Rachel Proctor, from Offvine: 'A great vineyard should have a strong identity'
Rachel Proctor, founder of Offvine wine tours on why you don't want to drive to a Kentish vineyard
As Ramsgate local Rachel Proctor acquainted herself with Kent, she continued to stumble upon tucked away vineyards that were so good, so enjoyable, having the car keys in her pocket was becoming a bit of a pain.
After researching ways to get herself to the various vineyards dotted around the Kentish countryside without driving, she came up stumps. So Rachel set up Offvine to solve that problem. And the idea is simple — you drink and they drive.
A little bit more than a taxi service though, Offvine picks punters up from a delegated train station and takes them to two of Kent’s independent vineyards for a tour with the winemaker, tastings and boards of cheesy and meaty picky bits, before dropping them back to the train station or local wine bar.
Although Rachel is a “huge fan of wine”, she’s “by no means an expert”. However, she does know what “makes a great wine and a memorable experience”, and she’s channelled this savvy into Offvine, which kicked off in May.
Here, Rachel tells Strange Tourist about the charm of Kentish vineyards and what makes them just so good.
How many vineyards have you partnered with?
We’re currently working with six independent vineyards and I’m vetting others to continue to grow the offer. In time, we’d love to run tours focused on English sparkling and natural wines. By working with independent vineyards, we can offer a much more personalised experience, helping people discover new vineyards they might not have visited otherwise.
What makes Kentish vineyards (and wine) so good?
The beautiful surroundings, the expanse of nature around the vineyards, as well as the passion of the winemakers make Kentish vineyards exceptional. Both the soil and climate in Kent is incredibly well suited to growing Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Baccus and Ortega grapes because they allow for a long, slow ripening season, making wonderful English sparkling and white wines.
What are the ingredients of a good vineyard, and do they all have different personalities?
A great vineyard should have a strong identity, produce exceptional wine and curate the right environment for people to drink and relax among the vines. They definitely all have their own personality; Westwell is known for its natural and experimental wines, while Nine Oaks focuses on family and honouring the land with an organic approach.
How does the vineyard add to the experience of quaffing a glass or two?
Hearing directly from the winemakers enhances the experience; you don’t need to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate it. It connects you to the wine and helps you discover what you like and why. Then you get to sit back, amongst the vines and enjoy.
How many Kentish wines do you think you've tried and what are some of your favourites?
I tried at least 30 Kentish wines in a day at the Canterbury wine festival so I must be pushing 60. I first discovered English sparkling wine seven years ago with Nyetimber and loved it, later going on to discover Balfour and Gusbourne. More recently, I’ve enjoyed tastings from independent producers who are making incredible wines such as Terlingham, Barnsole and Wayfarer.
Kent has done a lot for English sparkling; are there other wines we should look out for?
Definitely try some of the English white and rosé wine from Nine Oaks or Woodchurch. As well as some of the more experimental wines, Westwell produces a great skin contact and pet nat.
English wine is a relatively new player, with Kent being one of the UK's key wine producing regions. Where do you think Kentish wine is going to go from here?
Champagne producers have been planting in Kent due to climate change and the similarity of the soil so we’ll start to see those being released. As well as more experimental and natural wines from producers.
Visits to vineyards in the UK has risen by 55 per cent in just two years, which is set to continue. There is loads of growth locally and we’ve already had interest from international visitors. I’m looking forward to seeing the wine region of Kent grow and helping people discover even more English wines in the years to come.
Offvine's next full day tour is on Saturday, July 6, departing from Ramsgate station at 10.45am. Head to offvine.co.uk for more details and pricing.
