_English Wine Week 2023: Our handpicked vineyards to visit
English Wine Week is an annual celebration of English wine. As one of the fastest-growing wine regions, English Wine Week highlights the diversity of producers and vineyards that now exist in the UK. During the week of 17 – 25 June, many English vineyards will open their doors for wine-led experiences, from the signature guided vineyard tour and wine tasting to ticketed events, including food and wine explorations.
We’re joining in as an official partner to Wine GB and the Wine Garden of England to help raise a glass to the amazing industry we work in and the people behind it. Here we highlight many vineyards and wineries that most people won’t realise are on their doorstep and the delicious wines that they make.
James Osborn, Partner, Viticulture at Knight Frank comments: “Visiting a vineyard is the perfect antidote to the stresses of the working week. With so many to choose from, book yourself onto a vineyard tour and wine tasting, and enjoy the quality wines that many produce, in the beautiful setting of the English countryside.”
To kick off the celebrations, our Viticulture team has handpicked some of our top English vineyards to visit.
Chapel Down (Kent)
The pioneers of English wine, with a mission to change the way the world thinks about English wine. They have a fantastic food and drink offering at their Tenterden site, including The Swan restaurant with a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Balfour (Kent)
‘The Rural Masterpiece’. The Balfour winery is a 400-acre hidden gem that combines wine, art, and nature with a 200-seater tasting room called The View, situated at the heart of the Garden of England.
Simpsons (Kent)
‘The Contemporary Boutique’. Behind the brand are a husband and wife team who have been producing award-winning wines at Domaine de Sainte Rose in southern France since 2002. They started their English wine journey in 2012. This innovative winery houses the world’s only winery helter-skelter slide.
Squerryes (Kent)
‘The Ancestral Estate’. The nearly 300-year-old estate is in the business of creating joy, which they show not only through their wine but through the many food and drink experiences they have created at their winery. They also offer spaces to hire, from private events to weddings.
Hambledon Vineyard (Hampshire)
England’s oldest commercial vineyard is still proudly family-run 70 years after it started. Nick Edgar, formally of Le Manoir, is heading up their new restaurant, due to open soon. The village has a rich DNA in the formation of the game of cricket, known as the ‘cradle of cricket’. How much more English can you get!
Ridgeview (East Sussex)
One of the few wineries with B-Corp status and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. ‘Life is for Celebrating’ at Ridgeview, be it at their cool restaurant Rows and Vine or at their annual music festival Ridgefest located in the South Downs National Park.
Tillingham (East Sussex)
A contemporary winery and an oasis of calm with rooms alongside a restaurant and food, wine and cultural experiences that reconnect people to nature and the land. Think Soho House in the English wine world.
Wiston Estate (West Sussex)
The seasoned four-time winner of the Wine GB Winery of the Year. The Wiston Estate is set in a 2,000-acre estate that is at the heart of the South Downs, with the Chalk restaurant celebrating Sussex’s seasonal produce. You can also pop into the food-to-go option, The Chalk Express, an ideal welcome pit stop for walkers and cyclists using the South Downs Way.
And one to keep an eye out for when it opens its doors in 2024 is Domaine Evremond. ‘The Anglo-French’ Alliance will bring the expertise of Champagne Taittinger to the fruit-growing prowess of east Kent. 40 hectares will be planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes to produce English sparkling.