Church Cottage, Kent, England

tasting English wine & visiting vineyards

Church Cottage sits at the heart of a thriving English wine region, with many vineyards nearby. One - the Simpsons Wine Estate - is actually just a few doors up the lane! These are a few of the vineyards in Kent, and links to contact them directly:

• Simpsons Wine Estate - across the church yard, sitting just on the edge of the same village as the cottage, Simpsons offers wine tastings and vineyard tours. Advanced booking essential. Barham’s village shop sells a selection of their wine or you can buy it straight from the winery.

• Gusbourne - about a 45 minutes drive away, Gusbourne offers tastings, tours, wine lunches and evening picnics in the vineyard. Booking essential, visit their website for details.

• Chartham Vineyard - about a 20 minute drive away, Chartham offers group tastings and vineyard tours. They also have an art gallery. Booking essential, visit their website for details.

• Chapel Down - around an hour’s drive to the west you will find Chapel Down, England’s largest wine producer. This vineyard has its own restaurant, The Swan (which has a chef’s table), as well as offering tours and tastings. Booking essential, visit their website for details.