This text has hyperlinks to services and products we suggest, which we could make fee from.
Whereas England hasn’t all the time been on the forefront of wine manufacturing, it has actually been constructing a popularity for itself during the last 30 or so years.
There at the moment are round 500 vineyards and 130 wineries stretching throughout the UK, producing over 5 million bottles of aromatic whites, roses and glowing wines – and even just a few reds.
Kent and Sussex cleared the path in England. The cool local weather within the south is excellent to keep up the acidity wanted for glowing wines, whereas its south-facing limestone slopes and chalky soils make it excellent wine-growing nation. The carbon footprint can also be stored low, as fruits are domestically harvested and produced.
There’s not higher strategy to familiarize your self with the wines of England than at these pleasant Kent and Sussex wineries.
Go Alone or Take a Tour?
Most likely the easiest way to expertise the wineries in Kent and Sussex is by driving your self round to the vineyards of your selection. It’s not tough to plan your individual journey. We provide a number of assist beneath.
All of those wineries will be reached from London in below 2 hours, should you’re coming from the town. In the event you’re flying into Gatwick or Heathrow, you possibly can lease a automobile and be there in 45 minutes or 2 hours, respectively.
There are just a few organized wine excursions you possibly can go on, should you’d moderately not do the planning and the driving. This Wine Tours of Kent personal tour features a cease at 2 of the wineries talked about beneath, plus a pub lunch.
This Sussex Vineyard & Winery Bus Tour by Nice British Wine Excursions is without doubt one of the greatest small group excursions. You’ll go to two wineries (leaving from Brighton).
Reserving Forward
If you wish to study extra concerning the grape varieties and the wine-making course of, it’s greatest to guide prematurely and take a guided tour. Excursions normally final for about 1.5-2 hours and embody a tutored tasting of the wines.
Some vineyards can help you simply pop in with out having to guide, however you must be sure earlier than you propose, to keep away from being turned away.
To make appointments, go to the wineries web sites and both guide on-line, or name the vineyard immediately. It’s greatest to do that a month or extra prematurely, because the spots can replenish quick.
You’ll probably solely be capable of go to 2 wineries per day, with a cease for lunch. The routes between every vineyard are typically fairly lengthy on slim roads.
All the time be sure you have a delegated driver, or the driving force retains conscious of how a lot they’re consuming to be protected..
Wineries to Go to in Kent
There are much more wineries in Kent than we’ve included on our listing. These are the wineries we’ve visited and know one thing about. Seek the advice of the map to see the place they’re, so you possibly can plan your go to accordingly.
Hush Heath Property, Staplehurst, Kent
This family-run affair proper within the coronary heart of the Backyard of England boasts over 400 acres of apple orchards, meadows and historic oak woodlands, all with a formidable micro-climate that presides over 40 acres of vines.
Most of the wines are charmingly named after the youngsters of the household who personal Hush Heath, comparable to Skye’s English Chardonnay and Luke’s Tree Pure Russet Apple Juice.
The award-winning Balfour Brut Rose is the one to purchase for positive. They’ve each glowing and nonetheless wines, in addition to cider.
Excursions and tastings:
You don’t want a reserving to do a self-guided stroll by their stunning vineyards, apple orchards and historic oak woodlands. Enroll on their website for an expert-led tour and tasting expertise within the vineyard or a tour tasting and 3-course lunch.
Deal with: 5 Oak Lane, Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 OHT
Barnsole Winery
In the event you’re visiting the White Cliffs of Dover and/or Canterbury, you owe it to your self to cease by Barnsole when you’re within the space. It’s one of many oldest vineyards in Kent, and a beautiful boutique vineyard to go to with spacious out of doors tables and a detailed up view of the winery.
They produce about 20,000 bottles a 12 months of glowing, white and crimson wines, utilizing grape varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for the glowing, Bacchus, Huxelrebe and Reichensteiner for the wine and Rondo and Regent for the reds.
Excursions and tastings:
You’ll be able to cease by anytime for a free tasting or to get pleasure from a glass or bottle or their nonetheless or glowing wine. You can too guide a 1-hour tour with the winemaker, which features a look across the winery and a tutored tasting. See particulars on their website.
Deal with: Fleming Street, Staple, Canterbury, Kent CT3 1LG
Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden, Kent
One of many highlights of this beautiful Kentish village, Biddenden is Kent’s oldest industrial winery. Its award-winning wines are cultivated on 23 acres of south-facing slopes with good sunny situations for rising grapes.
Eleven kinds of grape are utilized for crimson, white, rose and glowing wines and all are pressed and bottled on website. Take a step again in time as you meet the previous cider press however don’t be fooled – the bottling line is totally trendy and automatic to allow them to all the time meet demand.
