Canterbury Rose Sparkling Rosé
Guide price: £36
Recorded vintages: 2022
A sparkling rosé made entirely from Pinot Noir.
2012
Canterbury
Blanc de NoirsNon-VintageSparkling RoséSparkling WhiteStill WineTraditional MethodVintage
Ruth and Charles Simpson began making wine at Domaine de Sainte Rose in the Languedoc in 2002. They established their English estate in the Elham Valley in 2012, planting Roman Road vineyard in 2014 and Railway Hill in 2016 and 2017. A winery opened in Barham in 2016 and was expanded in 2019. The estate produces still and traditional-method sparkling wines entirely from its own grapes.
Roman Road and Railway Hill cover 30 hectares of south-facing chalk slopes in the Elham Valley, less than eight miles from the Kent coast. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are hand-picked and taken to the estate’s Barham winery. The Pinot Noir plantings include Burgundy’s Clone 115.
WINEMAKER
Simpsons’ wines are made by an international estate team in Barham, close to its Roman Road and Railway Hill vineyards. The estate keeps both viticulture and winemaking in-house, giving the team control from growing the grapes through to the finished wine.
The Wine Society’s August 2024 visit identifies winemakers Den’e van Wyk and Adrian Mohor alongside founders Ruth and Charles Simpson. Simpsons has also named Adrian as its winemaker in a subsequent account of a harvest visit.
The purpose-built winery opened in 2016 and was extended in 2019. Its two inert-gas grape presses help protect the juice from oxidation, supporting the estate’s emphasis on fruit purity and the character of its Kent vineyards. Alongside the still wines, the team makes traditional-method sparkling wines with a second fermentation in bottle and ageing on the lees.
Meet the team in The Wine Society’s estate visit · Explore Simpsons’ winemaking approach
The Collection
Guide price: £36
Recorded vintages: 2022
A sparkling rosé made entirely from Pinot Noir.
Guide price: £32
Recorded vintages: NV
A sparkling cuvée with green-apple, citrus and toasted notes.
Guide price: £25
Recorded vintages: 2023
A still white Pinot Meunier with pear, apple and white-blossom aromas, a rounded texture and a fresh finish.
Guide price: £46
Recorded vintages: 2021
A Pinot Noir blanc de noirs with apricot, toasted nut and pastry notes.
Recorded vintages: Varies — check venue, 2025
An unoaked Kent Chardonnay with fresh citrus and orchard-fruit character. Venue listings confirm this wine; the vintage served may vary.
Recorded vintages: Varies — check venue, 2023, 2024
A Kent Pinot Noir with ripe red-fruit character and a silky texture. Venue listings confirm this wine; the vintage served may vary.
Guide price: £22
Recorded vintages: 2023
A still Pinot Noir rosé with strawberry, watermelon and lemon-zest flavours, finishing fresh and crisp.
Representative image: 2020 vintage shown. Recorded vintages: 2022
A dry Kent Chardonnay with ripe stone-fruit flavours, creamy oak and a fresh finish.
Prices shown are the latest recorded by UKFizz and may change. Please check the seller’s current price before purchasing.
Book ahead for a 90-minute wine tasting in the Glass House, follow the estate from vines to winery on a guided tour and tasting, or catch one of the selected summer Sunset Sessions. Office collections are available on weekdays, but all tasting and tour experiences must be pre-booked.
All tastings and tours require advance booking and are for guests aged 18+. Children are not permitted. Dogs are not permitted except registered assistance dogs. The winery route is wheelchair accessible; the Glass House is upstairs, so contact the team in advance for step-free tasting arrangements.
BUY & DRINK
Explore places linked to this producer or its individual wines. Menus and availability can change; check with the venue before visiting.
LISTED PRODUCER • Saltwood
A Saltwood restaurant with seasonal tasting menus and an English wine library that includes still and sparkling wines from nearby Simpsons Wine Estate.
LISTED PRODUCER • Alkham
A country pub with rooms in the Alkham Valley, pairing gastropub cooking with a wine list that includes Simpsons still and sparkling wines.
LISTED PRODUCER • London
Enjoy Simpsons Gravel Castle Chardonnay and Rabbit Hole Pinot Noir at the Royal Albert Hall’s Kensington Gardens Bar, a botanical retreat exclusively for ticket holders.
LISTED PRODUCER • Fordwich
A riverside pub and restaurant near Canterbury, with seasonal dining and an extensive English wine selection, including Simpsons, Gusbourne and Rathfinny.
LISTED PRODUCER • Elham
A restored village pub in the Elham Valley, serving gastropub food, local ales and Kent wines, with Simpsons still and sparkling wines on its list.
LISTED PRODUCER • Canterbury
Canterbury’s theatre offers Simpsons wines across its bars and Green Room restaurant, bringing local Kent wine to a pre-show meal or interval drink.