Domaine Evremond, a vineyard in Kent's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Chilham, has opened a visitor centre, inviting the public to tour its winery and sample its sparkling wine. The vineyard is 51% owned by French champagne house Taittinger, and its first wine, Edition I, has been praised by critics and served at a state banquet.
From Joke to World-Class
According to drinks writer Henry Jeffreys in his 2023 book Vines in a Cold Climate, English wine has gone "from a joke to world-class in 30 years." The book opens with a scene of vine-planting at Domaine Evremond in May 2017, featuring anecdotes from anglophile Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger. The vineyard is named after Charles de Saint-Évremond, an exiled French aristocrat who introduced champagne to England.
Host and sales executive Hilary Sharp led a tour of the vineyard, stating, "England is now the most exciting wine region." The vineyard's grapes, including Pinot Meunier, are destined for English sparkling wine, and the visitor centre opened last year to coincide with the launch of its first wine.
Wine Accolades and Royal Approval
Wine critic Jancis Robinson gave Domaine Evremond's Edition I a "distinguished" 16/20 score. Jeffreys, in his Substack Drinking Culture, described it as having "bright green apple fruit with a reassuring bass note of croissant and Marmite." King Charles III toasted French president Emmanuel Macron with this wine at a state banquet last summer.
Taittinger's vineyard director, Christelle Rinville, supervises the vines at Domaine Evremond, regularly travelling from Champagne and praising the flinty Kentish subsoils. The vineyard's 25-metre-deep cellars were excavated by companies that dug through chalk for the Channel Tunnel, allowing 1.5 million bottles to be stored at the UK's first subterranean winery.
Visitor Experience and Tours
Visitors can sample the wine (£12.50 a glass, £55 a bottle) from Wednesday to Sunday, with year-round tours and tastings available. The winery features an elegant umbrella-shaded terrace with rustic tables and wildflowers, offering views of the vines.
The vineyard is a half-hour walk from Chilham village, which has cafes, pubs, and a railway station. The land was bought in 2015 from the fruit-growing Gaskain family, whose managing director, Mark Gaskain, oversees day-to-day operations and produces about 70 million apples a year.
Kent's Wine Tourism Growth
Domaine Evremond helped found the Wine Garden of England, a collaboration of Kent vineyards. August 2026 saw the launch of a new tourism initiative, the Kentish Wine Way, encouraging visits to "England's largest and most awarded wine region." The county has 120 commercially active vineyards and more than 25% of Britain's vines by area, with last year's harvest producing more than five million bottles.
Accommodation was provided by the Woolpack Inn (doubles from £140 B&B) and some transport by Southeastern (advance tickets from London St Pancras from £16 each way). Other notable Kent vineyards to visit include Balfour Winery, Biddenden Vineyards, Chapel Down, Simpsons' Wine Estate, and Westwell.
