Nestled in the heart of Kent's picturesque countryside, Westwell Wines is a hidden gem that beautifully marries tradition with innovation. Their range of wines, crafted with passion and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, offers a true taste of the English terroir*. The vineyards are a lush green at this time of year, offering views of the North Downs while you savour the unique flavours of Kent.
* The French word terroir was new to me! It's defined by the Oxford dictionary as "the characteristic taste and flavour imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced".
Back in March when I walked the Augustine Camino through vineyards and orchards, I made a promise to explore more vineyards in Kent. I was delighted when my friend Amanda suggested the outdoor pizza night at Westwell Wines, complete with pizza, wine and a DJ.
The event was on a Friday which meant I had to arrive nice and early in order to mitigate the regular traffic nightmares in Dartford and Kent. As it was, I only arrived with 20 minutes to spare after planning to be there much earlier. I pottered about in the vineyard, took a cheeky selfie and found our table. The pizza evenings are very popular, so it's essential to book ahead.
When Amanda and Kieran arrived (on time, because they travelled from Amanda's home in the next village) we went up to order our pizzas from the very friendly staff.
We went into the gift shop to order our drinks. I ordered a delicious sparkling grape juice as I had a long drive ahead of me that evening. Amanda ordered a Pinot Meunier, which had a rose gold colour, and Kieran ordered a Chardonnay.
Westwell is very dog friendly and there were free treats and water bowls for dogs. There was also water available for humans to help ourselves, colouring materials for kids, and shawls to assist with the evening chill.
The Alkham Valley pizza was delicious; I had salami, olives, buffalo mozzarella and basil on mine.
We enjoyed Simply Ice Cream for dessert. The ice creams are handmade and free from additives or preservatives. I had Divine Chocolate, which was indeed divine, but I was also quite envious of Amanda's Heavenly Honeycomb. There was also a range of Simply Pawfection frozen treats for dogs on offer. I need to borrow a doggy!
Once we'd finished our food and drink, we couldn't resist the allure of the vineyard and went for a walk. How peaceful and quintessentially Kentish does that look?
The grapes are looking very healthy - in my completely uninformed opinion - and will be ready for harvest in late September to mid-October. I'm quite determined to return with Stephen one day so that I can enjoy a glass of wine.
Westwell Wines
The Vyneyarde
Westwell Lane
Charing TN27 0BW
Happy 26th dating anniversary to Stephen and I! We met on the evening of one of my best friend's wedding which means they also celebrate tonight. And next year their oldest daughter, my goddaughter, is hopefully coming to the UK to volunteer for 9 months. Fingers crossed that goes ahead!
I also had never heard the word "terroir" i.e the characteristic taste and flavour given to a wine by the environment in which it is produced. But it makes perfect sense. You would much rather eat and drink taste treasures delivered by the people who grew and made it .... since they have a keen desire to impress their customers happy.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. If only I had a palette sophisticated enough to appreciate the difference between a French and Kent chardonnay
DeleteYou look such a happy lady, Mandy
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you! I'm always happy when I'm out in nature!
DeleteHow can we not be in love with what you’ve posted here, Mandy, on every level! If you had invited me, I would have gladly joined you. HA! Happy Anniversary to you and Stephen, wishing you many more years to come. And how nice to see your selfie. :)
ReplyDeleteAaah, I think you would enjoy it and would be lovely to meet up too! Goals! And thank you! We love celebrating both our dating and wedding anniversaries
DeleteYou took a great selfie :-)
ReplyDeleteYour visit looks amazing!
It was such a nice summery experience - we've had too few this year, with rainy weather and other issues
Deletewhat an engaging post, Mandy. the place looks very good with the outdoor seating. i am not really a wine person but i am sure i could find something. the food photos look very good and seems like the dogs were also well catered for. congratulations on your milestone!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I do like places that look after dogs - they always seem to be the friendliest places
DeleteI hope you can fully enjoy the blessings of nature next month.
ReplyDeleteSo do I, RTC! I have a trip to the seaside planned plus a beach holiday so hopefully that will do!
DeleteNice meeting you, Mandy. And this sounds like a great event and well spent and so much fun. Happy anniversary to you and Steven. These dates are fun to celebrate. (The link in your post did not work for me)
ReplyDeleteI am always looking forward to new posts, you tell it in a way that I imagine walking along with you.
have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you for joining me (virtually) on my visit. I also like celebrating these milestones. (And thanks for letting me know about the link, I fixed it!)
DeleteWow, what a fantastic place to relax and enjoy some wine and pizza. Visiting wineries is such a fun experience and a great way for wine drinkers to enhance their social experiences and gain an improved sense of taste. There are some significant side benefits too: you’ll become more confident buying wine and be able to taste differences in quality. Of course, learning to identify wine quality can be so eye-opening that you may never see grocery store wine the same again. P.s. Happy Anniversary to you and Stephen :) Thanks for sharing, and have a good day :) Aiva xx
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Aiva! Thank you for your well wishes!
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