Penn Oast Vineyard: Award-Winning English Wines from a Kentish Oast House
A New Tradition: How a Kentish Oast House Became an English Vineyard
Penn Oast Vineyard is a small, family-run English winery in the village of Hollingbourne, Kent, planted in the spring of 2022 by the Davis family on the slopes below the North Downs. It already punches well above its weight for such a young estate, picking up Silver medals at the Independent English Wine Awards (IEWA), WineGB Awards, and a 94-point Silver at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) for its first-ever rosé.
The name itself tells you a great deal about the property. An "oast" is a traditional Kentish building once used to dry hops, and when hop fields fringed the Garden of England, oast houses were a common feature of the local countryside. Penn Oast is one such building. For more than two decades it has been the Davis family home, and today it sits at the heart of an eight-acre vineyard. In the family's own words, theirs is "A New Tradition": hops have largely given way to imported cones from the continent, but the chalky soil and warming climate of the Kent Downs lend themselves beautifully to vines, and so grapes have quietly replaced hops on the land that surrounds the oast.
The decision to plant a vineyard came after one of the family completed a viticulture course at Plumpton College, England's specialist wine school. Vines were planted in spring 2022, and the first wines followed shortly after. Today, the estate is committed to producing fine English wine from grapes grown solely within its own parish, a point of pride the family describes as "Wholly Hollingbourne."
The Terroir: Eight Acres of Chalk at the Foot of the North Downs
The vineyard lies on a south-facing slope at the foot of the North Downs, with the chalky scarp providing a dramatic backdrop to the vines. The aspect is everything: south-facing, free-draining chalk soil and a protected microclimate tucked under the Downs all combine to give Penn Oast a terroir in many ways comparable to that of Champagne, and one that is increasingly well-suited to both still and traditional-method sparkling wine production.
The site is also small enough to manage by hand. Every grape is hand-harvested, a point the winemaker makes clear in the technical notes for each wine, and the team has carefully chosen grape varieties known to perform in this corner of Kent: principally Bacchus and Ortega for still whites, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for the sparkling cuvées, and Pinot Noir on its own for the rosé. The 3,600 Bacchus vines alone provide the backbone of the still-wine range.
Nurturing Nature: A Vineyard Built Around Wildlife
Wildlife and habitat management sit at the heart of the Penn Oast project. The vineyard has been planned so that the headlands and hedgerows act as nature corridors and wildflower meadows, and the results are easy to see on a summer visit.
Throughout the summer months the headlands and surrounding hedges host a wide variety of butterflies and insect life. Buzzards and other birds of prey are seen above the vineyard on a daily basis. Wild hares are resident among the vines, so much so that several of the wines take their names from the animals (Hare's Embrace, Hare's Harvest and Hare's Pairing). The Davis family also keep rescue animals at the vineyard, including chickens and a turkey, and the rescue dogs are regularly seen out working the rows.
In short, this is a working vineyard that has been deliberately designed to coexist with, and to benefit, the landscape around it.
A Family Affair: Cultivating a Legacy
The Davises are now in their third decade at Penn Oast, and the vineyard is very much a family business. The daughters have been involved from day one, helping with the seasonal tasks that come with running a small winery. The family describes its longer-term ambition as "Cultivating a Legacy", a vineyard that will be productive for many years to come, producing wines that can be enjoyed by those who come to know and love them.
That local, intergenerational commitment also explains Penn Oast's strong ties to the surrounding community, from the village fete at Hollingbourne to the regular slot at the Rochester and West Malling farmers' markets.
Winemaking Philosophy: Hand-Picked, Vegan-Friendly, Small-Batch
A consistent theme across the Penn Oast range is the attention paid in the cellar. Every grape is hand-harvested, the musts are lightly pressed, cold-settled and racked, and the winemaker uses specially selected yeasts appropriate to each variety. The white wines are heat- and cold-stabilised, with the acidity balanced prior to bottling. The sparkling wines are made in the traditional method, with secondary fermentation in bottle and time on lees before riddling and disgorgement.
All wines in the current range are vegan-friendly. The winemaker takes great care to make sure any additives used in the wine-making process are vegan, and every wine is clearly labelled as suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.
The Wines of Penn Oast
The current cellar is split between still and sparkling wines, with almost everything vegan-friendly and bottled under the Penn Oast label at the estate.
Still Wines
Bacchus 2025
The flagship white of the 2025 vintage is the Penn Oast Bacchus 2025, made from grapes grown on the estate's 3,600 Bacchus vines at the Manor Lane vineyard. The 2025 growing season in Kent benefited from classic English grape weather, and the resulting wine is dry, crisp and intensely aromatic: classic elderflower on the nose with citrus zest and apple, and elderflower and orchard fruit on the palate at 12% ABV. It won a Silver Medal at the 2026 Independent English Wine Awards, where judges praised its "excellent varietal character, freshness and technical precision," and several judges felt it was worthy of Gold.
Technical notes: 100% Bacchus; hand-harvested 16 September 2025; bottled 19 March 2026; 12% ABV.
