WHO needs to hop over to France for some wine tasting when the UK is home to some that is better?
Kent is often called the Garden of England, and is home to many award-winning wines.
This has seen the opening of vineyard massively increase in recent years, with big names including Chapel Down and Balfour.
However, a small village that has remained off the beaten track is Braebourne.
With no nearby train stations – it sits between Ashford International and Westenhanger – it is often overlooked.
Yet is is home to Braebourne Vineyard, which offers unique wines such as a Pinot Noir.
They’ve even won awards – the 2017 Blanc de Noirs and 2018 Classic Cuvée won silver in the WineGB Awards, while the 2019 Rosé de Noirs won Bronze
Visit in the summer and you can grab a seat within the vines, as well as enjoy flights of wines alongside some snacks or even go on a guided tour.
They recently also opened Fig Cottage, a cosy home than can be rented and overlooks the vineyard.
Otherwise just down the road is The Five Bells Inn, once named the best pub in Kent.
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Both kid-friendly and dog-friendly, expect delicious menus that are everchanging, from charred corn and mushroom risottos to hearty burgers.
It has a huge pub garden in the summer too, with a shaded terrace and heaters for when the temperature dips.
You can stay here too, with rooms from £115 a night.
If you need to walk off all the wine and food, there are a number of great walks throughout the nearby North Downs villages as well.
Go off road or stay on the public footpath which goes through the nearby farmlands.
Trains to Ashford International take around 45 minutes from London, with taxis another 20 minutes to Braebourne.
Here’s another English village nearby that has one of the world’s best vineyards.
Or here’s how to find the “golden triangle” of vineyards in the UK.