In Kent, Sussex, Essex, and even Cornwall, vineyards are emerging in regions once deemed too northern to yield quality wine. Major champagne brands have joined the

trailblazers, nurturing an ecosystem across the country's nearly 4,000 hectares of vineyards.

Chilham, a village nestled in the heart of Kent, boasts picturesque landscapes with lush green valleys, charming cottages nestled behind hedgerows, and the iconic silhouette of a Norman church at the valley's edge. It's no wonder that this southeastern part of the UK is often referred to as "the Garden of England."

Located less than an hour by train from central London, this region with limestone-veined terrain has a longstanding history of orchards and sheep pastures. However, on a late August day, wine expert Patrick McGrath and farmer Mark Gaskain were surveying vineyards. Traditional champagne grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay are now cultivated across approximately 50 hectares.

These vines stand in meticulously straight rows, trained upwards with carefully thinned foliage to ensure optimal sunlight for the grape clusters, which were still green. McGrath, the head of Hatch Mansfield specializing in wine distribution and marketing, anticipates the harvest to commence around October 5 or 6. He noted that September, following a historic heatwave in the United Kingdom, would be crucial for the vineyards. Photo by Bob Jones, Wikimedia commons.