Kent is no longer simply producing internationally respected English sparkling wine. It is developing the infrastructure, partnerships and visitor experiences required to become a globally recognized wine-tourism destination.
The county is home to approximately 120 commercially active vineyards and more than a quarter of Great Britain’s vineyard area. Its 2025 harvest produced more than five million bottles – evidence of a wine sector gaining considerable momentum.
At the centre of this transformation is Domaine Evremond, the English sparkling-wine estate created through the partnership between Champagne Taittinger and its British partner, Hatch Mansfield.
Domaine Evremond brings international recognition
Established near the historic village of Chilham, Domaine Evremond represents the first investment by a major Champagne house in an English vineyard and winery.
Kent’s chalk-rich soils, mild climate and proximity to London offered the foundations for the project. However, the estate’s importance now extends beyond wine production.
Its cellar door opened to visitors in spring 2025, offering structured experiences ranging from a £25 Classic Cuvée tasting to a £60 vineyard tour and tasting. Its £140 Flavours of Kent experience pairs the estate’s sparkling wine with a three-course menu prepared using local ingredients.
This progression – from tasting wine to interpreting place through wine, food and landscape – is central to contemporary wine tourism.
The Kentish Wine Way connects the destination
Launched in August 2026, the Kentish Wine Way brings together approximately 30 vineyards that welcome visitors.
Rather than presenting these wineries as isolated attractions, the initiative connects them with accommodation, restaurants, heritage sites, countryside experiences and local producers. It gives travellers the framework to turn a single vineyard visit into a complete day trip or multi-day stay.
The Wine Garden of England, a collaboration involving nine leading Kent wine producers, provides another important layer of regional cooperation. Together, these initiatives give Kent a clearer identity and make the region considerably easier for visitors to discover and navigate.
Why Kent’s strategy matters
Kent demonstrates that successful wine tourism requires more than outstanding wine. It depends upon collaboration, accessibility, distinctive experiences and a strong destination narrative.
The region is not attempting to recreate Champagne. Its opportunity lies in expressing its own identity: English sparkling wine shaped by Kent’s soils, maritime influences, rural heritage and evolving climate.
Domaine Evremond brings international recognition. The Kentish Wine Way provides connectivity. The Wine Garden of England strengthens collaboration. Kent’s proximity to London provides accessibility.
Together, these elements are transforming the county from a collection of vineyards into a coherent wine destination.
Kent’s sparkling-wine moment has arrived—but its most compelling achievement may be the destination strategy developing around the bottle.
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