing the Christian George Ordish, a Kentish Man, planted religion. Revival continued apace after the a few vines in his garden near Maidstone in 1938 and went on to become an accomplished winemaker and author of the book “Wine Growing in England” , published in 1953. King Alfred the Great (849-99). www.producedinkent.co.uk BACK NEXT CLOSE How to get there... Work up a thirst Road Map: Multimap website 10 Go through gate, turn right and follow byway. www.multimap.com . Search for “Camer”. 11 After approximately 200 metres bear right, off the track through gate (follow the footpath By Car: From M20 or A2 take A227 to Meopham. arrow markers). Follow path through woodland. A walk from Camer Park, passing Turn off on Green Lane following signs to Once out of wooded section, cross garden and Meopham Valley Vineyard en route Camer County Park. continue down driveway to road (The footpath Parking: Parking is available at the Visitor runs across private property so please keep to the path). Centre. 4.7 miles (7.5 km) approx - Allow 3 hours 12 Cross road and through gate into a field. Train: Nearest station: Sole Street (0.5 miles). Follow path straight ahead across field National Rail Enquiries: 08457 484950 to gate. Bus: 308 (Bluewater - Sevenoaks) hourly, 13 Pass through gate to leave field and continue Mon-Sat. 5 journeys, Sun. 416 (Gravesend – ahead. Follow path through 2 more gates and climb a short slope to the road. Meopham) 4 journeys, Mon – Fri. 14 Cross over road and follow path opposite, up 3 journeys, Sat . Traveline: 0870 6082608 a short flight of steps. At the top, pass through gate into field and continue to follow the path Route Description uphill. This section is fairly steep. 1 Exit the car park and turn left to follow the road. 15 Go through gate and turn right to follow the 2 At junction with footpath turn left to go through boundary on the right, heading towards a gate. kissing gate and continue along field boundary Go through 2 kissing gates to continue on path to the right.