Squerryes has been in the Warde family for eight generations and is now under the care of Henry Warde. The site caught the attention of a French Champagne house which approached Henry and his father with an offer to buy some of their land to plant vines. The family declined the offer and instead decided to try their hand at winemaking, planting their own vines in 2006.
After what Henry’s father, John, described as a ‘long, thirsty wait’, the first vintage was bottled in 2010 and the family hasn’t looked back. The vineyard has since been recognised with many well-deserved accolades, including being the only English wine estate to have won a gold medal for six consecutive vintages in the World Championships of Champagne and Sparkling Wine.
Squerryes’ offering goes beyond their wine, but as Jo Grange, Marketing Manager at Squerryes explains it is what inspires them. She explains what the estate has to offer: “Our vintage, sparkling wine is at the heart of everything we offer, from shopping in the Cellar Door and enjoying a tasting flight in the Vineyard Cafe to taking a seat for lunch or dinner in our AA Rosette restaurant. During the summer months, our terrace is a draw for visitors, soaking up the sun with views across the vineyard.
“Those wishing to learn more about our wines can sign up for a Tour & Tasting with a Squerryes Wine Ambassador. After a walk through the vines learning about the history of Squerryes and how we make our wine, you can enjoy a tutored tasting of our three signature sparkling wines. We also have places to hire for private celebrations: everything from weddings to corporate events, birthdays to christenings.”
The estate recently got further attention as one of the filming locations for one of Netflix’s most watched series, Bridgerton. Squerryes Court, which is the family home of the Wardes, provided the backdrop for one of the series’ iconic garden parties.
Image on the left: Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2024
Jo describes what makes Squerryes unique: “We are one of only a handful of English estates that make wine and the family motto of ‘Licet Esse Beatis’, meaning ‘it is permitted to be joyful‘, runs through everything we do. From the places we welcome guests to enjoy our wine and the events we host that create joy, right through to the wine we bottle to be enjoyed at home. Our greatest wish is that everyone who visits leaves feeling like they have been a valued guest.
Despite the estate being in the Warde family for hundreds of years, its location was serendipitous for its eventual existence as a vineyard. Jo continues: “We sit 150 metres above sea level on the North Downs, where our vines are planted on chalk soils identical to those found in the Côte des Blancs in Champagne. This makes our terroir perfect for growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and being a degree cooler than other vineyards in the South East of England means we are able to make excellent quality sparkling wines which we are finding age particularly well with extended lees ageing.
“Being so close to London and served by two train lines, Sevenoaks district is a great place to escape the city and enjoy the countryside. In just a 15 minute taxi ride from Sevenoaks station, visitors can arrive at Squerryes and enjoy a coffee and pastry in the cafe, take part in a tour and tasting, relax over lunch on the terrace, browse the Estate Deli and Cellar Door, stroll around the vines and enjoy a glass of wine in the late afternoon sun. Bliss!”
The team is always looking for new ways to appeal to their visitors and move forward with ambition. Jo concludes: “We are currently building our own wine production facility, which is a huge milestone in our development. In previous years, our wine has been made off-site but the time is right to now bring this in-house. It’s a significant investment, including bringing on-board a wine maker, but we’re excited to start this next phase of Squerryes’ development.”