Kent Fine wine

When English wine began its astonishing rise at the start of the century, one county was undoubtedly at the vanguard. Kent’s chalk soils and benevolent climate – not for nothing is it known as ‘The Garden of England’ – meant that it had long been the centre of the country’s early winemaking pioneers (indeed there is evidence of viticulture in Kent going back to the Domesday Book). And while the early commercial efforts of the 1970s and ‘80s were somewhat hobbyist in nature, the foundations had been laid for more professional enterprises that followed from the late 1990s onwards.

Since then, English Sparkling Wine in particular has gone from being the butt of jokes to one of the most exciting, vibrant wine categories in the world – and Kent has been at the forefront. The realisation that the future lay in cultivating the same grape varieties as Champagne – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – and blending them in a similar style to the famous French region was followed by an explosion of knowledge and investment from well-funded producers, aided by a constantly warming climate in the warmest corner of the country. Today, the best examples showcase a style of sparkling wine that harnesses Kent’s signature orchard-fruit character and racy acidity.

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Kent vintages and styles

The core style of English Sparkling Wine is the non-vintage cuvée – a wine blended from a range of years and, often, regions, thereby spreading the risk of the county’s sometimes variable climate. As a result, individual vintages are not yet as integral to the overall scene, at least from a consumer perspective, as in Champagne. That said, most producers do release vintage wines when the year justifies it. And the growing number of still wines – generally always made from a specific year – means that the reputation of individual vintages is only likely to become more significant in future.

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N/V Classic Cuvée Edition 1, Domaine Evremond, Kent (Base vintage 2020)

Kent wine FAQs

Why is Kent such an important wine region in England?

The growing reputation of English wine is almost entirely down to its sparkling wines, which are similar in make-up to those of Champagne. Much is made of the common factors that Kent’s vineyards share with the famous French region, then – both in terms of the relatively cool climate, the three core grape varieties used and – perhaps most significantly – the chalk soils. The key point of difference is Kent’s core temperature, which remains lower on this side of the channel, leading to more racy acidity and notes of orchard, rather than tropical, fruit.

What styles of wine does Kent specialise in?

Sparkling wine made from the three classic Champagne varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – and in the ‘traditional’ method, via a secondary fermentation in tank, remains the core driver of the Kent wine scene. That said, some producers, such as Gusbourne, have started making a range of still wines – generally via the same grape varieties, with Chardonnay leading the way – that are gaining an increasing number of plaudits.

Kent wine producers

Kent has traditionally been known as the Garden of England, on account of its status as a rich source of orchard fruits. Grape growing has also been part of the mix for longer than is commonly believed, with several vineyards documented in the Domesday Book of 1086. The first commercial wines were released in the 1960s, and the county has been at the heart of England’s burgeoning wine scene ever since. In recent times, the hugely ambitious Gusbourne has been based here, producing both still and sparkling wines of increasing renown, while it was significant that Champagne Taittinger chose Kent to plant its vineyard that has since yielded its inaugural English fizz, Domaine Evremond.