Having been brought up in Kent and with a wreck of a cottage near Faversham that we’re trying to stop falling down, it came as quite a surprise to hear that the Garden of England, aka God’s Chosen County, has the highest number of sunlight hours in all of the UK.
Whenever I’m there it rains. But it is these sunlight hours, the chalky soil, the salty sea breezes and – don’t laugh – the proximity of the Channel Tunnel (Reims is just 3.5 hours away by car) that brought mighty Champagne Taittinger to Chilham, Kent. Champagne Pommery might have been the first champagne house to own a sparkling wine brand in the UK, but Taittinger is the first to have invested in vineyards and in building a winery. And, goodness, how they’ve invested!
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Founded by Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger and Patrick MeGrath MW, Domaine Evremond (named after French poet, epicurean, literary critic and soldier Charles de Saint- Evremond, exiled to the Court of Charles II in the 1660s) has taken 10 years and many millions of pounds to come to fruition.
Having scoured the chalky downlands of south-east England, the duo finally fell upon a fruit farm in Chilham, near Canterbury, as the perfect place to plant their vines. Fields of strawberries and raspberries were dug up and grapes planted. Further plots nearby – barely a mile from our cottage – have since been added, and Domaine Evremond now boasts 69 hectares under vine, growing the classic champagne triumvirate of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
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There always have been vineyards in Kent, of course. The Romans grew grapes here and the Domesday Book records three local vineyards. Today there are 120, with more than 1,400 hectares of vines. Wonderful, world-class wines are made here by the likes of Herbert Hall, Simpsons, Chapel Down, Gusbourne, Biddenden and Squerryes. None, though, boast the impeccable pedigree – nor the financial clout – of Champagne Taittinger.
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With an underground cellar, a state-of-the-art winery and a visitor centre opening this spring, Domaine Evremond has big ambitions. An initial wine has just been released and there are plans for a rosé and a blanc de blancs, with total production expected to reach 400,000 bottles per year.
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Is the wine any good? Well, yes, I’m delighted to report that it darn well is. It’s magnificent, and its release marks a true watershed moment for English wine.
As a Man of Kent, I’m mighty proud.
This feature first appeared in Spear’s Magazine Issue 95. Click here to subscribe
