Hush Heath Estate Balfour Winery

"We stopped by on our way home, didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. We went into the restaurant and tried the 6 items sharing plate which was great value for money. Each individual dishes were all very nicely done, we particularly enjoyed the mushroom pate, prawn and courgette salad and mackerel salad the most. We also ordered the non-alcoholic sparkling white and rose wine, both were delicious. The surrounding area was very pretty as well, and there is an option to do a self guided tour, but it started raining so we didn't get to do that. All the staffs were super friendly and the lady who look after the shop in particular was very helpful.

Overall a great experience, we would definitely come back again for a proper lunch and try out all the wines!"

Ada

"Visited for a tour and tasting on a Saturday in July. We were on the first tour of the day at 10:30am - this may not always be the case, but it felt like we had a smaller group size than later tours as a result (7 in total) which was nice.

Our guide Sharon was very knowledgable and friendly, and added lots of personal anecdotes to the tour, adapting it to give us more time/information on the points we were most interested in.

The tour involved walking through lots of the vineyards and learning about the different vines and challenges that come with growing them. I’d say it involved seeing more of the estate than I experienced at Chapel Down - I was glad to have comfy shoes!

The production side is mostly shown through a video - it’s a shame you can’t see it in person as this would’ve balanced the time spent out in the fields, but they are a working winery so it makes sense that they don’t want lots of visitors getting in the way!

It was a fair bit more expensive compared to other tours and tastings I’ve done (£70pp at Balfour, vs £35 at Chapel Down, £32 at Squerryes and £35 at Mount Vineyard - although this last one doesn’t include a tour). For the price to be double, I’d maybe expect a few light nibbles thrown in and more detailed instruction on how to properly taste each wine and a fuller explanation of the flavours that are present. The pours were fairly generous and you do get to try six wines (on the upper end of tastings I’ve done), but it feels like there’s something slightly missing for the price point, hence the four stars.

The six wines we tasted only included whites and sparkling, but this wasn’t a problem as the staff at the bar were more than happy to let us try the reds afterwards, which were amazing! I can’t recall the barman’s name, but he was brilliant. We loved hearing about his favourites and recommendations, and we ended up bringing a few bottles home - the Albariño, Luke’s pinot noir and Leslie’s Gold NV. With the discount provided at the tour these were very reasonably priced.

We weren’t able to stay for food but it looked amazing, especially on a warm sunny day. Would love to come back and stay for a leisurely lunch in future. If you’ve done wine tastings before then I’d maybe come for a wander round by yourself (you don’t need to be on a tour to explore the grounds) and then order the wines you like and enjoy the beautiful setting with a bite to eat."

CP

"A beautiful experience in the heart of the Kent countryside. The 40-minute walk through the vineyards is scenic and peaceful — perfect for anyone who enjoys a quiet stroll surrounded by nature.

We originally sat outside on the stunning outdoor deck for our wine tasting, but there were too many wasps, so we moved indoors. Luckily, the indoor setting was just as charming.

The tasting offers two options:

3 glasses for £15

6 glasses for £30

Great value for money, especially considering the quality of the wine and the care put into the whole experience. The wines were well chosen and thoughtfully explained. Overall, a lovely way to spend an afternoon — good wine, friendly service, and a truly relaxing atmosphere. Highly recommended."

Vic