The estate is situated in the Elham Valley, an unspoiled seam in the North Downs of Kent, where the contours of the land, climate, and soil are excellent for viticulture. The intensely lime-rich chalk soil forms part of the same chalk ridge that stretches from southern England to Burgundy. The Guyot-trained vines are low-yielding (35 hl/ha) Burgundian Pinot Noir clones 115 and 777 grown on Fercal or 41B rootstocks. Planted at 4,200 vines per hectare, they are grown on south-facing slopes, ensuring heat accumulation during the day and cold air drainage at night. The vineyard is less than eight miles from the coast, providing a crucial maritime influence insulating the fruit against intense temperature variations. Grass cover crops between the rows encourage biodiversity within the vineyard. Pruning and harvesting take place by hand, and are signed up to the WineGB â Sustainability Scheme.