{"title":"Simpsons Wine Estate | Kent","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Simpsons Wine Estate Vineyards in Kent, Great Britain\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/files\/Collection_Banner_5411d767-e6ca-4451-9e22-2d0d7c1cae0a.jpg?v=1652945408\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSimpsons Wine Estate\u003c\/b\u003e sits in the picturesque Elham Valley in the heart of the North Downs of \u003cb\u003eKent\u003c\/b\u003e, a premier corner of the country for modern \u003cb\u003eEnglish wine\u003c\/b\u003e. Established in 2012 by husband-and-wife team Charles and Ruth Simpson, the estate spans thirty hectares of vineyards planted across two sheltered, south-facing sites: Roman Road and Railway Hill. These slopes sit directly on deep seams of upper-cretaceous chalk - part of the exact same geological chalk belt that runs beneath Champagne and Chablis. Flanked by ancient woodland and cooled by coastal breezes from the English Channel just eight miles away, the vines enjoy one of the sunniest microclimates in Britain alongside free-draining limestone soils that lock natural minerality into the fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery bottle in the range is made exclusively from single-estate fruit, giving the winemaking team complete control from vineyard to bottle. Focusing on \u003cb\u003eChardonnay\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ePinot Noir\u003c\/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003ePinot Meunier\u003c\/b\u003e, the Simpsons planted specific Burgundian and Champagne grape clones matched to their chalky soils. Because the south-facing hillsides trap daytime sunshine before cooling rapidly overnight, the grapes reach generous natural ripeness while holding onto a bright, crisp acidity. This balance allows the estate to shine equally across traditional-method \u003cb\u003eEnglish sparkling wine - \u003c\/b\u003eheaded by the award-winning \u003cb\u003eChalklands Classic Cuvée - \u003c\/b\u003eand expressive \u003cb\u003eEnglish still wine\u003c\/b\u003e with genuine weight and texture. Inside their modern Barham winery, gentle whole-bunch pressing and gravity-fed handling move the juice without harsh mechanical pumping, preserving pure orchard and red berry flavours in the glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore returning to the UK, Charles and Ruth spent ten years making wine in the south of France, having established their Domaine de Sainte Rose estate in the Languedoc in 2002. Bringing a decade of French winemaking experience back to Kent allowed them to pair continental expertise with local heritage and a sense of fun. Their vineyard and wine names celebrate the history of the valley: \u003cb\u003eRailway Hill\u003c\/b\u003e sits beside the old Elham Valley line where Winston Churchill once travelled aboard an armoured train during the Second World War, while \u003cb\u003eRoman Road\u003c\/b\u003e borders an ancient highway used for centuries. Even the winery itself carries their playful stamp, featuring a full-sized helter-skelter slide - known as the Fruit Chute - spiralling down beside the fermentation tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSIMPSONS ENGLISH WINE ESTATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"simpsons-english-wine-estate-railway-hill-rose","title":"Simpsons Wine Estate Railway Hill Rosé 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eSimpsons Wine Estate is situated in the Elham Valley; an unspoilt seam in the North Downs of Kent where the contours of the land, the climate and the soil are excellent for viticulture. The intensely lime-rich chalk soil forms part of the same chalk ridge that stretches from southern England to Burgundy. The vines are grown on south facing slopes, ensuring heat accumulation in the day and cold air drainage at night. The vineyard is less than eight miles from the coast, providing a crucial maritime influence insulating the fruit against intense temperature variations. Grass cover crops between the rows encourage biodiversity within the vineyard and pruning and harvesting takes place by hand. The Railway Hill Rosé is made with as little intervention as possible. The hand-picked grapes were whole bunch pressed before undergoing a long and slow fermentation in stainless tanks with wild and selected aromatic yeasts. This wine did not go through malolactic conversion, retaining a crisp and vibrant character, but spent time on fine yeast lees to build palate weight, before being bottled the following spring. This delicate Pinot Noir rosé has fresh aromas of watermelon and lychee, with peachy, stone-fruit flavours and a delightfully smooth texture and mouth-feel.[#intro]A beautiful Provencal-style English rosé that captures the very essence of summer...[\/intro]\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Simpsons Wine Estate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39964943777859,"sku":"A23SIMPSONSRHROSE","price":21.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/files\/RoseBt_5e64a5d5-0d7e-4848-86c6-1f41cc0ff467.jpg?v=1715854055"},{"product_id":"simpsons-wine-estate-rabbit-hole-pinot-noir","title":"Simpsons Wine Estate 'Rabbit Hole' Pinot Noir 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSimpsons Wine Estate Rabbit Hole Pinot Noir \u003c\/b\u003eis a rich, expressive \u003cb\u003eEnglish red wine\u003c\/b\u003e crafted by Ruth and Charles Simpson in the sunny Elham Valley of \u003cb\u003eKent\u003c\/b\u003e. Grown on the sheltered, south-facing chalk slopes of their Roman Road Vineyard, this single-vineyard \u003cb\u003ePinot Noir\u003c\/b\u003e benefits from warm summer sunshine and free-draining limestone soils that mirror the great vineyards of northern France, allowing the Burgundian grape clones to ripen with wonderful natural depth. Ripe black cherries, wild raspberries, and crushed redcurrants lead the way on the nose and palate. Maturing the wine in fine French oak barrels weaves in a gentle layer of dark mocha, vanilla pod, and warm baking spice without ever overpowering the vibrant red berry fruit, wrapping the palate in smooth, velvety tannins and a long, savoury finish. Supple, aromatic, and full of charm, this is a standout bottle to bring to the weekend dinner table. Serve it alongside crispy roast duck breast with plum sauce, a classic Sunday roast chicken with all the trimmings, or pan-fried lamb cutlets with rosemary. [#intro]\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eSilky and expressive English red wine bursting with ripe black cherry, raspberry, and toasted spice...[\/intro]\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Simpsons Wine Estate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58752729088381,"sku":"A24SIMPSONSRABBITHOLEPN","price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/files\/SimpsonsRabbitHolePinotNoirBT.jpg?v=1790349067"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/collections\/Collection_Image_a4f2df5d-ab83-4721-ada9-21fc12b00a9a.jpg?v=1652945545","url":"https:\/\/hic.wine\/collections\/simpsons.oembed","provider":"Hic!","version":"1.0","type":"link"}