We are a family-owned vineyard started in 2013 on part of our farm where the soils match the terroir of the Champagne region of France.
Chartham Vineyard is part of Burnt House Farm located just outside the historic City of Canterbury in East Kent, very close to all transport links. How to find us.
We produce award-winning white, red and sparkling wines for sale in our Online shop and Vineyard shop as well as many local shops and restaurants.
Chartham Vineyard is open on Saturdays from 10.30am to 5.00pm. Visitors can enjoy our free art gallery, wine tastings in our vineyard shop and pre-booked guided tours and tastings.
The owners are Roz Waller (a former GP) and her husband Richard Goodenough (a former University lecturer).
They are both hands on in running Chartham Vineyard as well as managing the business. Together with Richard’s son Andy who manages the vineyard, you will often see them manning the Vineyard shop, leading pre-booked Group Tours & Tastings as well arranging art exhibitions for the Vineyard gallery.
The first vineyard at Chartham was recorded in 1303 at Deanery Farm, established by Prior Henry of Canterbury Cathedral (we even have records from Cathedral Archives detailing its maintenance costs).
Our own vineyard, started 710 years later, is part of Burnt House Farm which has been in owner Roz Waller’s family for 70 years. The farm extends over nearly 40 hectares of land and is a mixture of arable, pasture, coppice and ancient woodland. Today 2½ hectares of arable is given over to vines.
The original Burnt House Farm, a mansion, burnt down in 1730 but its ancient Dovecote, now a scheduled monument, is featured in Chartham Vineyard’s logo.
Find out more about our vineyard
Our logo brings together important elements that help to define our enterprise:
THE BUILDING represents the ancient Dovecote on our farm. This beautiful listed building stands tall at the gateway to our vineyard surveying the vines beyond.
THE RAMPANT HORSES represent the white horse symbol of the County of Kent which pre-dates the Magna Carta. In the 1060s Kent was granted the right to retain this ancient symbol and granted the motto "Invicta" by William the Conqueror.
THE GARDEN OF ENGLAND is an historic phrase describing the fertile lands of Kent famous for its fruit and hop growing for well over 600 years. In the 16th century Henry VIII's gardener had orchards near Teynham and market gardens were rapidly established in Kent to provide fresh produce for the growing population of London.
We regard the cultivation of wines and winemaking as a journey of discovery. Our aim is to produce high quality fruit and top quality wines which reflect the distinctive terroir of our site within the Kentish Downs. To achieve this we are guided by the following principles:
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. No short cuts. No substitutes for time and patience. Our wines will be produced solely from grapes grown on Chartham Vineyard, which have been harvested by hand.
STEWARDSHIP. As custodians of this land, we have a great respect for traditional vineyard practices, combined with a modern approach to winemaking.
FAMILY VALUES. Our work ethic is enriched by the dedication and commitment of our family-run business.
COMMUNITY. We appreciate the reciprocal benefits from established links between our business and our local community.
SUSTAINABILITY. We are anxious to adopt sustainable methods in both cultivaton and processing that will reduce environmental impact and promote biodiversity.
Our wines are made by Litmus Wines, high end wine consultants and makers based at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, Surrey.
Established in 2008, Litmus Wines is owned and operated by the highly respected and experienced John Worontschak and Matthieu Elzinga.
On the day of picking, our grapes are transported to Dorking to be crushed and made into our wine. Throughout the year, we work closely with the John Worontschak and Matthieu Elzinga on developing our wine until it is bottled and delivered back to our wine cellar where it settles until ready for drinking.
John Worontschak, Litmus’ managing director and chief winemaker at Denbies, has been making fine wine in England since the 1980’s after winemaking in Australia, France and California. John has an impressive reputation in both winemaking and production and is a consultant to winemakers around the world.
Matthieu Elzinga, Litmus’ production manager, learned his craft running the family’s wine estate in Muscadet for 11 years. He also spent time in the Champagne region of France learning the intricacies of Champagne production. A civil engineer, Matthieu also holds a degree in Viticultural and oenological (Chateau de Briace).
Our wines couldn’t be in safer, more experienced hands.