Suggested pairings run from oysters with shallot mignonette and seared scallops with apple-and-fennel salad, through asparagus with hollandaise and pea-and-mint risotto, to Thai green curry with prawns, fish tacos with lime and coriander, and young goat's cheese or grilled halloumi with lemon.
Bacchus 2024
The 2024 Bacchus was the wine that really put Penn Oast on the medal tables. Pale lemon in colour, with elderflower, white blossom, fennel, rosemary, nettle and lime zest on the nose, and a palate of green apple, gooseberry and lengthy acidity, it won Silver at both the 2025 IEWA and the 2025 WineGB Awards. WineGB judges called it "Good fruit concentration… palate has excellent concentration and balance with a hint of salinity. Lean, crisp and lovely," and described it as "a v pleasant wine. Good example of Bacchus."
Technical notes: 100% Bacchus; hand-harvested 4 October 2024; bottled 26 March 2025; 12% ABV.
Hare's Pairing 2025
A more food-friendly blend, the Hare's Pairing 2025 marries 84% Ortega with 16% Bacchus to produce a fuller-bodied, smooth white with grapefruit, tangerine and plum aromas giving way to peach and herbaceous notes. At 12% ABV, it is positioned as an easy-drinking alternative to a straight Bacchus, designed to work with everything from seared scallops with peach or nectarine salsa and crab salad with citrus and herbs, to roast chicken with thyme and lemon, pork loin with apple or plum sauce, mild Thai coconut curry, and soft cheeses like Brie and young goat's.
Technical notes: Ortega hand-harvested 10 September 2025; Bacchus hand-harvested 16 September 2025; lightly pressed, cold-settled and racked; bottled 18 March 2026; 12% ABV.
Hare's Embrace Rosé 2025
Penn Oast's first-ever rosé is a 100% Pinot Noir, made from the long, hot, sunny days of the 2025 harvest. Pale salmon in colour, with floral aromas and wild strawberry on the nose, the palate runs into summer fruits, pear and pineapple. The wine is refreshing, fruity and clearly built for sharing on a sunny terrace. At 11.5% ABV it is the lightest wine in the cellar. The Hare's Embrace Rosé 2025 picked up two notable awards on its debut: a 94-point Silver at the IWSC 2026, Penn Oast's first entry into that competition, and a Silver at the 2026 IEWA. Judges at the IWSC described it as having "subtle, inviting aromas of fresh strawberries and wild red berries" leading to "a creamy, elegant palate of refreshing grapefruit peel and delicate floral notes."
Technical notes: 100% Pinot Noir; hand-harvested 4 October 2025; lightly pressed, cold-settled and racked; bottled 25 February 2026; 11.5% ABV.
Suggested pairings include watermelon, mint and feta salad, grilled prawns with lemon and herbs, prosciutto with melon, Mediterranean mezze and strawberry tart. The winery recommends avoiding very heavy sauces or strongly smoky flavours, which can overpower the wine's delicate floral and strawberry aromatics.
Hare's Harvest 2024
A more unusual blend, the Hare's Harvest 2024 combines 47% Bacchus, 29% Ortega and 24% Chardonnay to produce a bright, fruit-forward white with apricot, white peach, rock melon and greengage plum on the nose, and a balanced, citrussy palate with thyme on the finish. It won Silver at the 2025 IEWA and Bronze at the 2025 WineGB Awards. WineGB judges found it "lovely, fragrant with floral and citrus skin nuance" with "nice subtle grip, some lime and vibrancy" and called it an "interesting blend with some complexity and texture."
Technical notes: all three varieties made separately and blended prior to bottling; hand-harvested across September and October 2024; bottled 26 March 2025; 11.5% ABV.
Sparkling Wines
The sparkling range is made by the traditional method, with grapes from the 2024 harvest.
Classic Cuvée
The Penn Oast Classic Cuvée blends 72% Pinot Noir with 28% Chardonnay, all hand-harvested at the Manor Lane vineyard. The base wines were tirage-bottled on 4 June 2025 and spent 8.5 months on lees before being disgorged on 2 March 2026. The result is a pale-yellow sparkling with orange-blossom aromas and a palate of lemon and mandarin, with subtle brioche notes, an easy-drinking fizz for a special occasion. It picked up a Silver at the 2026 IEWA, where judges described it as "bright, vibrant and beautifully balanced… combining lively citrus and orchard fruit notes, including green apple, lemon and subtle red berry hints" with a "finely judged" palate and plenty of potential for further development.
Technical notes: 72% Pinot Noir, 28% Chardonnay; Pinot Noir harvested 4 October 2024, Chardonnay harvested 19 October 2024; traditional method sparkling; 8.5 months on lees; 5 days riddling; disgorged 2 March 2026; 12% ABV.
The winery notes that adjusting the temperature at which this wine is served can alter its taste significantly: serve cold for intense citrus flavours, or lightly chilled for a more brioche-led character.
