Good news for the English sparkling wine industry (and all of us who enjoy its creations) – as of Wednesday 28th October, we have a new winery!
Yes indeed, Charles & Ruth Simpson (of Domaine Sainte Rose) and their staff have finally completed the many years of work it takes to get a fully fledged winery off of the ground – the result is the Simpsons Winery, which you shall find in Barnham, Kent.
That said, they’re not entirely finished yet – so when the third plot is complete in 2017, it’ll total 30 acres, and capable of producing 250,000 bottles of English sparkling wine per year.
Wine personality Oz Clarke (a local boy from the neighbouring village of Bishopsbourne) was there to open it. The first harvest is already complete and new wines are well on the way!
When should we be looking to see the first bottles? Around 2018 – we shall be patient.
Kent is known as ‘the garden of England’ for its capacity to produce beautiful fruit and hops. The soil around this area of Kent is very chalky, creating a climate and growing conditions that are not at all dissimilar to Champagne. Just sayin’
Tasting Britain is rather excited…