Excursions and tastings:
Self-guided with straightforward marked routes, personal guided excursions and open for Saturday excursions from April to September. Discover the vines after which head into the vineyard and again into the winery store for tastings.
In addition they produce a superb vary of ciders and apple juices so don’t neglect to take residence a bottle or two of the native nectar.
Deal with: Gribble Bridge Lane, Biddenden, Kent TN27 8DF
Chapel Down Vineyard, Tenterden, Kent
Dwelling to the biggest grape press within the UK, this award-winning producer of world-class glowing and nonetheless wines was mentioned to be thought of for the wine listing on the Royal Marriage ceremony of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
They’ve a wide variety that features glowing wine, nonetheless wine, gin, vodka, beer and cider.
Most excitingly, you possibly can participate within the Vine Leasing scheme the place you possibly can assist to reap your very personal wine!
Excursions and tastings:
At the moment, wine excursions are restricted to weekends solely. Remember to book in advance to safe a spot.
Guided excursions embody a go to to the Chapel Down vineyards and vineyard, adopted by a tutored tasting of glowing and nonetheless wines. The tour takes about 2 hours.
Deal with: Tenterden Winery Park, Small Hythe Street, Tenterden, TN30 7NG
Gusbourne, Appledore, Kent
In the event you’ve ever had lunch at Le Gavroche or The Fats Duck and questioned the place that fabulous wine has come from, it may properly be from this 15th-century Kentish property simply minutes from the coast. Additionally stocked in Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Fortnum’s, you possibly can pattern these glorious wines for your self within the luxurious tasting room on-site.
Their debut vintages of Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2006 and Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2006 had been launched to vital acclaim, firmly placing them on the UK winemakers listing.
Excursions and tastings:
Self-guided and hosted excursions can be found, the place you possibly can meet the Gusbourne group and style a few of their award-winning glowing wines. The tasting room is open to guests all 12 months spherical. There’s no must make a reservation to pop in for a tasting. However you do must guide for a tour or for the connoisseur picnic lunch.
Deal with: Kenardington Street, Appledore, Ashford, Kent, TN26 2BE
Oxney Natural Property, Beckley, Kent
A part of an enormous 850-acre natural property, this award-winning vineyard and winery is simply moments from the traditional Cinque Ports city of Rye. Producing a choice of natural nonetheless and glowing wines, they solely use their very own grapes and have a really low intervention, pure winemaking ethos.
Their nonetheless rose gained the highest trophy on the English and Welsh Wine of the Yr Competitors in 2016 they usually proceed to make excellent contributions to the wine market.
We particularly like their English Pinot Noir Rose 2018 with its hints of freshly reduce strawberries and redcurrant.
Excursions and tastings:
Winery, Vineyard and Tasting Tour from April to finish of October – guide the Put up Tour Picnic Lunch and revel in a scrumptious picnic basket full of natural Sussex produce and, in fact, a few glasses of plonk.
Deal with: Hobbs Lane, Beckley, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 6TU
Wineries to Go to in Sussex
There are wineries in each East and West Sussex. In the event you’re going to be driving across the space, you’ll discover that none of them are too tough to get to with a automobile, although it would take a minimum of half-hour to get between them (particularly between east and west).
Sedlescombe Natural Winery, Sedlescombe, East Sussex
Set amongst 22 acres of land within the wonderful Sussex countryside, this natural winery is legendary for being the house of biodynamic wine and can also be England’s oldest natural winery.
The wine is produced from fruit grown and processed with out utilizing any artificial fertilizers, herbicides or systemic illness management sprays and it’s licensed below the Demeter accreditation system. All of the wines it produces are additionally appropriate for vegetarians and vegans.
Sedlescombe has an exquisite new tasting room, surrounded by vines. There are tables exterior the place you possibly can sit to get pleasure from a glass or wine, a tasting, or a cup of tea. In addition they have some meals you possibly can prearrange.
Excursions and tastings:
Excursions run at 10.30am, 1pm and three.30pm from Wednesday to Sunday.
There’s additionally a store the place you possibly can select from the choice of crimson, white, rose and glowing wines in addition to scrumptious fruit wines, candy fruit juices and hearty farmhouse ciders.
Email to rearrange a reserving, or name 01580 830122. Website
Deal with: Hawkhurst Street, Cripps Nook, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5SA
Carr Taylor Vineyards, Westfield, East Sussex
Distinctively English, Carr Taylor’s glorious nonetheless and glowing wines are described as crisp and fragrant with delicate citrus, apples and pear notes. With a declare to fame that they had been the primary industrial winery to supply glowing wines utilizing the normal methodology of second fermentation within the bottle, it’s just about Champagne with out the distinguished title.
Certainly, their Classic Glowing Wine gained the gold medal on the Concours European des Grand Vins in its first 12 months, beating a whopping 1800 Champagnes and conventional methodology wines from around the globe.
