Taittinger’s decision to plant grapes in Kent represented the first investment by a major Champagne house in land in the United Kingdom, and has helped cement the South East’s reputation as the home of top-quality sparkling wine that can rival anything in the world.
Domaine Evremond is a partnership between Champagne Taittinger and the French company’s UK partner, Hatch Mansfield, and reflects a longstanding friendship between Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger and Patrick McGrath MW. Other friendships have grown up more recently but seem equally strong, with Taittinger’s vineyard director Christelle Rinville sharing the presentation on the ‘outside’ elements of the 125ha site (60ha of which has now been planted) with Mark Gaskain of Gaskains Ltd.
Having sold the land on which the first vines were planted to the partnership in 2015, Mark, who still grows 70 million apples a year, became a valuable part of the Domaine Evremond set up, and his team now carries out all the vineyard management tasks under Christelle’s guidance and with agronomy support from Agrii.
The first vines – unsurprisingly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – were planted in 2017, with renowned UK viticulturalist Stephen Skelton MW also contributing his expertise to the team.
Following a small harvest in 2019, Domaine Evremond’s first full harvest was in 2020 and the first bottling took place in 2021. The first edition of Domaine Evremond’s Classic Cuvée, a blend of 55% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Meunier, has spent three years on the lees and went down well with the guests at the launch. It will be on sale from next spring.
Work began on the striking winery at the top of the site in 2022 following a lengthy planning battle with a resident who opposed the plans, which had been readily approved by Ashford Borough Council. The building, much of which is buried deep in the ground and features a natural cellar, involved digging a 40,000 cubic metre hole in the chalk.
After Christelle and Mark had outlined the surface elements of the operation, Champagne Taittinger’s chef de cave Alexandre Ponnavoy showed guests around the impressive winery.
At the Royal opening, Patrick McGrath MW commented: “Domaine Evremond has been more than 10 years in the making. It has been an incredible and exciting journey for all the team, and the driving force throughout has always been that of friendship.”
For more like this, sign up for the FREE Vineyard newsletter here and receive all the latest viticulture news, reviews and insight
