insideKENT Magazine Issue 52 - July 2016 | Page 158
BUSINESS
local profile:
BIDDENDEN VINEYARDS
Nestled in the heart of the Wealden countryside sits Biddenden, home to Kent’s first
commercial vineyard. Originally a 40-acre apple orchard located down Gribble Bridge Lane,
the Barnes family started to consider diversifying the farm in the late 1960s as apple prices
began to decline. After listening to a feature on the BBC’s Woman’s Hour programme about
English vineyards being replanted, Mrs. Barnes was inspired to turn to viticulture. In 1969, one
third of an acre of vines was planted and Biddenden Vineyards was born.
Today Biddenden prides itself on being a family-run vineyard with the second
and third generation of the Barnes family managing the estate. The single
estate spans 23 acres of gentle south-facing slopes situated in a sheltered
valley with 11 different grape varieties planted to produce an array of awardwinning White, Rosé, Red and Sparkling English wines.
donations welcome for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I.),
which run on Saturdays at 10am all year and on Wednesdays at 10am
June to September.
All tours are followed by a visit to the shop to sample the wines, ciders and
juices. In the shop you will also find a vast selection of local artisan foods
including local cheeses, locally brewed beer, a wide range of preserves and
chutneys, Biddenden’s own honey, plus beef products from Gribble Bridge
Meats, prime cuts, pies and burgers made from locally reared, grass fed
Sussex cattle. The coffee shop is open daily and serves a selection of locally
produced cakes. Groups and private tour visitors can pre-order Ploughman’s
platters, cream teas and deli-style sharing platters.
Julian Barnes and his eldest son Tom look after all of the vineyard management
and winemaking at Biddenden. The knowledge which the family has built
up through experience over the years can be seen in the quality and
consistency of the wines produced year on year. From the first Biddenden
wine, which was bottled around 1972-3, production has now grown to
around 80,000 bottles per year. All vine work on the estate is still carried
out by hand, including pruning, canopy management and picking, with
harvest running from mid to late September right through to November.
Great effort is made to ensure that the estate bottled wines are of the
highest quality, which is reflected by the number of awards received, including
a Silver Decanter World Wine Award 2016 for Ortega, 2014, and a Bronze
Sommelier Wine Award 2016 for Pinot Reserve, 2010.
For more information about tour packages and availability or to book onto
a free tour please call Biddenden on 01580 291726.
Biddenden Vineyards
Gribble Bridge Lane
Biddenden, Ashford
TN27 8DF
01580 291726
[email protected]
www.biddendenvineyards.com
The Barnes family are passionate about sharing their story and the vineyard
is open to the public daily throughout the year, with free admission and
tastings. For those just passing, there is a self-guided tour route around
the vines for you to take a stroll at your leisure and four-legged friends are
welcome on leads. For a more in-depth experience and to learn more about
the history of the vineyard, the wine and the cider making process visitors
can pre-book private guided tours. Or for a short introduction to Biddenden,
individuals, families and friends can book onto one of the free tours, with
@BiddendenVine
BiddendenVineyard
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