Balfour vineyard walk and tasting
A walk through the vines at Hush Heath, home of Balfour, and a tasting of three of their wines.
Starts Balfour Winery, Staplehurst, Kent
Kent Wine Tours / Guides / Wine tasting in Kent
Tastings
Wine tasting in Kent
Some Kent cellar doors will pour you a flight if you just turn up. Others only do tutored tastings, booked in advance. This is where to go for each, and what it costs.
Checked against each vineyard’s own website in October 2026. Prices are per person.
The short answer
If you have not booked, go to Chapel Down near Tenterden, which pours a flight of three wines for £15 every day. Yotes Court near Maidstone has a self-guided flight for £16 in season, and Barnsole near Canterbury does a free drop-in tasting from Thursday to Sunday. Guided tours and tutored tastings almost always need booking. Start with Silverhand (£20), Simpsons’ (£25), Domaine Evremond (£25) or Balfour (from £40).
Where to taste, and what it costs
Walk-in tastings first, then the ones you book.
| Vineyard | Tasting | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Down Tenterden | Flight of three wines at the tasting bar | £15 | Walk in, every day |
| Yotes Court Mereworth | Self-guided flight in the wine barn | £16 | Walk in, Wednesday to Sunday, April to 1 November; Friday and Saturday in winter until 19 December |
| Barnsole Staple, near Canterbury | Drop-in tasting | Free | Walk in, Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm |
| Domaine Evremond Chilham | Edition I by the glass on the terrace or in the cellar door; Classic Cuvée tasting of Editions I and II | By the glass; tasting £25 | Walk in for a glass, Wednesday to Sunday; book the tasting |
| Gusbourne Appledore | Wine by the glass most Fridays to Sundays; sparkling tasting flight | Flight £30 | Walk in for a glass (ring ahead); book the flight |
| Silverhand Luddesdown | Guided tasting of five wines | £20 | Book by phone or email |
| Simpsons’ Barham, near Canterbury | 90-minute guided tasting | £25 | Book ahead, adults only |
| Balfour Staplehurst | Self-tutored tasting, or a tutored tasting | From £15; tutored £40 to £45 | Book ahead, open every day |
| The Mount Shoreham | Tasting of about an hour and a half | £38 | Book ahead, Friday to Sunday, adults only |
| Terlingham Hawkinge | Six wines in the Tasting Barn, with cheese if you like | £40, or £65 with cheese | Book ahead, Fridays and Saturdays |
Most vineyards also run tours with a tasting at the end, usually £25 to £50 a head and more with lunch. See every Kent vineyard for the full list, or what a Kent wine tour costs.
Tips for a tasting day
- Check the opening daysA lot of cellar doors only open from Wednesday or Thursday to Sunday, and some shut in January and early February.
- Book tutored tastings aheadWeekend slots go first, in summer and before Christmas above all. The Mount says its tastings often sell out.
- Pick a driver, or take the trainYou can walk to Chartham, Domaine Evremond and Westwell from a station. Kent vineyards by train has the rest.
- Pair two that are closeYotes Court and Mereworth Wines are in the same village, which makes them the easiest pair. Chapel Down and Gusbourne are about 20 minutes apart, and Simpsons’ and Domaine Evremond are both near Canterbury.
Book a tasting
Tastings you can book with us
You can book these tours and tastings at Balfour, Gusbourne, Yotes Court and Warehorne through our partners.
Gusbourne sparkling wine tasting
A tasting of four of Gusbourne’s vintage sparkling wines at the estate on the edge of Romney Marsh.
Starts Gusbourne Estate, Appledore, near Ashford, Kent
Yotes Court vineyard tour and tasting
A morning tour of the 75-acre vineyard, then a tasting in the cellar door or on the lawn.
Starts Yotes Court Vineyard, Mereworth, near Maidstone, Kent
Warehorne vineyard tour and tasting
A guided tour and a flight of wines, with cheese or charcuterie boards to add.
Starts Warehorne Vineyard, near Ashford, Kent
Good to know
Questions people ask
Which Kent vineyards are open for tastings in winter?
Chapel Down, Balfour, Gusbourne, Silverhand, The Mount and Domaine Evremond all keep running tastings through the winter. Terlingham does Fridays and Saturdays, and Yotes Court opens its tasting room on those two days until 19 December.
Where can I go wine tasting near Canterbury?
Four vineyards are within about 20 minutes of the city. They are Simpsons’ at Barham, Domaine Evremond at Chilham, Barnsole at Staple, and Chartham Vineyard, which sits beside Chartham station. Terlingham, near Folkestone, is a little further out.
Can I go wine tasting in Kent by train?
Yes. Chartham Vineyard is about 50 metres from Chartham station, so it is the easiest of all. Domaine Evremond is a 30-minute walk from Chilham, and Westwell is about a mile from Charing. Our guide to Kent vineyards by train covers the rest.