3 September 2026

Members and guests had the pleasure of attending a wine tasting event at Maison Frédéric hosted by Ulric Allsebrook of Fred’s Wines, Frédéric Bistro and Maison Frédéric and a most informative and interesting talk by Uric on the vine growing and wine making industry in Kent.

The English wine industry is undergoing a historic transformation, with Kent establishing itself as the undisputed epicentre of the movement. Today, the county boasts over 1,900 hectares under vine—accounting for roughly 25% of the UK’s entire viticultural footprint. Kentish soil yields over 5 million bottles of wine annually.

We were treated to 8 types of wine, sparkling, white, rosé and red, namely ‘White Cliffs’ Blanc de Blancs, Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs, London Clay Rosé, Railway Hill Rosé, Pinot Blanc, Pino Gris, Bacchus and ‘Rabbit Hole’ Pinot Noir, which are all produced in England.  We learned about the different grape varieties and ways each of them are processed. The secret behind Kent’s viticultural dominance lies entirely beneath the topsoil. The Kent Downs feature a massive ridge of chalk and limestone that runs directly through the County.

We were told that the classic Champagne trio of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot are grown and  harvested with high natural acidity and delicate flavour profiles, utilising the Traditional Method or ‘méthode traditionnelle’ to create sparkling wines such as they have been doing in France for generations. White wines are spearheaded by Bacchus, an aromatic grape that thrives in Kent’s cooler nights, developing intense, crisp notes of elderflower and citrus.

Several of the wines tasted were on par with their French counterparts and the Nytetimber Blanc de Blancs has beaten its French counterparts in a blind wine tasting.

The joke amongst viticulturalists is that ‘God is your business partner’. 

The viticulturalist’s ‘prayer’:

Swift, early flowering

Fruit set

Hydric stress at the right time

Drought and moderate heat

Dry and sunny weather during harvest 

Prestigious French Champagne houses have recognised England’s shifting climate and purchased land directly in Kentish soil such as Domaine Evremond, established by Champagne Taittinger in Chilham, Chapel Down in Tenterden and Gusbourne Estate in Appledore have established state-of-the-art facilities, allowing the region to rapidly scale up to meet skyrocketing domestic demand.

Our thanks to Ulric Allsebrook for a thoroughly enjoyable and informative talk, Kentish wine samples, and delicious cheese and biscuits.