insideKENT Magazine Issue 66 - September 2017 | Page 61

BIDDENDEN VINEYARDS
Gribble Bridge Lane, Biddenden TN27 8DF
www.biddendenvineyards.com
As Kent’s original commercial vineyard,
Biddenden has a lot to live up to, but it seems
to be doing magnificently well, and is even
better today than it was back in 1969 when it
all began. Biddenden is a family-run concern,
and the second and third generations of the
Barnes family are still there, creating its
award-winning drinks. Biddenden has 23
acres of vineyards and grows 11 different
varieties of grapes, enabling it to produce
excellent white, rosé, and sparkling wines.
These include the Ortega 2015, the Pinot
Reserve 2010 and the Gribble Bridge Sparkling
wines. In addition to wine, there are juices
and ciders made here too.
HUSH HEATH WINERY
Five Oak Lane, Staplehurst TN12 0HT
www.hushheath.com
The Hush Heath Estate is a large one,
comprising of a whopping 400 acres. That
includes vineyards, apple orchards and even
some ancient woodland. All of this adds to
the taste of the drinks that are produced here,
even the woodland which is full of gorgeous
flora and fauna has a hand in the taste of the
wine at Hush Heath thanks to cross
pollination. Everything that Hush Heath
produces starts off life in those 400 acres,
ensuring a complete provenance that can be
linked right back to the Staplehurst ground.
Hush Heath started as a hobby for owner
Richard Balfour-Lynn, but it soon outgrew
this title and is now an impressive wine and
cider business. Wine made at Hush Heath
includes Skye’s English White, Hush Heath
Manor Pinot Noir, and Nanette’s English Rosé.
It is famous for producing England’s ‘most
exclusive pink fizz’ (the Balfour Brut Rosé) as
well, and Hush Heath Winery has plenty more
available as well, including cider.
CHAPEL DOWN WINERY
Small Hythe, Tenterden TN30 7NG
www.chapeldown.com
Since it began in 1977, Chapel Down has
become the largest UK producer of wine –
and the winery has a capacity of one million
litres! Some of those litres go to provide
restaurants run by Jamie Oliver and Gordon
Ramsay, and Chapel Down wine can also be
found at The Royal Opera House, Turner
Contemporary, The Donmar Warehouse, The
Barbican and even 10 Downing Street. There
are a number of excellent wines available
from Chapel Down. Sparkling varieties
include the Kit’s Coty Blanc de Blancs and
the Three Graces, 2011. Still wine includes the
Flint Dry, 2016, the Bacchus, 2016 and the
Union Red, 2015.
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