Sparkling Rosé
The Penn Oast Sparkling Rosé is a more delicate 71.5% Pinot Noir, 27.5% Chardonnay and 1% Pinot Noir Reserve Red blend, made in the traditional method with 8 g/L dosage added at disgorgement. Pale salmon in colour, with a floral nose and a hint of brioche, the palate reveals wild strawberry notes and a satisfying finish. Like the Classic Cuvée, it was disgorged on 2 March 2026 and is positioned as a sparkling for a warm summer's day.
Technical notes: 71.5% Pinot Noir, 27.5% Chardonnay, 1% Pinot Noir Reserve Red; 99% estate fruit; traditional method sparkling with reserve red wine added for colour; 8.5 months on lees; 5 days riddling; disgorged 2 March 2026; 12% ABV.
Gifts & Accessories
Alongside the wines, Penn Oast sells a small range of accessories, including the Sparkling Stopper, a deluxe champagne stopper with an airtight seal designed to keep fizz fresh after opening. It retails at £9.50.
Awards and Accolades
The Penn Oast medal cabinet is, by any measure, remarkable for an English winery that only began bottling in the early 2020s. Highlights include:
- IWSC 2026 - Silver, 94 points: Hare's Embrace Rosé 2025 (the estate's first-ever IWSC entry).
- IEWA 2026 - Silver: Bacchus 2025, Hare's Embrace Rosé 2025, Classic Cuvée.
- WineGB Awards 2025 - Silver: Bacchus 2024; Bronze: Hare's Harvest 2024.
- IEWA 2025 - Silver: Bacchus 2024, Hare's Harvest 2024.
Visiting Penn Oast: Open Days
Unlike many English vineyards, Penn Oast does not maintain year-round visitor opening hours. The estate is open primarily on scheduled open days through the summer, typically from midday until 9:30 pm, with food vendors on site in the evenings from 5 pm. On-site parking is complemented by a pleasant 10 - 15-minute walk from Hollingbourne railway station, and the team actively encourages visitors to walk from the station for sustainable travel. Dogs and well-behaved children are welcome.
The 2026 open day programme has included visits from a rotating roster of local food partners: Defender Of The Taste (wood-fired pizzas), Smokey Lou's Taste of South BBQ, Joe's Dough (Neapolitan pizzas), Curbside Chef (loaded fries and gyros) and Tonbridge Brewery on Father's Day weekend. A special ticketed performance by the Mixed Blessing Choir on Saturday 20 June preceded general admission from 5 pm.
Upcoming open days in the 2026 season include:
- Saturday 8 August 2026: open day with Curbside Chef cooking from 5 pm; the last chance this year to taste Curbside Chef at the vineyard.
- Sunday 30 August 2026: open day, midday to 9:30 pm.
- Monday 31 August 2026 (Bank Holiday): likely the final open day of the year, with Joe's Dough cooking pizzas from 5 pm.
Events, Markets and Fetes
Beyond the vineyard gates, Penn Oast is a regular on the south-east English events circuit. Appearances include:
- Hollingbourne Fete: Saturday 13 June 2026, with wines sold by the glass and bottle at the village fete bar.
- Rochester Farmer's Market: recurring Sunday dates through summer (21 June, 19 July 2026).
- West Malling Farmer's Market: recurring Sunday dates (28 June, 26 July 2026), showcasing new sparkling wines from the 2024 vintage.
- Kent Downs Wood Fair: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July 2026, at the Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway site.
The team has also been a long-standing supporter of the Hollingbourne village fete, helping at the bar for many years before Penn Oast even had its own label.
Private Tours by Arrangement
Outside the published open days, Penn Oast offers pre-booked private tours for small groups. Tours can be arranged by contacting the team directly, with no fixed price published. Visitors with a Hollingbourne stop on their itinerary can also drop in to collect wines from The Sugar Loaves, the village's local shop, or arrange a vineyard meet-up by contacting the team.
The Online Shop & UK Delivery
Wines can be ordered online, with three categories available: Still Wine (5 products), Sparkling Wine (2 products) and Gifts (the Sparkling Stopper). Most wines are available in multiple formats. The price ranges shown for the still wines (£19 - £105) and the sparkling wines (£29 - £150) reflect the different bottle quantities on offer.
UK mainland delivery is £9 for orders of 1 - 11 bottles and free for 12 or more bottles. Local delivery to Hollingbourne, most of Harrietsham and Bearsted is free for any quantity. Penn Oast is currently unable to ship overseas through the online checkout; international enquiries can be made by emailing the team. All wines are vegan-friendly, and Penn Oast operates a Challenge 25 policy at the point of delivery, requiring proof of age from anyone who looks under 25.
Plan Your Visit
Address: Penn Oast Vineyard, Manor Lane, Hollingbourne, Kent, ME17 1UN.
By train: Hollingbourne station is a 10 - 15-minute walk from the vineyard.
By car: On-site parking is available.
Opening hours: Open from midday to 9:30 pm on scheduled open days only; private tours by arrangement.
Contact: Telephone 07927 529412 or email info@pennoastvineyard.co.uk.
Online: pennoastvineyard.co.uk · Instagram · Facebook