Wandering The Wine Garden Of England

From its ancient history to its modern renaissance, there’s more to English winemaking than you might expect

- Rebecca Hallett

In 1077, a monk named Gundulf travelled from Normandy to a small English city on the River Medway, to assume the bishopric of its derelict 400-year-old cathedral. He quickly set to work building a new cathedral, which still stands today, but he also established something else: a vineyard.

During Gundulf’s time as Bishop of Rochester, the order of Benedictine monks that he founded grew grapes alongside their other duties. In fact, Gundulf became so associated with his vineyards that a wine festival was held every year on the anniversary of his death. Eventually, of course, this tradition faded away – that is, until now.

In 2018, the Wine Garden of England Festival was held for the first time in over 1000 years, and there’s never been a better time to celebrate wine in the Southeast. Rows of vines may not be the first image that comes to mind when thinking of the English countryside, but in fact the area is full of vineyards, with around sixty in Kent, Sussex and Surrey alone.

But of course, quantity doesn’t necessarily equal quality. The real question must be: is it any good? The overwhelming consensus is that, yes, English wine is becoming a force to be reckoned with. And don’t just take it from the Brits; in 2017, the prestigious Champagne house Taittinger started planting a vineyard in Kent, under the name Domaine Evremond (www.domaineevremond.com). When France starts to get involved, you know you’re making good wine.