While working simultaneously at a Hampshire vineyard, in 1991, Will Davenport planted 5 acres of vines at Horsmonden, Kent. Decades later, Davenport grew his collection of vineyards to total over 20 acres and decided to convert to organic farming obtaining certification by the Soil Association in 2000. Manoeuvring the challenges of the English climate’s temperate weather and heavy rain with his vine manager Phil Harris, Davenport annually produces around 30,000 bottles. Their wines successfully express their English personality, creating a new definition of terroir.

The English summer heatwave of 2018 produced one of Davenport’s ripest harvests, resulting in deep, complex wines especially suitable for aging. The Pinot Noir is grown on south facing sandy clay. Its translucent crimson with savoury depths of black cherries and red plum. The delicate Horsmonden Dry White is made from a blend of Bacchus, Faber, Huxelrebe, Ortega and Siegerrebe. It is a refreshing wine with a light to medium body and vibrant, citrusy flavour that can be kept for a couple of years or enjoyed young. For a perfect summer wine, the Pet Nat, which stands for Petillant (or not fully sparkling) and natural, is fermented by natural yeasts with no added sulphites. Made from Auxerrois, Pinot Meunier and Faber, the wine has a apple and elderflower nose with a vivid acidity and light tongue-tingling bubbles.