Excursions and tastings:
Self-guided excursions the place you possibly can simply flip up and benefit from the surroundings – you’ll be given a map of the winery path which takes you thru the vineyard and bottling room and a possibility to style just a few of the Carr Taylor wines.
Guided tutored excursions are additionally good if you wish to go along with a gaggle of wine-loving pals. Have to be booked prematurely.
Deal with: Wheel Lane, Westfield, Hastings, East Sussex, TN35 4SG
Bolney Wine Property, Bolney, West Sussex
Based again in 1972 with simply 3 acres of vines and one grape selection, Bolney now has ten instances the area and eight kinds of grape, together with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This family-run enterprise has gained quite a few awards and their state-of-the-art vineyard is an interesting place to go to.
The wine right here is great, with each glowing and nonetheless crimson and white choices. In addition they have an enormous patio that overlooks the vineyards the place you possibly can simply sit for a glass of wine and snacks. They inventory native cheese, too.
Bolney is without doubt one of the closest wineries to London and will be reached inside half-hour of Gatwick airport.
Excursions and tastings:
They’ve three forms of tour – the usual Taster Tour, Glowing Afternoon Tea Tour and Grand Gourmand Lunch Tour. All embody a guided tour of the property, winery and vineyard in addition to a tasting of a choice of the wines produced. Have to be booked prematurely.
Deal with: Foxhole Lane, Bolney, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 5NB
Stopham Winery & Vineyard
Stopham Property Winery’s was began in 2007 by winemaker Simon Woodhead, who planted 21,000 vines on his six-hectare property in hte South Downs Nationwide Park. They’re at present making a Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, a Bacchus, and a glowing wine.
The previous farm buildings are surrounded by vineyards and a tremendous previous tree that towers over all the pieces and a view of the encompassing hills that’s spectacular.
One of many nice issues about this vineyard, apart from the expertly crafted wine, is the flexibility to speak on to the winemaker if you go to. We got info on this tour that we’d not heard on different excursions, attributable to it being led by the proprietor/winemaker himself.
Excursions and tastings:
Stopham provides a tour with one of many two winemakers that takes you thru the winery and vineyard culminating in a wine tasting. Excursions happen most Saturdays at 11am and 2pm between April and October. Book a tour on their web site. You can too add a lunch at an area pub.
Word that there aren’t any tables or open area to take a seat at this vineyard. You’ll be able to drop in to purchase wine, however to not tastings or by the glass.
Deal with: Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 1EE
Tinwood Property
Tinwood is without doubt one of the stops you need to make should you’re intent on discovering one of the best English glowing wines. They’ve three glowing wines: Property Brut, Blanc de Blancs, and a Rosé. They began planting in 2007 and have grown fairly a stellar popularity since then.
You’ll be able to cease at Tinwood anytime, with no reservation to attempt these wines by the glass. They’ve an enormous out of doors patio and a sprawling garden with tables properly unfold out so you possibly can sit again and loosen up with a bottle and spend a little bit of your afternoon having fun with the view.
Tinwood additionally has lodges the place you possibly can guide a luxurious keep proper in the course of the vines.
Excursions and tastings:
You’ll be able to join a tour of the winery and tutored tasting, which happen every day at 3pm, and Saturdays at 12pm and 3pm. The excursions are moderately giant, however you’ll keep correctly distanced at tables on the patio. Book online.
The tour contains 3 glasses of glowing wine and a tour across the property and takes about 1.5 hours.
Deal with: Tinwood Property Ltd, Tinwood Ln, Chichester PO18 0NE
One other nice vineyard that we weren’t capable of make it to in Sussex is Rathfinny Estates. Remember to look them up as properly. It’s positioned simply alongside the south coast, about 40 minutes drive east of Brighton. Read about the experience at Rathfinny.
The place to Keep in Kent and Sussex
If you’re in search of someplace to remain if you take your subsequent wine tour in Kent and Sussex, take a look on the excellent vary of self-catering vacation cottages from Bramley & Teal, all inside a brief driving distance of the wineries and vineyards.
Their choice of Kent holiday cottages will place you among the many dusty hop fields and Oast Homes of the area, whereas the unbelievable choice of cozy cottages, farmhouses and up to date seashore homes throughout Sussex are simply the place to remain if you wish to be near each nation and coast.
CONCLUSION
With so many nice wineries to go to in Kent and Sussex, you possibly can fill a whole week if you’d like. Not solely are the vineyards stunning, most of the tasting rooms are model new and a beautiful strategy to spend a day.
Pin it for later
Laura Lynch, creator and author of Savored Journeys, is an avid world traveler, licensed wine knowledgeable, and worldwide meals specialist. She has written about journey and meals for over 20 years and has visited 70+ nations.
11 Wineries in England to Go to in Kent & Sussex
