Biddenden Vineyards Ltd

Special offer! 👇 A firm favourite this time of year, Monks Delight is perfect for Halloween and bonfire night. Ideal for the cooler evenings, our famous Strong Kentish Cider is blended with honey and spices to create a rich, delicious cider that may be served warm. Heat straight from the bottle, no need to add anything! Available in 1L bottles and 5L and 20L bag in box, order online for next working day delivery and take advantage of our special offer of free delivery on Monks Delight on our website until the 5th of November! Use code monksdelight24 at checkout. https://lnkd.in/e4Pwidbn #biddendencider #halloween #bonfirenight #mulledcider

Delighted to support the Kent Invicta Chamber Business Awards 2024! 🥂

Dornfelder and Gamay Noir 🍇 Last week we picked our Dornfelder and Gamay Noir grapes. These are left on the vine longer than most of our white varieties to achieve peak ripeness and can be a real labour of love to ensure the quality of the bunches we bring in is where it needs to be, with the Gamay thinned by around 40% this year. Once hand picked, these grapes were, separately, destemmed and then sorted before fermentation began in their respective tanks. 7 days on, our Dornfelder grapes are now being removed from the tank before being gently pressed. The juice will then be pumped through into a clean tank where the journey continues! #biddendenvineyards #harvest2024 #winegardenofengland #dornfelder #gamay

Since the Battle of Trafalgar, Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson's victory has been celebrated at an annual dinner. Every year on October 21st, Trafalgar Night is marked in Royal Navy Officer Mess Decks and Wardrooms throughout the country and on Royal Naval vessels serving overseas. This year, The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust marked Trafalgar Night on Thursday 17 October. Our honoured guest was Dr Simon Thurley CBE, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, who made the toast to The Immortal Memory. started with an introductory speech by Admiral Sir Trevor Soar KCB, OBE, DL – Chairman of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. The evening was kindly sponsored by Ward Security and drinks were sponsored by Biddenden Vineyards Ltd. 👉 Read all about Trafalgar Night Dinner Traditions: https://lnkd.in/eTWgyrXW

What a difference a week makes!   Our last variety is still standing strong in the vineyard. The canopy is holding up well but now the leaves are starting to change. With the colder night’s drawing in, now it's a waiting game between the weather and how long we can get the grapes to hang for to achieve optimum ripeness.   #biddendenvineyards #harvest2024 #winegardenofengland

Today is apple day! An annual autumn celebration of apples and orchards, as well as celebrating the rich diversity of our environment and landscape. Our vineyard site was originally home to a 40 acre apple orchard and now we work closely with local Kent farmers, many of whom we have worked with for over 40 years, to ensure only the very best orchard ripe apples go into our famous Biddenden cider and farm pressed juices. Although apple day is designed to be a celebration, sadly the UK fruit industry is still at risk, with many local growers and farmers making a loss due to some supermarkets opting for imported fruit, along with rising input hikes such as picking, energy, hauling and packing, not to mention problems caused by the ever changing weather conditions we are seeing year on year. Orchards have been dug up in the face of stagnant returns on fruit and, without change, we could see less British orchards, more imported fruit and increasing food shortages. Last week it was revealed that only 55% of the food we eat in the UK is produced here. We are losing farms and, if this continues, not only will we lose our ability to feed ourselves but we are undermining our ability to deliver for the environment. 70% of England’s land mass is agricultural, we cannot tackle the climate or nature crisis without farmers! So how can you help? Ask your local supermarket why they are selling apples from abroad in peak UK season and always buy English apples #biddendencider #appleday2024 #kent #supportbritishfarmers #buybritish

Last night we were delighted to attend the Trafalgar Night celebrations at the magnificent The Historic Dockyard Chatham The event honours the bravery, leadership, and sacrifice of Admiral Lord Nelson and the sailors who secured a vital victory for our nation at the Battle of Trafalgar. It’s an event that holds a special place in the hearts of all who cherish maritime history and tradition, and at Biddenden, we were extremely proud to support this remarkable occasion as drinks sponsor. Being a sponsor for this Trafalgar Night celebration is particularly special to us, not only because of the historic significance of this Dockyard but also because of the shared values we hold - preserving our past while looking to the future. As a family-run business with more than 50 years of heritage in the heart of Kent, we understand the importance of tradition, craftsmanship, and community. Thank you to Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust for this wonderful evening and allowing us to be part of this special occasion. Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, Anna Marie Idle, Lynnette Crisp, Richard Morsley, Olivia Horner and the whole team and lovely to also see Deirdre Wells OBE, Jonathan Neame, Doug Bannister and many friends of Biddenden. #trafalgarnight #biddendenvineyards #chathamdockyard

Did you spot us featured on Mastermind on Monday? Do you know the answer?

It’s Dornfelder time! 🍇 Today we have been picking Dornfelder, one of the red varieties grown at Biddenden and used to make our single varietal Dornfelder red wine and also blended in our still rosé. We left these grapes on the vine for longer to achieve peak ripeness and, now picked, the team are back in the winery, de-stemming and sorting to make sure all the stalks have been removed. After a wetter summer than we all might have hoped for, we’re really pleased with the quality of the fruit that has been harvested. Although the crop may be smaller than 2023 the quality is definitely there! #biddendenvineyards #kentvineyard #winegardenofengland #harvest2024

Have you tried our Apple and Elderberry juice? 🍎 Pressed on-site using a blend of Kentish culinary and dessert apples, combined with elderberries picked locally to Biddenden. Naturally red in colour, and with a clean, crisp flavour. Like all Biddenden juices, our Apple and Elderberry Juice is 100% pure juice and never from concentrate. An excellent non-alcoholic option! Pick up a bottle from our vineyard shop, or order online for nationwide delivery. https://lnkd.in/emEx3a5D #biddendenvineyards #kent #apple #applejuice