Balfour Winery

About the venue

A Kent winery on the 400-acre Hush Heath Estate near Staplehurst, home of Balfour Brut Rosé. Its meeting rooms seat 20 to 130, and company days combine a morning meeting with lunch, a vineyard tour and a tutored tasting.

Leslie Balfour-Lynn planted the first five acres of vines at Hush Heath in 2002. She wanted to make an English pink fizz as good as Billecart-Salmon Rosé, the couple's favourite Champagne. "If we can't sell it," they reasoned, "we'll drink it."

They didn't need to. The first Balfour Brut Rosé won a gold medal and a trophy at the International Wine Challenge. It later became the first English sparkling wine served in British Airways First Class, and the only English wine poured at the London 2012 Olympics.

The winery and tasting room opened in 2010 and were greatly expanded in 2018. They sit on the 400-acre Hush Heath Estate near Staplehurst, among vineyards, apple orchards, wildflower meadows and ancient oak woodland. Owen Elias has made the wine since the first vintage, and has been named UK Winemaker of the Year six times. His son Fergus is now head winemaker.

Visitors come for tours and tastings, lunch in the Winemakers' Kitchen or platters in the Cellar Door. The main visitor building, The View, has an art collection on its mezzanine and a balcony over the estate.

The winery also runs company days, Christmas parties and private tastings. Trains from London Bridge reach Marden in about 50 minutes, and the team can arrange transfers from the station.

Home of Balfour Brut Rosé, first planted in 2002

400-acre Hush Heath Estate near Staplehurst, Kent

Meeting rooms for 20 to 130

Away-day packages with tours and tastings

Winemakers' Kitchen restaurant

Stretch tent for outdoor events

About 50 minutes by train from London Bridge

Free parking and station transfers